Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1898-10-28
HEROES OF THE A G
those Who Have Given Up Their
Lives In Yellow Fever Time
IN When the Best and We
~ of Human Nature Were
brought Out-NOhlG sac.
Rinceo.

AoAAOIy nIlScEy anu lCIIOK 1
u an epidemic Of the dread disease
lnere have come characters whose sub
Eme acts OF courage and heroism will
ever be remembered. The fever which
is now causing a panic in, the south re-
calls to mind that greatest epidemic in
our history in 1878.
The most touching example of heroic
devotion to duty and absolute indiffer-
ence to fear in helping the people he
loved is furnished in. the acts of young
Herbert Landrum, a brother of DIR. w.
W. Landrum, pastor of the First Baptist
church, in this city. Herbert Landrum
was one OF the martyrs of journalism.
viii went to their death during that IA
nous plague at Memphis, because they
we're too brave to leave their posts.
Young Landrum c%heerfully gave his
life In trying to save young JEFF Davis,
the son OF the president of the confeder-
acy. At that time Landrum was city
editor of the Memphis Avalanche. When
the epidemic broke out at Memphis he
was at Nashville reporting a democratic
convention. He left at once for home,
and during the rest of life never left the
city OF death and desolation. Though
but 20 years of age, he was among the
brightest newspaper men of the coun-
try. He had displayed rare ability and
talent in his work and had won a fine
reputation as a writer. Memphis at
that time had a population Of As, 900.
This was reduced by fight to 5000, and
struct guarantees stopped the exodus
or the city would have been deserted.
OF the $4,000 left in the city, 5000 had
the yellow fever. OF the patients, 1900
died. For weeks the city was shut off
from the world. Sickness and death
were in every house. The police force
was d~isorganized. Riot and outlawry
prevailed, and added to the already
overwhelming terror of the situation.
Such conditions necessarily developed
the best and the worst in the human
character. In this region of terror hum
dreds who had never displayed any
very striking qualities developed ma
lures full Of enduring strength ana
courage.
Among the brayest and most active
was Herbert Landrum. He would labor
all day at his newspaper duties and
would sit by the side of some suffering
patient all night, ministering to wants
that were oon to end with death.
Every day hundreds would die.
Thompson, the noble editor-in-chief of
the Avalanche, fell a victim to the dread
destroyer. Other members of the staff
died or left the city. In a few weeks
after the beginning of the epidemic the
young city editor was the only member
of the staff left. The printers had died
or refugeed, and only one composition
was left. He and Landrum swore tc
stick to their posts until death tore
them away. They kept their oath.
Tt was on a bright September day that
Jefferson Davis, Jr.. was touched by tht
breath of the disease. Nurses wert
scarce and the young mans friends hat
to nurse him. True to his friends ever
/ in times of greatest danger, Herber
Landrum went to the bedside of the sol
of the great man whom all the soutl
still loves and honors though he is dead
. For days Landrum was by the side o
his friend. Then death came and re
iieved the devoted watcher. All thii
: time he continued to publish a small
daily paper, in which there was no new
: except Of fever.
: The fever, of course, claimed Ian
drum. He knew that he would have !
;. when he went to watch by Davis, but h
. was not afraid. He had in his natur
!, the same brave loyal qualities tina
: made his father famous during tina
long epidemic.
He was sick but one day before h
began to recover. In a few days he W a
: able to 90 to work. He went back to hi
duties and, with the aid OF the printer
: published the Avalanche. He worke'
= but one day. Then he relapsed. In
~ few hours he was dead. He had KEEP
his word. He died at his post, the laA
of the staff.
" The next day the compositor died an
the Avalanche was printed no more
$ Landrum could have left the city as tn
, others did, but he chose to stand by hi
post of duty.
9 George Landrum was another brothe
= who gave up his life for his untiring d.
- yotion to his friend. At the beginnin
g of the outbreak he left Memphis to ca
% nv to Augusta the children OF DIR. Bogg
es who is now chancellor of the state un
~ yersity, but who was then pastor OF
. : Presbyterian church in Memphis. VIII
e. he had landed the children safe in A
VI gusta George Landrum went back
- Memphis to help care for the sufferin
When he arrived at night he found
man and two women holding a drunks
c~arousal in his 'ather's house. He ask
- them what they were doing and tn
said they were the nurses. The mi
az told him that every one in the hou
he was dead but his father and mother.
VS. ,ordered the drunken trio from Il
tie house and went to nurse his parent
.or VIII, afterward recovered
q The son was soon taken Ill and a IL
dovs after his brother Herbert's dea
vt, he died.
The nurses who saved the lives
a.. hundreds of the sufferers in that til
we're fallen When every Q
of else turned pale with fear and were
ou able to help themselves or Others tn,
?" , women quit their lives of shame and
ao,me ministering angels. Hundreds
~ en- went from every city in
rr,,.ted States to lose or reteem IN
Of ,;vas in the great epidemic. They w
hv a. only reliable nurses and the.* NO