Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1897-02-15
THE BUBONIC PLAGUE.
Graphic Picture of the Horrors of
the Situation in and
About Bombay.


RACES over so many vast areas of that
populous land, says a correspondent of
the New York Journal. The disease
crept into India from the purlieus of
Hongkong, where it had ragged furiously
for weeks. Owing to the insularity of
the place it could not be stamped out.
1t first appeared in Calcutta. Then, a
few days later, a suspicious case was re-
ported from Bombay. The people at
once said it was the plague, but the au-
thorities uttered a shrek of angry de-
nunciation, saying it was false and a
SANDER. 1t proved too true, however.
Then came another case; then several;
then scores; then hundreds. Now Bonn
bay is q veritable city of dead and dying.
Never from the start have the authori-
ties been capable of coping with the
spread of the epidemic. The officials of
the municipalities were more or less in
competent. The Europeans labored no
bly,, but were overworked. The natives
refused to permit the isolation of inva-
lids. They inaugurated riots in the
streets and 'stormed the hospitals, and
were fired on by the police. Every new
health ordinance clashed with some re-
ligious custom or outraged some cher
ished native observance. Everybody
| who could fled from the town. Hun
dreds of thousands stampeded. The rail
1 way stations were packed, steamers were
| loaded down with flying human beings,
and they seized every available vehicle.
Those who were unable to leave re-
manned and died.
Official statistics admit that some $500
are dead already out Of the 300 persons
who were seized with the plague, but
these figures do not nearly represent the
true state of affairs. The death rate is
now about 200 daily, and most of the
victims are swept away in a few hours
from the time of their seizure.
Alfred HarmsWorth, proprietor of the
Daily Mall who, by the strange irony
Of fate, went to Bombay for his health,
but found the plague raging on his ar
rival there, sent to his journal the fol-
lowing graphic sketch of the situation:
1.-THE panic is spreading. Every day
intensifes the horrors of the situation,
and the strongest nerves are breaking
down under the terrible strain. The
streets are crowded with funerals, and
wherever one turns one is brought face
to face with the awful proofs of the
death and desolation that are reigning
in this most unhappy city. The mortal
ity has quadrupled recently, and this
without taking into account the panic
stricken exodus from the city. The daily
average of deaths from the plague is
10, and for the last week the ratio per
1000 cases has been 4O2 deaths. These
figures are more eloquent than words
in setting forth the appalling condition
of things here. | hear the Indian gov
eminent contemplates changing the quar-
ters Of the English regiments here. Thus
| far no deaths have occurred among the
British soldiers, but as it has been so
lamentably shown, Europeans are by no
means proof against the scourge. There
are already eleven of tAem dead. The
royal Bombay Yacht club is now left
ployes left this morning in a body, pro-
testing that they were afraid to stay.
THE burning grounds here are crowded
night and day and the pyres are con-
stantly laden with the bodies Of the
dead. The towers of Silence, where the
bodies of the Parsees are laid out on an
iron grating to be torn to pieces by the
vultures, present an awful spectacle. A
| huge flock of these ghouliSh birds now
hovers over the walls Of the towers. The
vultures are now twice or thrice as num-
| erous as they were week ago, yet these
birds are gorged to repletion with their
innumerable corpseS. A tremendous num-
Der of dead rats have been found in the
business houses here. They devoured
the bodies of the dead, and, becoming in
tested, died of the plague.
1.-THE nights are rendered hideous by
the clashing of cymbals and the chant
ing of the melancholy funeral dirges Of
the Hindoos. Great difficulty is expert
enced in disposing of the dead, even
friends and relatives refusing to carry the
corpses. The Mohammedan burial
grounds present shocking spectacle,
The vast increase of interments has led
to .overcrowding, and recently inferred
bodies are dug up, to make room for
burial grounds is awful. The nearest
parallel | can think Of is that of a battle
field several days after the battle
The Times also gives a vivid summary
Of the net results of the plague 1t
says:
mize the terrible visitation from which
Bombay is now suffering. The scourge
has already done incalculable damage to
the great growing trade of the port.
The population has already been depict
ed by more than half through the whole
sale exodus of the panic-stricken inhab-
itants. The forts, the Bhendy Bazaar,
and the Mandstie docks, so recently full
of stir and hustle and centers of thrill
ing business operations, are today scenes
of mourning and desolation. Many shop
keepers on the leading thoroughfares,
and lanes, have closed their DOORS The
'marwaris,' or money-lenders, whom the
operatives and others daily patronized,
have vanished and the small causes
court, which is their usual rendezvous,
is so deserted that the judges and clerks
are taking fortnight holidays in turn.
"a similar state of things prevails in
the high court, which, owing to the nom
appearance of plaintiffs and defendants,
sits only four hours per day. Even
crimes, with the exception of burglaries
have largely diminished. Many of the
native doctors and graduates of colleges
sought safety in flight and of those who
remain some utterly refuse altogether to
attend persons stricken with the plague
or, when they do attend, will not touch
the patients, dreading contagion.
Camps containing thousands of more
| or less destitute refugees surround the
city. The picture recalls London in 1865
Or Florence during the great visitation
of black DEATH No one knows where
the plague may not appear. There is
panic and CONSERVATION throughout
Southern Europe. The people who have
joined the mad exodus from Bombay and
other less seriously affected centers are
liable to carry the germs of the epidemic
toward Europe. The plague will soon
be heard of at Mecca among the pill
grims, and then. if it once reaches the
Golden Horn, Europe is doomed"