The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1898-06-29
| EP!ER ER ISLAND OF M0L0KA!.
A Land Where Does not lave to p:,v
Taxes OF Rents


where not only blankets, but even
medical attendance are without cost.
is not this vcritablc Utopia? Yet
such land is our nearest ncighbor in
the Pacific, and is only some two
thousand miles distant.
AS ones steamer leaving San Fran
cisco approaches the Hawaiian Islands
before it can drop anchor in the beau
tiful harbor Of Honolulu it must needs
pass Molokai. And Molokai? Why
that is the fifth island in size of the
entire group Of the Sandwich Islands,
and is some forty miles in length,
with an area Of about 200, 900 acres.
On its eastern side arc elevations Of
fully $500 feet, while On it's western
slopes they diminish to height of
about 1000 feet. Its valleys arc
beautiful and are filled with deer. A
nerd of spotted deer, presented by the
Mikado Of Japan some thirty years
ago, were placed by the king Of the
Sandwich Islands on Molokai, and
now number some three thousand,
roaming at large over large part Of
the island. Here are many kinds of
the most luxuriant tropical vegetation,
the balmiest air, the most invigorating
sea brcezes, even such spicy brcczes
as blow soft 'er Ceylon's isle. But
though every prospect pleascs. few
persons can be induced to make their
home on Molokai. The entire popu-
lation is only some three thousand,
and year ago eleven hundred and
twenty Of these were lcI -. Prob
ably nowhere in The world is the
census more carefully taken and more
accurately known than is the case in
the northern part Of this interesting
island.
Molokai, as it is we'll known, is the
name Of the leper colony of Hawaii.
The lepers do not occupy all the
island, but only grassy plain, ten
miles in length, and varying from one
to two miles in width on the north
side of the island, and yet separated
wholly from the rest Of the island and
its population by precipice fully
thousand feet high, which can be
scaled only at one point and here it is
securely guarded.
Despite their freedom from taxation
and rents, their ample supplies of
food and clothing, their abundant
herds Of cattle and horses, and their
fertile fields which require SO little
labor, the lepers are virtually life
prisoners. shut in by the ocean on one
side and by the impossible mountain
on the other. Most Of the lepors are
natives, but foreigners are found
among the colonists, and ali who
once come to this part of Molokia,
save to bring supplies or to inspect,
as the Board of Health twice each
year, do so with the expectation of
never returning. At q cost Of some
$4,000 per month the Hawaiian
Government maintains this open-ai
leper hospital in order to perfectly
quarantine and thus finally stamp out
leprosy among the Sandwich Islanders.
Sheltered from the strong sea wind,
this plain of Kalaupapa would make
an ideal place Of residence, alike for
its beautiful surroundings and the
salubrity Of its climate; and here
everything is done, compatible with
preventing the spread of the disease,
to makctts unhappy victims contcntcd.
The heart-rcnding walls Of those who
part with loved ones and friends for
the last time as they are about to be
conveyed to Molokai tell the motto of
the leper asylum: "All hope aoandon,
ye who enter here But this sepa-
ration from friends is the chief sorrow
Of the Hawaiian leper, and that is re-
quired in order to save loved ones
from the possible contagion of the
disease
Among the victims Of lcprosy are
persons of excellent families, whose
friends build cottages for them on
Molokai, and see that they lack moth
ing for their comfort. 1t is stated
that the first person TO be removed
to the leper island was a lawyer who
had been active in securing the regu-
lation which required the removal of
lercrs in order to prevent the spread
of the disease. No sooner did the
unmistakable evidence of the dread
disease first appear than he insisted
on setting the example Of patriotism
In voluntarily surrendering himself to