The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-09-21
Il. PETERSBURG is WRoTH.
on1FcTs TO REPORT THAT WALSH
CAUGHT FEVER THERE.

o.,,,ittee of Citizens and the Coun-
al Of the Florida City Sends Rcso-
,,tionS to the Health Omcer-They
,sl Or. Drummer to Show Why He
suspected 1t Possible That the
case Wight Have Come From St.
petcrsburg-Wanted the Reply
ouicI,-The Health officer Answer
od. Giving the Names of the Two
Surgeons From Whom He Had
ueard Tint Fishing Smacks Had
Evaded Quarantine.
Ct Petersburg, Fla, is in a great state
- excitement over the report that John
wash died at Port Tampa City of yellow
t.yer contracted in the former place. Dr.
n F. Drummer, health officer of Savan-
nah was seen by the Morning News on
bis return from Port Tampa, where he
uert 10 investigate the reported yellow
,oyer He minated pretty strongly that
he suspected from evidence furnished him
nv marine hospital surgeons and others
a. Port Tampa, that Walsh had got the
disease in ST. Petersburg.
The news that DR.. Drummer thought it
nossible that the case could have gone to
port Tampa from ST. Petersburg filed the
nsople of the latter place with indigna-
tisn and CONSERVATION. They had meet
irgs and discussed the matter and the
more they talked about it the more strong
IL they became convinced that their little
civ had been done an injustice.
Mayor Edgar Harrison called meet
ing of citizens and a committee was nam
ed to draw up resolutions. Its work was
done and the resolutions We're indorsed
by the City Council. Copies were printed
for the benefit of all concerned, the Tam
pa morning paper and DR.. Drummer being
among those who received them.
Dr.. Drummer is called upon 10 answer
within three days, explaining how he
could have so illuminated the city of St.
Petersburg The Mayor and aldermen
want full explanation from the health
officer, in order that their town may be
set raight before the world and the sus-
plclon that a case of fever could ever
have been contracted there removed.
The Mayor was authorized by the Coun-
Gil of St Petersburg to push the investi-
cation to the last notch, sparing no ex-
pense. until he ascertained where the re-
port had started that Walsh could ever
have contracted the disease there. DIT.
Burners explanation was wanted to
throw light on the question, and it will
now be pushed to a bitter end, for DR..
BTunner has written giving his explana-
ton and naming those from whom he Sc
cured the information upon which he
based his hypothesis that the fever case
may have come from ST. Petersburg.
Or. Drummer wrote as soon as he got a
copy Of the resolutions, which, in their
preamble, set forth ar length the incubus
Of suspicion under which it rested until
the reputation of the supposition that the
fever case could have had its incipiency
there, lie told the authorities that he knew
nothing about it of his own knowledge,
but that he had said he thought il posi-
Bile, from what had been told him, that
the fever might have come from st. Pc
iersbure. He based the suppostion upon
the report that one or more fishing smacks
from down the Florida coast had run into
St. Petersburg harbor without having Wis
tied quarantine. DR.. Altree and Dr. Wee
don, TWO of the marine hospital surgeons,
"5'S L. ID uIueI lHIOfmdtiIS, ana tHOSs
gentlemen viii probably be called upon
by the city of st. Petersburg TO disclose
the source of their Information.
Dr. Drummer was glad to write the letter
TO the authorities. If they have been done
an injustice in the matter, he would like
to see it rectifed. St. Petersburg is quite
place of winter resort being very pretty
and very picturesquely situated. He
would not like 10 see its business injured
by report of yellow fever having come
from there that could not be verified.