Evening star., 1895-04-26

The prosecuting officer of Fauquier
county, Va, comes to Washington with a
LII of damages for expenses caused by the
Infection of the town of Catletts station
with smallpox, by a woman who fed from
the District while suffering from that dis
ease. Virginia nay be asgrieved that the
smallpox was taken within her borders by
any one. 1t is a. terrible visitation, and one
that should he prevented by the exercise
of every possible precaution. The woman
who fed, however. did of her own vol-
ton; she was not forced to go by the au-
thorities of the District nor was sne under
their care when she escaped from the limits
of this Jurisdiction. She must be classed
as Visitation of Providence" To claim
damages for the cost of fumigating her
house and the houses of the settlement
where she spread the disease is just as
reasonable as for the District to ask that
the state Of Vermont should pay for all
the troIble that was caused to the people
of the capital by the entire outbreak, which
started from case that was originally
encountered in that state Each state and
territory must take the most rigid precau-
tions. and, having taken them, must abide
by the results without seeking remunera-
tion from other regions. else there would
be established endless chain of re-
sponsbility. and bills of damages would
socn be chasing each other around the
world like the sparks of an electric current.
There being such thing the spon-
taneous termination of the disease. some
body. under this theory. must pay for
causing contagion.
But there is another consideration
prompted by this act of the prosecuting
officer of Fauquier county, which is even
MI al m jtS ta6 for ha
sake of argument, that kill of damages
might lie against the District for the in
fection of Catlett's Station. there would
then lie against the state OF Virginia q
tremendous set-off. caused by the importa-
ticn into the District of the germs of i'm
morality and crime from the plague spots
that rest in security on the Virginia shore
just across the Potomac from this jurs-
diction. With Jackson City and Rosslyn
sapping the strength and menacing the
peace of the capital every hour of the day
and night. and every day of the week, and
with Virginia's officials practically inert in
the matter the District has the best of
reasons to complain. Nor can the condition
OF Jackson City and the neighboring pest
holes be classed as a visitation of Provi-
dence.' little energy, a little prudence,
a little. decision. a little determination to
enforce the laws. and the city of Washing
tor. would rot now be terrorized by the
communities of thieves. gamblers, thugs
and probably nlurderers sheltered in Alex
ander county. jackson City may be
a part of the territory of the District. but
1t is now claimed and held by Virginia. IL
is the function of the state to cleanse it.
But St. Asaph's is rapidly becoming as
much of a nuisance as the Alexander
Island track which has teen the cause
of most of the trouble. With two outlaw
tracks within the borders of the state. and
within half an hour of the city of Wash
ington, bills of damages may soon be
brought against Virginia for the cost of
disinfecting the national capital from the
germs of moral pestilence.