The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-01-15
HORRORS OF
THE PLAGUE.
Inhabitants of Bombay Fleeing
By Thousands.
Whole Streets Are DepOpulated
In Some Quarters.
BODIES EVERYWHERE
Cremation Conducted ON the
Public ThorOughfares.
Business Ct All Kinds Almost
Suspended.

New York, Jan. ia special to the
Herald from Bombay says:
The plague continues as bad as ever
and there is little prospect of its abat-
ing for some time to come. The Off
cial records are getting nearer to the
truth now, but the real state of affairs
is certainly alarming. The panic has
been renewed and the exodus from the
city has commenced with a vengeance.
Indeed, it may fairly be stated that
thousands OF people are running away
from the place as if somebody was pur
suing them.
Going toward the Bunders the other
day your correspondent saw large
crowds of people running along the
road carrying bundles of their belong
fngs with them and dragging their
children behind them. A few of them
were asked the reason of their haste,
and the answer was that they were go
ing off to their villages down the coast
to get away from the plague and the
authorities who were anxious to secure
the lives of 10000 people for the recent
outrage of the queens statue They
seriously believed that 10000 innocents
were to be slaughtered and were deter
mined not to be among the number of
victims. Hence they were hurrying to
catch the steamer.
But" it was pointed out, there is
plenty of time. Why hurry? The
steamer will not start for four hours or
more"
The answer was returned that thOuS-
ands more would be hurrying to the
spot directly and they were afraid of
being left behind.
The scene at the Bunders was a re-
markable one. The people We're hud-
died together like so many sheep, all
clamOring for their tickets. The poor
officials were at their wits end and
when the steamer started off it left
behind crowds of disappointed ones.
some of whom in the confusion got sep
arated from their families and loved
ones and were weeping piteously.
Rather than return to their homes.
the crowds remained at the Bunders
waiting for the next steamer. Similar
scenes are witnessed at the railway sta
tfons. all of which are crowded with
passengers night and day, all eager to
get away from Bambay.
Many offices have suffered in con-
sequence 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
this does not keep them back. They
would rather risk their appointments
than stay in Bombay. The larger en-
ployers of labor are suffering severely.
Establishments in which hundreds of
workmen are employed have now only
got a few people left. Several places
of business have had to be closed in
consequence. The mills are beginning
to be affected. and if once the panic
takes hold of the mill hands the conse-
quences will be very serious for the in
dustry.
one mill manager said the other day
that he had no fewer than 315 men
short that day. Streets that a few days
ago were crowded and busy, 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 or
six occupied. A regiment of native in
fantry, whose lines are in the vicinity
of one of the most affected wards, has
been moved out into camp.
Your correspondent paid another Wis
it to the HindoO burning ground and
saw 80 bodies being burned on the var
ious spots set apart for cremation,
while ten others were waiting their
turn, three of them outside the gate on
the public road. The bodies of two
Hindos who had died from the plague
We're washed and dressed on the public
roadway in one of the most crowded
thoroughfares. This was witnessed
from the tram car.
The Parsees are being attacked in
large numbers also, your correspondent
seeing no fewer than seven Parsee fu-
through the town. They are clearing
out into the suburbs very rapidly
Up till recently the cases occur
red only singly, but now when a case
occurs in a family two or three others
take it quickly and all die, so that
while the funeral preparations of one
member are being arranged, another
member dies.
The health authorities do not thor
oughly appreciate the real gravity of
the situation. All their labors are
wasted upon temporary arrangements
There is no thorOughness about them.
The announcement that the authori-
ties were seriously contemplating COM
pulsory segregation has added to the
panic The people will not submit to it
and if it were enforced it is absolutely
certain that serious trouble will ensue
The leaders of the various committees
have taken the mater in hand and
each caste is now arranging to provide
separate hospitals for the accommo-
dalton and treatment of patients of
their own. Some of these hospitals
have already been opened and are now
in full working order
EUROPE rs FRIGHTENED