The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-09-21
IN TERROR OF THE PLAGUE,
THE PEOPLE INSIST ON EXTREME
PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES.

Refugees Locked in Cars For Hours
With Even the VentiIIatOrs Closed
Tightly While Armed Guards
Threaten Death to the SweItering.
SuffOcatinS Passengers Who
Would Catch "A Breath of Air-Brt-
ter Fun,igation of the Mails De-
manded-Trnins Taken on the
Southern Railroad.
Atlanta, Ca, Sept. 20-In consequence
of the complaints received from Savannah
and other Places Superintendent Terrell
of the railway mail service to-day issued
an order requiring that hereafter all mail
transferred here shall be perforated and
fumgated to prevent the spread of yell
low fever germs.
Since the outbreak of the fever the mails
have been subjected to fumigation pro-
cess, without perforation. The disinfec-
tant used was formaldehyde gas, which
it is claimed, will destroy the germs with
out going to the trouble of perforating the
package 1t appears, however, from the
kilograms and communications received
from Savannah and elsewhere that this
method of fumigation is not regarded as
satisfactory, and so, hereafter, the perfor-
alton process viii be used.
The city health officials have decided to
increase the strictness of the regulations
governing the admission of refugees in re-
sponse to the public disapproval of the
first course adopted, which was to throw
down the gates and let anybody and ev-
erybody in without examination. Hereafter
the health officials will require that all
persons receiving health certificates make
a showing that they have not been in in
fected districts with twenty days instead
of twelve days, which was the limit re-
quired last week.
This is done as an additional precaution,
though the fever experts join in the theory
that there is no danger of the development
of the disease in persons who have been
exposed to it, after a period Of ten days.
They say it was to allay all fears and to
prevent any trouble with other cities that
have quarantined against Atlanta that IL
was decided to extend the limit. Persons
who desire certificates must prove that
they have not been exposed within that
time before they are granted them.
DIR. Floyd McRae, secretary of the board
of health, said: There has not been a sus-
picious case in the city, and there is not
one now of a doubtful character" said he
Reports Of fever cases are entirely with
out foundation. Mr.. Hunt, who was taken
off the train Saturday and carried to the
sanitary grounds is getting along all right
and has shown no symptoms of fever. At
lanta is all right and there is not the
slightest ground for alarm SO far"
In consequence of the interruption of
travel and traffic over its lines through
the yellow fever scare, the Atlanta and
West Point railroad has taken off two of
it's regular trains, Nos. SO and 36, the first
leaving Atlanta at l p. m. and the other
arriving here at 11:30 p. m. No. 80 has
been making connections with the Louis
vile and Nashville for New Orleans, but
the latter road took off it's trains and the
Atlanta and West Point being left with
out connections. was forced to follow.
The only trains running now are Nos.
81 and 35, and Nos 81 and 3S, the former
being the through trains between New Or
leans and New York, and the latter run
ming between here and Opeika and be-
tween Opeiika and Montgomery The New
York and New Orleans trains will con-
tinue, but there will be no trains direct
between her and Montgomery passengers
being required to change at Opelika going
both ways.
Passengers attempting to run the gaunt-
let between New Orleans, Mobile and other
points on the coast and Atlanta and points
north are subject 10 unutterabe horrors
from hunger thirst heat, dust and delay.
They are usually several hours behind
time at starting, and are then subjected
to long and tedious delays along the route
At Montgomery the doors are locked, win
dows closed and veutilators shut tight,
and no matter how tired and hungry they
may be, nor how not and sultry the wealth
er is, they must remain in those dusty
cars without a breath of fresh air, while
the work of inspection is going on, and
the armed guards are on the alert TO pre-
vent the communicating of their wants TO
people outside by the suffering refugees.