Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-10-18

Il
| ed cholera, 1t Is probable that the harbor
water and fish had ceased to contain germs
| OF the disease. The harbor has been
swarming with fish Of many kinds, a most
tantalizing sight to the natives
Guarding Country Roads.
Among the perverse tendencies to be
counteracted was one pointed out in the
| important letter Of Mrs E. Metcalf Ma
| kuina which I mentioned in my last, that
| Of natives from infected districts fleeing to
| secluded valleys where they were liable
to contaminate the city's supply of noun
| tain water. Her warning was promptly fol-
lowed by placing guards upon all roads
leading up the neighboring valleys. De-
spite this precaution, there were few days
ago arrested party of six natives hidden
far up in Nuuanu valley, but fortunately not
upon any water course leading to reser-
voir. They had escaped from then quar-
antined section called Puukola. northwest
of the old fish market which has just been
demolished for sanitary reasons. The fish
and meat traffic there carried on has been
unfinished. The only fish sold during the
epidemic has been salt salmon from Ore
gen, favorite diet of the natives. eaten
raw. In fact. our white youngsters OFTEN
picnic on raw salmon and poi
A new street is now being opened cieal
around the old market to King street
bridge, at the mouth of Nuuanu stream.
along which it will continue half a lile IN,
land. strong sea wall is being built and
the mud flats where the people fish at low
tide will either be filed in or dredged out.
The stream also will be walled in Ihese
are primarily sanitary improvements Out
will lend some comeliness to what has been
most hideous section, foul with fotteE
tenements oyerharging the water-or mud,
according to the state OF the ude.
Many Precautions Taken.
The white residents in the out-districts ere
keenly sensible of the danger and cannot lie
very severely censured If in most places they
have gone to extremes in the energy OF their
self-protective edicts. Our honorable board
of health, holding daily meetings in con-
ference with leading merchants and physi-
clans. have taken the most thorough pre-
cautions against possible transmission Of in
lection by freight or passengers. A number
of coasting steamers were carefully d;Sin-
fected, the holds and cargoes thoroughly
fumigated. and only selected classes of
goods sent, such as certainly had not been
exposed to Infection, or If fumigated could
not carry it. All seamen and passengers
underwent disnfection and six days quar-
artine on board, which covers the period CT
cholera Incubation. This was undergone at
anchor in the outer roadstead, a mile and
half from the city. where the rolling kept
some of the poor ladies constantly seasick.
None Of these passengers had been in any
way exposed to infection.
1t made no difference. Landing Of freight
or passengers was for the most part abso-
lutely prohibited at the chief ports of Ka-
hului, Lahaina, Hilo, Mahukona and Nawi
Twill. In few cases greatly needed freight
was put ashore at plantation landings and
minor points, with the result that guards
were put on the roads to cut off communica-
ton With the offending localities. Managers
of plantations and others imperatively
needed at their posts were driven off, not
allowed even to undergo further quarantine
on shore few weeks since the Claud:ae
was driven from Maui with large COM
pany of school teachers returningg to duty
on that island, also the sheriff. who is the
chief official. Going on to Hilo. like treat
ment was encountered there. Ex-Marshal
Hitchcock, the sheriff of that island. popu-
larly dubbed the ''holy terror" made de-
termined attempt to land, but subsidized be-
fore the nozzle Of a steam fire engine direct
ed at him. The Hilo people finally let the
sixty-seven Maui and Hawaii passengers
land for quarantine Of eleven days on Co
coanut Island, opposite the town. and did
their best to provide for their comfort. On
a later trip the Claudine brought back the
Maui passengers to their homes
Tourists Driven Away.
more entirely unreasonable thing was
the treatment of party of tourists at kau
by orders from Hilo. They had come down
| from San Francisco on the Australia Sep
| TENDER 2, had gone directly aboard the clean
and on the 9Th stepped on the wharf at
Punaluu. Kau eight hours stage drive to
the volcano. The deputy sheriff met them
and drove them aboard the steamer, despite
their protestations. He had strict orders 10
do so by telephone from the temporary Sher-
iff at Hilo, seventy miles distant. Our Hilo
friends seem to us to have somewhat got eff
their balance. Equally extreme proceedings
were pursued on the Island of Kauai.
Very serious restitution of food began to
arise among the native population of Homo
lulu. owing to the loss of daily earnings by
the stoppage of the coastng trade, which
employed many dock laborers. There was
also a considerable population along the
sea accustomed to collect on the reefs fish,
crabs, sea moss and other products for food
and to SELL These were suddenly debarred
from plying their occupation by the sanitary
prohibition. An organization was promptly
formed. under the name of the Hawaiian
Relief Society, with the object of supplying
food gratuitously to needy natives. They
a dozen leading individuals and firms SUBJ
scriDing from $500 to $500 each. The men,
bers of the society are chiefly half-white
royalist ladies', who worked hard and faith
fully, though with perhaps less prudence
and economy in the distribution of rarions
than was desirable
Natives MisinfOrmed.
fortnight since written placards in the
| native language were found posted warn
ing the people against the cholera hospital,
where they not only made business Of poi
soning the patients, but also buried them
alive. Particulars were given of two collins
having been opened at the cemetery and
| living bodies found in them with their
mouths sealed up with wax. This hideous
lie was in line with stories previously cir
culated by the witch doctors and their dupes.
1t was believed to have received some in
spiration from some wild talk Of one God
frey an old journalistic character who lad
gone into the cholera hospital, fancying
himself attacked. After his release he told
of seeing a supposed corpse move when
| disinfectants were applied, with other dread
full allegations Of abuse of patients. Such
things were absurd and impossible, from the
high character of the nurses and physicians.
AS large numbers of citizens were laboring
devotedly to subdue the pestilence a storm
Of indignation arose against Godfrey, whose
talk stirred up the obstructive tendencies of
| the natives. Some of the boys, who remains
unknown, seized the poor fellow in their ex-
citement and tarred and feathered him.
This act of violence is much regretted by
sober citizens. The man was undoubtedly
much astray in his mental condition and
hardly responsible.
The president of the board of health, who
as attorney general is a prominent member
of the government, has earned general