The Daily Texarkanian., 1894-04-30
CITIZENS MASS MEETING.

A mass meeting attended by
some 200 business men and citizens
of Texarkana was held in the City
Hall on the above date. On motion
ex-Mayor e. A, Schicker was made
chairman and ]. W. Gardner,
Secretary.
The object of the meeting was to
take action in regard to the false
reports that are being published
and circulated concerning the small
pox in Texarkana.
On motion, G. A. Hays, ]. F.
Smith and W. A. Robinson we're ap-
pointed committee to prepare a
statement of the facts concerning
the small pox here for distribu-
ton.
The committee prepared and pre-
sented the following;
FACTS.
WHEREAS, There has been a dis
ease amongst some of the negro
families in Texarkana, and
WHEREAS, Garbled and exagger-
ated reports concerning the same
have been circulated. Now, there
fore, we, the undersigned citizens
of Texarkana appointed by mass
meeting of our fellow citizens to
prepare an unvarnished statement
of the facts concerning the same,
do hereby state the following to be
the facts as we have gathered them
from careful investigation and re-
liable authority:
About six weeks ago a negro
family living in one of the suburbs
of Texarkana, Ark, about one mile
from the business part of the city,
was supposed to have chicken pox.
From this case the disease spread
in the neighborhood until out of
some three or four hundred negroes
and white people who we're exposed
to it up to fifteen days ago, there
have been up to date some thirty
or thirty five cases; and of those
who have taken it to this date all
were negroes and most of them
we're of the lower class of negroes
whose filthy and exposed condition,
aggravated the disease,
The report was circulated some
days ago that this disease was
small pox. The city physician, a
man of high attainments in the
profession and a physician
of experience with small pox, was
sent to examine and report on the
disease. He reported it malig
nant type of chicken pox,
A number of those who had the
disease got well without any medi-
cal attention whatever, Four have
died of that disease up to date and
of that four three had no medical
attention and the other was expos
ed in the rain during the febril state
and was not well nursed
About ten days ago our people
became justly alarmed and the City
Board of Health sent other physi-
clans to Investigate the disease. A
majority of those physicians said it
was small pox. But there is still a
difference of opinion as to whether
it is a mild form of small pox, or a
malignant type of the chicken
poX.
The disease however, whatever it
is, is dangerous-at least amongst
the negroes to which class it has
been confined. Our vigilant city
authorities have procured a pest
house about two miles out of the
populous part of the city where
every one who is afflicted with the
disease is now placed, confined and
cared for by an excellent physician.
They have also procured quarters
safe distance from the above for
all those who have been exposed to
the disease; and these are likewise
cared for by physician and are un
der strict quarantine, as evidence,
see attached hereto the resolutions
of our excellent and yigilant Boarc
of Health and the certificate of DR..
VIM. A. Barry, president of the
Health Department of the city OF
Hot Springs, who is sent here from
that city to investigate this dis
ease.
The was considerable excitement
here for a few hours some days age
"a dozen people, perhaps, left the
city Sensationalists magnideC
mole hills into mountains and sem
out exaggerated reports, TimiC
people are still uneasy but the ex
citement is dead; and those of oul
neighboring towns who have become
alarmed to such an extent as to es
tablish quarantine regulation
against our city would, we think
Al 1