The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-05-22
SAN FRANCISCO PLAGUE.
HIGHBINDERs THREATEN CHINESE
WHO OBEY HEALTH BOARD.
Celestiafs Are Terrified at the
Thought of Being Inoculatcd,
Preferring to Die of PIague-Fed-
era1 Offcial to Take Action.

SAN FRANCISCO, May T.-Chinese
highbinders and the board OF health have
had clash over the bubonic plague
question and up to this time the high
binders seem to be ahead. So far, by
threats to assassinate any Chinese who
submit to incubation against the plague,
they have prevented the Chinese from
taking the treatment. There are 5000
Chinese In the Chinese quarter and they
are terrorized at the prospect of vac
cination with the hafkine prophylactic
1t was stated at a meeting of the board
of health today that, at first. the Chinese
were willing to undergo the treatment.
but that the highlander element circulat-
ed the report that the whites had con-
spired 10 kill off the Chinese and had
adopted this means to do II. This story
had immediate effect and II will require
force to make the Chinese submit.
The Chinese merchants have closed
their stores, not on account Of fear OF
the vaccination. but for fear that their
stores will be wrecked by the ignorant
Chinese masses, who hold them respon-
sible for the action of the board OF
health. So far as plague cases are con-
cerned, there have been no developments
and no new cases have been discovered.
The board OF health met today and lis
tened to attorneys employed by Chinese,
who argue against forcible attempts to
make the Chinese submit. They stated
that the opposition to the treatment was
universal among the Chinese and that,
unless they could be persuaded to take
the treatment voluntarily there would be
violence and destruction of property.
DR.. Kinyoun. federal quarantine officer,
said the federal government had instruct
ed him to take action to prevent Chinese
who had not been inoculated with the
serum from leaving town. He had made
arrangements with the transportation
companies to this effect.
DR. Day. of Honolulu, who battled with
the plague in Hawaii was present and
said that a daily house to house inspec-
ton was the best means of preventing
the spread of the disease.
President Williamson said that the
board Of health would consider what was
TO be done and that some measures would
be taken very quickly.
An attempt Is being made to XIII rats
in Chinatown by putting poisoned fish
and other materials in the sewers. The
alarm in this city seems to he confined
entirely to the Chinese and they are
afraid of the measures taken 10 prevent
the plague and not the disease itself
Ho Vow, the Chinese consul general In
this CITY. said today that the Chinese
would not submit to inoculation: that
many of those who have undergone the
operation are deathly sick. and that each
case adds to the terror of the Chinese.
A Chinese clerk in the employ OF the
consul and residing in Berkeley. was
forcihly compelled to submit to inocula-
ton before he was allowed to cross the
bay to his Berkeley home. He has since
been very sick, high fever raging and
his life is despaired Of. Mr., Vow stated
that he was in communication with the
Chinese minister in Washington, but that
no definite action had been decided upon.
The consul stated that his people had
twice surrounded the consulate demand
ing that he not allow the doctors to moe
ulate them against their wishes. The
demonstrations were of violent nature
and the police were called upon 10 dis-
rerse the mob.