The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-01-15
BOMBAY'S GREAT A G
MORE THAN HALF THE PEOPLE
HAVE FLED TO ESCAPE DEATH.

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The City Ps.ie-str,eken - Bodies Adam
Goaei IL ssE S.-cets-Net E.c-sh Men
"a. Ne Found 60 Bury the Dead azsars
Deserted Few Europeans Attacked.
BOMBAY. jar. 14.-Every day the plague here
becomes worse. 10 IL estimated that nearly
half the population Of the city has fed TO es-
cape death. The situation IL greatly ag-
ersvated by the prevalence Of the famine,
thousands Of the natives who leave the city
having absolutely nothing on which to support
themselves In the country. and thus they fall
victims to tho slower death from starvation.
The streets and bazaars that q few weeks ago
were teemine with life are now virtually de-
serted. and many shops and offices are closed.
One result Of the plague has been q grestdiminu-
tion In all kinds OF crime except burelaries and
petty thefts, and these In many Instances are
due to poverty-stricke wretches taking
advantage of the fact that large guam
tities OF property have been left without
protection BIZ refugees from the plague
infested city. so great has been tho fall
ing OFF in criminal and other cases that the
High Court OF Justice does not now find busi-
ness enough TO occupy moro than half its time.
while the courts In which small causes are tried
have abandoned their sittinss altogether and
the officials have taken q holiday.
Eight thousand f~uRitives arc camping out at
Andherl. where every condition is favorable TO
an outbreak Of cholera. There is scarcity Of
water In and about the town, and the sanitary
arrangements are of the crudest character.
The refugees, however, are moro afraid Of the
bubonio plague than Of cholera. ana they will
undoubtedly remain where they are rather
than return to bombay.
Tho Government is doing everything possible
to assist the people. but It's efforts thus far have
boon productive Of little real result in the d.
rection Of cleanliness.
In Poona and Bandra the plague is raging
with great virulence. Tho efforts Of physicians
to stay the progress OF the disease In the slight
est degree have been ~fruitless. and the death
rate 10 extremely high. Hundreds Of persons
attack cd by tho disease have died In two or
three hours. after suffering dreadful agony.
Tho customs of the natives add to the hide
BUSINESS Of the plague. The Mohammedan
cemeteries are overcrowded. and IL 10 impossl-
bio to ind men enough to dig graves and bury
the dead.
The sound Of dirges Is incessant In and around
the places where the Hindoos burn their dead.
in accordance with their time.honored custom.
and the funeral music has . most depressing In
fiuence on all who hear IL, natives and foreign
ers alike.
TIT 10 said that numbers of dead bodies OF Par
sees, the religious sect who expose their dead
bodies TO be eaten by the v%ultures. are slowly
decomposing In the open air In tho places In
which they are left.
They have not been eaten by the %vultures. tho
birds having been overgorged by the great
abundance Of corpses.
Everywhere tho greatest difficulty is found
In obtaining men to carry the dead to
the cemeteries. burning places. and the
Dokhamas. or flowers OF silence" of
tho PArsees. Even relatives shun their
last service to their dead. fearing that
they will contract the disease by touching or
approaching the corpses. In many cases bodies
have been found abandoned in the streets. their
bearers having been overcome by fear while
taking them TO their last resting place.
Up TO to-day tho number Of cases OF tho
plague is placed oniclallv at 1904 and tho
deaths at 1850,
Tho Eurasians. those OF half native and half
foreign parsntago, enjoy comparative immunity
from tho disease. Very few Europeans have
contracted the disease. they apparently not be-
Ing subject to Its attack.
A feature OF the disease that was noted In
Hong Kong and southern China while 1t was
prevalent there Is also noticed here. Swine.
poultry, and rodents appear TO be very suscepti-
Bile to tho plague, and great numbers Of them
have died.