The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1897-11-02
HAD BEEN IN MONTGOMERY
And On That Account We're Not Allowed
to TafFy at Their Home.
DOES NOT BLAME GOV. JOHNSTON
AS His Proclamation Was in Line With the Or
der Promulgated by the State Health
eoard--Fayors a National
Quarantine Law.

YudidHtiHC Law
Washington. Nov. 1.--'Yss, under the
quarantine regulations promulgated by
Governor Jollns, on and The counties ard
municipalities of Alabama, my wife, my
son and myself were literally driven oGlt
of the state because we were from Mont
gomery, although we had not been ex-
posed to yellow YER We were informed
that unless we left by the first train we
would be subjec; to a fine of 500 each
for every day we remained in the state"
Thus spoke w. C. Oates, for fourtt en-
years the representative for the Third
congressional district i'm the congress OF
the United States and Chief executive of
the STATE of Alabama during the years
1895 and 1896
81 wish to say in justice to Governor
Johnston that his proclamation of quar-
antine was based upon the recomme n'da-
tion of the stste board OF hsal.h consist
ing of ten reputable physicians. Il is
alleged now that some off them have now
changed th:ir opinion or are i'm favor
of l1berahzing the quarantine regula-
tions in some respects His proclama-
tion is i'm accord with the state quaran-
time law as I remember
Wanted to Join His Wife
Before yellow fever was officially de-
clar.d IN Montgomery, said Ex-Governor
Oates, II sent my wife and little son to
her country place five miles from Eu-
faula, Barbour county, Alabama, to re-
main until the yellow fever scare was
over rema med in Montgomery two
days later, attending to business.
when Mrs. Oates and our little SON
arrived at her brothers country home,
Eufaula Guaranteed against that h me
inmedia tely, and none of the inmates
were allowed to enter the city. In the
meantime the governor had issued his
procla INA ton ordering all refugees ~ m
infected points not to stop within the
state and forbidding their return within
a period off ten days. Immediately the
sheriff of Barbour county went out to
MIR. Tonney's home and ordered Mrs.
Oates and our little son TO leave the state
Immediately undar pains of the penalty.
She took the train for Washington at
once without being allowed the privilege
of consulting me in the matter. About
the same time I left Montgomery with
a party. of friends from Abbevlle. We
were placed in a car specially set forth
for our transportation and the doors and
windows were tightly closed.
Couldn't Open the Car Window
"As we passed through Troy, Pike
county, one of the gentlemen raised
window for the purpose of securing a
little fresh air and was Immediately or
dered by one of the officers on board
the train to shut it down or he would
crack his head with his club At every
station the people were up in arms. A
complete quarantine had been estaib
lished and the people had no use what
ever for refugees. The same condition
existed in Dale and Henry counties, and
when l arrived at Abbeville-my old
home-I was informed by the marshal,
under the direction of the mayor of the
town. that l must leave Immediately.
/ secured a conveyance as soon as pos
sibIe and was driven across country
to Eufaula, expecting there to meet Mrs.
Oates and come on to Washington. On
my arrival, however l discovered that
she had already left for this city. l sup
pose there was general sigh of relief
when / took my departure from their
midst, and this, too. in the face of the
fact that I had already had the yellow
fever and had certificate from prob
ably the most prominent physician in
Alabama, certifying that I was in per-
feet health and had not been exposed
to the disease in any way or at any
time. I relate these facts merely to
show you the inconveniences and hard
ships of the various quarantine systems
In vogue in Alabama.
Fayors National Quarantine Laws
1.-THE orders promulgated by the gov
ernor, those by the county authorities
and those by the municipalities are SO
eelcInElIv