The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-08-04
FLEET OF ARMED TUGS PATROL
THE HABORS DAY
AND NIGHT.
INSPECTORS ON ALL RAILROAD LINES
Dr. Hope, the Quarantine Officer and Or. Wy
man, Surgeon General of United States,
Think all Danger is Now Past
and that the Disease Can
be Kept in the Dis
trct Where il
Originated.

Portsmouth. Va, Aug. 3.-(Special)-
The subjoined interview on the yellow
fever situation with DR.. Wyman
from the, Washington correspondent
of the New York Herald, was today re-
ceived in Portsmouth by Mr.. w. Il.
Christian. of the Seaboard Air Line:
Washington, Aug. 81 think we
have the situation well in hand" Dr.
Wyman says today, .'the lapse of anoth-
er day without any spread is most en-
couraging. Every day lessons the liza
bility of disease getting outside of its
present territory. Reports from Nor
folk and Portsmouth show no persons
there who We're exposed to the disease.
1T is not believed there is any danger at
either place"
Yesterday some of the health authori-
ties of Littleton, n. c., taking council
Of their fears, quarantined against
Portsmouth and Norfolk. As soon as
the news reached here the Seaboard
Air Line authorities at once took action
which Immediately allayed the fears of
the Littleton people, who at once raised
the quarantine. The following CORE
spondence explains itself:
Portsmouth, Va, Aug. 3, 1899.
'Dr. l.. j. Picott, Littleton, n. G.:
Referring to quarantine of Littleton
against Norfolk and Portsmouth, this
action is simply absurd. There is abb
solutely no occasion for alarm. Official
reports from Surgeon General Wyman in
charge of Hampton, reports the fever
is entirely confined to the Soldiers
Home. No deaths in the past twenty
four hours. and only two new cases.
An absolute strict quarantine is being
maintained against Hampton Newport
News, Old Point and the entire peninsu-
lar, and there is absolutely no reason
for your people to feel alarmed
''The action of your health board will
initiate very much against the business
of your town. Yours is the only place in
the United States that has quarantined
against Norfolk or Portsmouth Under
the penalties prescribed, our conductors
will be compelled to lock our cars and
stop no trains Of any character at Lit
tleton from either direction in order to
carry out successfully the order passed.
by your board.
(Signed.) II. w. WHISNANr,
Superintendent"
.'LittIeton, n c., Aug. 3, 1899.
IT w. Whisnant:
action was without my knowledge
and is ridiculous. The authorities have
decided to admit all refugees from Nor
folk and Portsmouth upon certificates
from health officer of either Portsmouth
Of Norfolk. Send the folks along.
What town ridicules action of board of
health?
(Signed) II. !. PICOTT,
Health Officer"
With the great mass of the people
living around this port there never has
been any undue anxiety as to the vista
tion from yellow Jack Still there are
some nervous, excitable people who, in
spite of the most patent facts in the
case will persist in giving away to their
fears, which, in turn has the due effect
upon others. To all such, if they read
the following statements made by +. >.
Hope, State quarantine medical officer
Of this port and Norfolk, and Mr.. St.
John, vice president and general man
ager of the Seaboard Air Line there
can remain no excuse Tor tUftner Tear.
AS preliminary to what follows this
statement was made to DIR. Hope:
Doctor, we want to get clear cut
statement from you as to the situation,
what you think the probabilities are in
regard to Norfolk and Portsmouth, and
what the actuaities are as to the places
outsider
I'm relation to the situation that now
exists, it is perfect folly for us to at
tempt to determine the cause and in
ception of the outbreak at the infected
points. That is Il matter that will be
of scientific and professional Importance
later on.
The thing that we are to look at is a
practical situation and that is, that the
fever, since the 30th of last month"; the