Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-08-06
EPIDEMIC OF 1870.
Memories Of the Last Outbrenk "'
ycIIOW-Eever.
washington starr


washington. Star)
The sudden reign Of terror that pos
sessed Norfolk at the beginning OF this
week when II was announced that yell
low fever had broken out in the Hamp-
ton soldiers Home, across the bay from
the city. may have appeared unnatural
and exaggerated 10 those not acquainted
with Noriplk's history. 1t would seem
TO an outsider that, with modern quaran-
tine precautions and ali the armament
Of modern medical science at command,
such an outbreak ten miles across an
open roadstead would amount 10 nothing
more than an unpleasant incident, with
no serious cause for alarm. TO the old
resident OF Norfolk however. II was
different matter The name yellow-fever
brought with it the memory and tradl-
tions OF the last great outbreak OF 1870,
when for three months the cities OF
Norfolk and Portsmouth were swept as
by fire. when business was suspended
when all who could had bed from the
terrors Of the scourge. and when. during
the height Of the epidemic, there were
not enough able-bodied people in the
town 70 nurse the sick and 10 bury the
dead.
WHO SIlUiE liNiU q NihriN t'ANNNN~ if
Is largely forgotten history north OF me
Potomac. but TO old residents OF Norfolk
II is still a terrible memory. "A costly
monument there bears witness to the
faithful services of those who died IN
fighting the scourge. and the history Of
She epidemic was embodied in modest
volume. compiled at the request OF the
survivors, by Mr.. William Forrest or
Norfolk. who had not only lived through
the season Of terror, but carried on at
the time a journal in which the happen
ings in the unfortunate community were
chronicled from day 10 day.
His introduction to the chronicle of the
epidemic gives a vivid picture, not only
OF Norfolk during the plague, but of the
ine{faceable imprint that the visitation
left on those who witnessed and sur
vived it. He says in part:
a VISITATION OF HORROR.
THE mysterious and pestiential vista
ton with which Portsmouth and norfolk
were afflicted in 1850 is justly classed
among the most terrible calamities That
ever visited any community.
some idea of the destrucuveness OF the
pestilence may be formed by comparing
it with the great plague Of LopdOn. IN
that plague one in seventeen died. here
one in three. When the black plague al
ficted London in 1865 it carried off 100000
souls. Although the total number OF VIC
tins Of the Norfolk epidemic was not 50
great. the mortality, as Will be seen, was
much higher.
with regard to the origin Of the cpl
demic. there are, Of course, different op!n-
ions. Some contended the disease was OF
local origin; some that it was imported
by the Inflated steamer Zen Franklin;
others regarded it as scOurge or pesii-
lential visitation specially sent by the ALI
wise and Just Ruler, and which has been
slowly passing along the Atlantic coast,
stopping at Pensacola in 40 and travel
ling thence northwardly, sweeping Ok
multitudes in Charleston and savannah
in 1854. and travelling on to deVastate
other cities of the seaboard.'
A FEVER-LADEN SHIP.
The local chronicler then goes on TO
make out a strong case against the
steamer Franklin, which, in tradition at
least. is held in Norfolk 20 have been the
sole and sufficient cause of the fever cpl
demic. The history of the case at least
shows a woful lack Of acumen on the part
of the port officials of that day as well
as of deception on the part Of the vessels
captain.
The Franklin was on her way north at
the time from St. Thomas 10 New YORK.
The yellow-fever was epidemic In 81
Thomas at the time, and broke out among
the Franklins crew on the voyage. Inc
vessel was old and leaky, and encountered
such severe weather that she was forced
to seek a port. and, after some DEBATE
chose Norfolk. She came into the Roeds
on June eth, black, weatherbeaten, ahG
forbidding enough. but no one In the town
dreamed what a burden Of terror she was
bearing under her tight-battened matches.
A MIR. Harper, and, as the chronicior
nuts IL. "other esteemed reputable, ana
trustworthy citizens" boarded the vess Il
In search OF tropical fruit. ana were in
termed nv the crew that there was fever
an hoard Others from the shore saw
one afternoon a coffin and a mattress On
The ton of one of the matches. The coffin
was carried ashore and buried OF old Fort
Norfolk. and the mattress washed ashore
near the same spot. Then the body OF
a man. his face and hands the color OF
AN orange, fioated ashore. He was be
leved TO nave fallen overheard In MS
del,rh1m. He was buried near where he
was found without an inquest.
Two sailors swan ashore, saying they
nreferred TO take the chances OF drowning
TO death by fever on the ship. This
would have seemed enough warning for
almost any community, but when thr
captain of the Franklin stoutly declared
10 the port officials that he had no fever
aboard the ship was allowed To come Up
10 Page d Aliens ship-yard for repairs.
Mr.. Harper and others prophesied an
outbreak Of fever, but the captain prom
ised TO keep his matches down, and not
TO break out his cargo, so he tied up at
the Gosport wharf.
DEATH CLAIMED HER PART.
Almost Immediately the fever broke out
o..l..,. t1,o- ehinwrichfs who wont TO work