The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-09-19
ATLANTIANS CAN COME ON.
PROPOSED QUARANTINE AGAINST
THE GATE CITY POSTPONED.

Meldrim Casting the Deciding
Vote in Favor of Postponement-A
lengthy Caucus Beforehand and
nut Little Discussion of the Cues
ton in Council.
Savannah WI not quarantine against
Atlanta for the present If any suspicion
should arise, however that the Infection
has reached Atlanta, 1t is pretty safe to
say that quarantine against that place
will be enforced at once.
In fact the quarantine came very near
being put On last night at the special
meeting Of council called to consider this
question. The vote was a tie. five a.der-
men voting in favor Of quarantine, ana five
against it. Mayor Meldrim cast the de
Gliding vote against quarantin.ng Atlanta.
There has been a general sentiment in
Savannah for the last several days in
favor of quarantining against Atlanta on
account of the fact that hundreds Of yell
low fever refugees have sought that city
as a temporary abiding place. To be adj
vertised over the country as a haven of
refuge may be very nice for Atlanta, but
it has caused a great deal Of nervousness
tween the two cities and many demands
have been made upon the aldermen to APP
ply the quarantine to Atlanta as well as
TO the infected points.
The meeting last night was held in re-
Spouse to this demand. Council remained
ia caucus more than an hour, during
which time it is understood that the ques-
ton of quarantining Atlanta was discuss
ed at length.
When the board went into open session
1t was evident that no agreement had
been reached. AS soon as the meeting was
called to order Alderman Davis promptly
offered the following resolution:
Whereas, The cities of Rome and At
lanta have opened their gates TO the peo-
pie from all the infected districts of yell
low fever, thereby endangering the safety
of this city. Therefore. be it resolved,
THAT the city of Savannah quarantine
against Rome and Atlanta, thus placing
those cities upon the same footing as the
infected districts"
Alderman Guckenheimer promptly sec
onded the resolution. Alderman Hamilton
offered an amendment to the effect
that the matter be postponed
and the mayor requested to call council
together for action promptly in
case any suspicious circumstances
should arise as regard the con
dition of Atlanta. Alderman Hamilton
said there was no necessity for Savannah
to quarantine against Atlanta, as Dr.
George II. Stone of this city was now in
Atlanta, and will keep the authorities here
fully posted as to any suspicious cases
which may arise there.
Alderman Smith seconded Alderman
Hamlton's motion. Alderman Quicken
heimer spoke in favor of Alderman Davis
resolution. The people of Savannah, he
said, demanded that Quarantine should be
enforced against Atlanta. That city, he
said, had, without any consideration
whatever for cities in this section, which
are liable to yellow fever thrown open
its doors to the refugees from the infect
ed districts. In doing so, he said Atlanta
had placed herself upon the level of an
infected city, and deserved to be treated
as such.
There seemed to be no dispo-
sition on the part of the
aldermen to discuss the subject at length.
The vote was taken on Alderman Hamil-
tons motion to postpone, the yeas and
nays being called for with the following
result:
Yeas: Smith, Hamilton, Charlton, Owens,
Well.
Krouskoff. Wylly
The vote being tie Mayor Meldrim cast
the deciding vote in favor of postponement.
Alderman Guckenheimer promptly
brought the matter up again in the shape
of a resolution to enforce quarantine
against Atlanta, Rome being left out. AL
derman Wylly added an amendment that
the quarantine should apply only to per-
sons and baggage and not to shipments of
freight.
The point was made that this was only
repetition ofs the previous motion,
but at the suggestion of Mayor
Meldrim the point was waived i'm order TO
allow the utmost freedom in the consld-
GRAFTON of this subject.
Alderman Guckenheimer's resolution
met with the, same favor as its predeces-
sor. Alderman Well made the motion TO
postpone and the vote proved TO be the
same as before, Mayor Meldrim again
casting the deciding vote in favor of post
ponement.
There was no further discussion of the
subject. After the adjournment of the
meeting, however, the aldermen continued
to discuss the question among themselves
as they walked down the street, those who
favored quarantine being very positive in
their views.
Look there" said Alderman Krouskoff
who was standing with a group at Bull
and Broughton streets. DO you see
those stores" pointing up and down
Broughton street. They are chock
full of merchandise. What would
be the loss if We should
have one case of yellow fever here? 1t
is Impossible to calculate it. l DO not be-
lieve myself that the fever would thrive
here now. 1t is late in the season and
the city is in a thoroughly healthy condi-
ton. Should one single person come here
and develop a case Of fever the damage
and Generalization that would follow
would take months to overcome. That
is the point to guard against. l have no
fear of an epidemic
Alderman Davis and Guckenheimer
were equally strong in their advocacy Of
quarantine.
Mayor Meldrim, in discussing the sub
ject with a Morning News reporter last
night, said that he did not see the necessity
Of direct quarantine against Atlanta, for
the reason that the present restrictions are
sufficient to meet al requirements mo
person" he said, "can come into Che city
from Atlanta or any other point, without
health certificate showing that he or
she has not been in any infected district