The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1898-03-18


the time Of the visit referred to there
we're fourteen ships at anchor in the
bay, loading with lumber, besides the
smaller craft, whose lighter draft
enabled them to run up to the mills.
The square rig is occasionally seen in
these waters, but the schooner is the
vessel most often met with. "The
three.mastcd schooner is getting to be
the national vessel, said Mr.. Pelham,
the representative OF large interests
at Pascagoula. T"Out of this bay
there are between 400 and 800 schoon-
ers running In the lumber and general
coastwise trade" Mr.. Pelhams state.
ment includes boats in the oyster
business, and fishing craft. Oysters
and fish are important articles in the
commerce Of this district. The Gulf
oysters are very large, and the reason
why they are not to be had in the
Northern markets is that the towns
of the South consume all the beds can
supply. J
The national quarantine station on
Ship Island is the one about which
there was SO much talk during the
yellow fever epidemic last year. The
people Of the Pascagoula district, and
also those OF Biloxi, Ocean Springs
and other towns along the coast, want
the quarantine station removed to
some other location. Several reasons
are advanced for such change, among
them the fact that the harbOr used
for vessels in quarantine is in the
r0adstead Of commerce, and ships pass
ing Ship Island are compelled to sail
dangerously near to infected craft
Moreover Ship Island is In close prox-
unity to Biloxi, Pass Christian and
other coast resorts. 1t has been sug-
gestcd that a good location for the
station would be at Petit Bois Island,
to the east Of Horn Island, a spot that
offers complete isolation, good deep
water harbor, and land high enough
to insure safety in the most violent
storms, u claim that cannot be made
for many islands in the Gulf Of
Mexico.
DR.. Guiteras, the famous yellow
fever expert, Is stationed at Ship Is
land, and he has had more than one
thrilling experience. In 1893 he was
ON Chandelier Island, where the quar-
antine station was then located. This
island is a mere sand reef, with a
slight elevation above the water Of
the Gulf, and SO narrow that stone
can be thrown across it In many
places. The buildings erected by the
Government for the quarantine officers
rested on piles; driven In marsh, the
surgeons residence occupying the on
ly bit Of dry land IN the neighbOrh0od
which comprised an area Of 3Oxl0O
feet. On October 3, 1893. a tremen.
dous wave raised by the hurricane
that brought disaster to the entire
northern coast Of the Gulf, swept
Chandelier from end to end, carried
the hospital out 10 sea, drowned a
hospital steward, two patients, and
landed the steamer attached to the
station on a sandpit. DIR. Guiteras
was the medical officer In charge.
When the wave carried away his house
he clung&O the long marsh grass, and
in that perilOus position he remained
flor an hour, with the water up to his
chest. After this disaster the Ship
Island site was selected. The inspec.
| tiOn Of vessels coming from tropical
ports is rigid. All ships IN quarantine
are guarded at night and no direct
communication Is held with the sta
1 tlon, not even In furnishing supplies,
which are obtained through the medi'
um Of a transfer barge, anchored a
mile from the island.
The fever last fall was great blow
to the trade interests OF this region
or rather the quarantine regulations
we're. The disease was Of a mild type
and guided by the advice OF DR.. Gui
teras, the people treated patients in
manner that caused speedy recover,
i In most cases. But the world wa.
quarantincd against Scranton, which
is the railway station for all the towns
about the mouth Of the Pascagoula
, and for Two months the trains on TIN
Louisville and Nashville Railroad raj
; through with the throttle. wide open
. People suffered many hardships b.
reason OF their inability to ship o
, receive goods, and the fever season J
likely to be remembered on this &C
! count, rather than for the ravages q
A the disease. lnjudicious eating afte
Z the fever has run its course u th
q cause of death in many cases OF till
I dreaded pest. An approved mclho
r OF treatment Is to give the GONZALES
}. cent patient plenty Of champagne, ou
t very little solid food.
Q This numbering region Is very unlik
y the Wisconsin pinerics. The town
1 are old, although the lumber iodustr!
J. IL new, and many quaint and pictures
J. Que Southern homes are In the neigh
o borhood. Admiral Farragut's fauil.
!. lived here. and a nephew Of tile ad
n,iral IA now q resident of Scranton
I The United States ships didn't fire o
. Pascagoula during the war, but on
, slloal to the east Of the town one ca