San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1897-01-15
INDIAN PLAGUE.
SPREADING AND DEP0PULATING
BOMBAY.
Business Crippled and Mills Are Liable
To Close Down-Authorities do
Not Grasp the Situation.

New York, Jan. ia special to the
Herald from Bombay, says: The
plague continues as bad as ever and
there is little prospects of its abating
for some time to come. The official
records are getting nearer the truth
now. but the real state of affairs is
certainly alarming. The panic has
been renewed and the exodus from the
city has commeced with ven
geance. Indeed, it may be fairly said.
that thousands of people are running
away from the place as if somebody
was pursuing them. Going toward
the Bunders the other day, your cor
respondent saw large crowds OF peo-
pie running along the road carrying
bundles of their belongings with
! them, and dragging their children
behind them. Some of them were
asked the reason of their haste. and
the answer was that they were going
off to their villages down the coast
TO get away from the plague and the
authorities.
1t was pointed out there was plen
ty of time. Why hurry? The steam
erS will not start for four hours more.
The answer was returned that thOuS-
ands more were hurrying to the same
spot and they were afraid of being left
behind. The scene at the Bunders
was remarkable one. The people
were huddled together like so many
sheep all clamoring for tickets. The
poor OfficialSe were ut wits end and
when the steamer started it left be-
hind crowds of disappointed ones;
some of whom in the confusion got
separated from their families and
loved ones and We're weeping pit
eOusly.
Rather than return TO their homes
these crowds remained at the Rum
ders waiting for the next steamer.
Similar scenes are witnessed ut the
other stations, all OF which are crowd
ed with passengers night and day,
all eager to get away from Bombay.
Many officers have suffered in conse-
quence of the clerks taking leave
Many of them were refused leave,
and were told that they would lose
their appointments if they went away,
but theis does not keep them back.
They would rather risk their appoint
mentS than stay in Bombay. The
larger employers of labor are suffer-
ing severely. Establishments in
which hundreds of wOrkingmPD are
employed have now only got Il few
people left. Several places of bust
ness had to be closed in consequence.
The mills are beginning to be affected.
and if once the panic takes hold of
them consequences will be serious for
the industries of the city.
One mill manager said the other
day that he had more than 10 men
short that day Streets that few days
ago were crowded are now deserted.
Driving through one large street, your
correspondent came across several
large buildings totally deserted, while
others had only one fiat out of five
occupied.
Your correspondent also made Il
visit to the Hindo burning ground
and saw thirty bodies being burned
on the various spots set apart for Gre
nation. while ten Otherse We're await
ing their turn. The bodies of two
HindOs who had died from the plague
were washed and dressed on the pub
lie road which was one of our most
crowded thOroughfareS.
The RarSees are being attacked in
large numbers. Your correspondent
saw no fewer than seven Paree funer-
ais two days ago while driving
through the town. They are clearing
out into the country.
Until recently the cases occurred
| only singly, but new when case oc-
ours in a family two or three others
take it quickly and die, so that
while the funeral preparations for
one member are being arranged. an
other member dies.
Health authorities do not thorough
ly appreciate the real gravity of the
situation. All their labOrs are vast
ed upon temporary arrangements.
There are no thoroughness about them
The announcement that the author
tiles were seriously contemplating
compulsory segregation has added to
the panic.
The people will not submit, and If it
were enforced it is absolutely certain
that serious trouble will ensue. The
leaders of the various communities
have taken the matter in hand and
each parish is now arranging to pro-
vide separate hospitals for the accom-
mediation and treatment of patients
of their own. Some of these hosritals
have already been opened and are
now in full working order.