The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-09-20
NO QUARANTINE FOR ATLANTA.
SANITARY BOARD DECLINES TO
RECOMMEND THIS STEP.


Men YeStcrday-The business Mem
May Gail n Meeting To-day 10
Bring Further Pressure to Bear.
DIR, Owens UphOIGs the Position of
the Board-Dr. Stone on Guard in
AtInnta-InSpectors Told to Carry
Ont Instructions to the Letter.
The question Of quarandning against At
lanta seems to be the main topic OF dis
cussion Just now. Council refused by a
tie vote. the mayor casting the deciding
vote, Saturday night, TO declare such
quarantine.
The question was brought before the
sanitary board again yesterday in very
direct manner. 1t having been announced
that the board would meet at l o'clock as
usual, a number of well-known business
men were on hand at that hour and re-
ouested permission to appear before the
board which was granted.
The meeting was very largely attended,
those present being Mayor Meldrim,
Health officer LeHardy. Aldermen Owens
and Wylly, DR.. William Duncan and p
]. O'Connor, Esq, OF the sanitary board;
City Physicians A. A. Morrison, r. s..
Kenan, J. 8. Howkins, Palmer Lloyd and
j. H Bugg, and Messrs. 1. B. Tledeman,
James NJ. Dixon, B. #. Bullard, Capt.
Henry Blum, B. II. Levy, l.. Mohr c. D.
Baldwin, Joseph Ferst. Aaron Ferst. W.
D. Krenson, G. A. Mercer, Jr., a. b. Hull.
T. G. Crawford, A. S. Gutman and others.
The committee of citizens was an in
formal one, having been hastily gotten
together by q few of the number after
having read the report of the action Of
council upon this matter in the Morning
News. The gentlemen were evidently of
the opinion that when the matter was
presented 10 the board by business men
that there would be little hesitancy on the
part of that body in recommending to
council that a quarantine be declared
against Atlanta.
The position of the committee was pre-
scented to the board by Messrs. l. B. Tiede-
man. James NJ. Dixon, B. II. Levy, w. d.
Krenson and A. B. Hull. The position
taken by these gentlemen was that At
lanta having opened wide her doors to
persons fleeing from the infected territory,
and there being hundreds Of refugees there
now, many of whom had doubtless been
exposed to the Infection that city was
practically on the same footing as an in
fected point, and that the interests of the
people of Savannah demanded that a rigid
quarantine be enforced against Atlanta.
On account of the intimate and constant
intercourse between the two cities, it was
said there was a general nervousness and
apprehension here that the infection might
be brought here by way Of Atlanta. The
point upon which the greatest stress was
laid was that one single case of the fever
occurring here would have the most dis
estrous results, entaiing immense loss
upon the business men, who are now heav-
lily stocked with fall goods demoralzing
the people and injuHng the reputation of
the city. The damage to the city IL was
urged, would require months and perhaps
years TO retrieve. All the speakers ex-
pressed themselves as satisfied that there
was no danger of an epidemic even should
the fever be imported here but 1t was
urged that the disastrous results would be
the same whether there was one case or
a hundred.
The argument was also used that unless
Savannah should quarantine against At
lanta. Charleston and the state Of Florida,
would quarantine against Savannah, there
by greatly curtailing the trade of the city
Charleston, it was said had already threat
ened to do so and there was good reason to
believe that Florida would do likewise 1t
was also urged that the present quarantine
was not sufficiently strict.
Mayor Meldrim discussed the situation
OF length with those present showing how
the quarantine is enforced at present, and
giving his reason for believing that the
present regulations are sufficiently strict
for all purposes. No persons, he said, could
enter the city at present from Atlanta or
any other point without presenting a GER
tineate, showing that the bearer had not
hear sod 20 81 f-F
previous to the issuance of the certificate.
After sometime spent in discussion the
business men retired at 230 O'clock The
sanitary board remained in session some
time longer. The decision of the board was
that II would not recommend TO council to
declare quarantine against Atlanta unless
further grounds for such action should be
discovered
The business men are not satisfied with
this decision and one OF the committee
which appeared before the board, upon
being informed of the result stated 10 a
Morning News reporter that either meet
ing of the commercial bodies would be
called to-day TO memorlalze council on
this subject. or petition would be circu-
lated among the business men and ciu-
zens generally urging such action by coun-
Gil
81 am satisfied" he said THAT fully 90
per cent. of the business men would sign
such petition and as for the people gen
orally the sentiment is almost unanimous
In favor of declaring a quarantine against
Atlanta. The general sentiment Is that
Atlanta has no right TO endanger the
health Of other cities with which she has
constant intercourse by extending the
freedom of the city to the refugees with
out question as to whether they have been
exposed to the infection or not"
Some OF those who appeared before the
sanitary board favored a limited quaran-
tine upon Atlanta, shutting out persons
and baggage, but admitting through
freight shipments The question will very
likely be brought before the sanitary board
again "a its next meeting, and the decls-
ion of the board viii probably depend
upon such further information as may be
received from that point 1t is under
stood that the action of the board yester-
day was not unanimous.
DR.. w. W. Owens, q member OF the SAN
itary board. upheld the position Of the
board. There is no more reason why we
should quarantine Atlanta" said DR.
Owens, than thar we Should quarantine
a number of other points, among them
Americas for one. which have not quar-
antined against New Orleans and other
infected points. We had much more rea-