Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1899-05-26
THE woRKINGMEN WANT HER.
The Eeina Mercedes Will Receive a
Warm Welcome From Our People
Says Mac"


Warm Welcome From Our People
Says Mac"
p+sT. All IA A., MAY - ilSaa
Editor Virsinian-Pilot:
MIR. Editor-ln behalf OF the citizens
and workngman. mechanics and mer-
chants of the twin cities. we are APP
palled a. the action Of the Board OF
Health of Norfolk. To sum mp the
whole matter, it is but another black
eye given to our dock yard and the
vicinity. The Board of Health must
have been viewing the situation with
blue glasses on. for surely they would
never have come To such Il conclusion
IS above stated. or perhaps, assuming
the role of Il In Sancho Panza in Don
QuiXote's Knight Erraniry, what an ex-
randed vision OF The lenses they have.
SO 10 speak.
They assign MS Il feeble reason the
fear of the yellow fever My. my.
They had just as well say: I'VE pro-
test against the old captured guns now
i'll the navy yard parS as trophies from
the Maria Teresa and the Colon for fear
they. too, may be loaded with the germs
of yellow fever" Bosh! all bosh.
In the first place there has been no
yellow fever at Santiago. Again, the
ship being submerged eight months I'M
der water. afterward raised and tho
oughly fumigated and cleansed. and
having been universally examined and
reported upon (and having complied
with the quarantine laws) we can
r!ghtfully predicate this statement
upon what DIR. Hope says. vino is con-
sidered as an expert, when he asserts
there is no danger" and the ship is
free from any yellow fever germs: that
there is absolutely no chance of any
contagious disease on board OF the
y a.
in what DR.. Hope says, and We can say
amen Doctor, hit them fast and hard
and do it with your gloves off, for this
is the time this city needs some good
champion, for the interest of one is the
concern of all. and what is Ports
mouths interest is Bcrklcy's. Norfolk
city's and the county's. too.
Our workmcn here want work and by
good rights we should have had the
Raleigh to overhaul. as she was built
here. and as mechanics. we know more
about overhauling her than any other
navy yard. But by some "hocus
poius' matter she was sent away.
Now. when we are about To have the
Mercedes IN reaching dlstarce. 10 and
behold. we have another BLACK eye
given us by the Norfolk Board of
Health.
Upon this plea the L. s. $. Buffalo
sooth. of the yellow fever. She was
sent to New York for repairs-Sl50 900.
said repairs amounted to nearly $780,
600, thereby mourning IL loss to our cit
liens OF this amount. No one has ever
heard that any yellow fever cminated
from the Buffalo in the Brooklyn navy
yard consistency. thou art n jewel"
Now If the Board OF Health is proper
~ quoted. We think they are acting
Very inconsistent in tho face of lights
equally as great as their own. when
compared To such able men as Surgeon
General Van Rcypen who says: The
Mercedes has been under the water
since early last July; that there is no
fever at Santiago whence she came"
and he recommends the Mercedes to
be brought to the L. :. Portsmouth
navy yard for repairs.
we. rs workingmcn ana citizens. con-
graduate DR.. Hope on the position he
has taken in the matter. and we earn
cstly hope that all Of the merchants
ana workingmen of all trades VIII cry
aloud and spare not. and will assem-
BILE tomorrow at noon in the Mayors
Office 10 devise suitable ways and
means 10 Offset the Norfolk Board OF
Health's wishes. and Try and have the
captured Spanish ship Mercedes re-
tanned here ut this yard for repairs.
II the Board ot Health is "shaky" on
account OF the fever germs. We. as
workingmen, ara not afraid 10 give her
first class ovcrhauling and repairing
which Will be n credit TO our govern
ment officials rs well rs honor to our
respective crafts.
MAC"