The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-04-30


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subject of Kidding the town OF them be-
came vigorously agitated.
February 9TH was a clean day. The
rat-catching crusade was pushed for
ward by the Citizens Sanitary Com
mittee. The Pantheon saloon and sta
bles were burned, great care being taxi
en- to prevent the fire from spreading
beyond the limits designated for 1t.
The Sth and 9th were clean days.
though the call doctors were kept busy
answering summonses. The rat cruz
SADIE took definite form, the Citizens
Sanitary Committee recommending TO
the Board OF Health the rat poison
which afterwards achieved an unen-
viable notoriety. After some discus
sion Il was decided to keep the schools
closed until the seriousness OF the Sit
uation abated. Up to the 10th the req
ord was fifty deaths, nine patients Sill
I'm the hospital.
Plague on Other Islands.
Plague broke out at Kahului. on
Maui. this week, and there were two
deaths and a suspicious case on Sun
day. Armstrong Smith was pronounc-
ed out OF danger and not suspicious
case on the 12th. which was a source
of great Joy to his friends. who feared
the contagion to which he had been ex-
posed. a great deal OF discussion
about pure food, new water supplies.
new and complete sewer systems.
street widening. new cemeteries. far
from town, and a garbage crematory.
went on at this time, the public feeling
that the plague was nearly over and
that IL they did not provide for these
things now they would never think OF
them again except tentatively until
The next epidemic.
Plague at Hilo was the news OF the
nth, but this did not prove to mean n
serious outbreak. The next day ev-
eryone was delighted to learn that
there had been no plague deaths for
eight days. and the record was not
broken until the 18th. after twelve
clean days had passed. The long prep
| arations for the rat crusade az last cul-
minated in the distribution OF the al
,cged poisoned blocks, on the 10th. with
careful directions as TO their u7e, and
results were eagerly and confidently
awaited.
Rats Liked the Poison.
They came. but not just the ones that
were expected. The rats fairly revealed
in the new feast set before them, de-
youred the sailed lard, sampled the
cooling drink left ION the side" ana
came back for more. Such a luau had
not been In ratdom for many a long
day. The Council OF state passed "A
bill approprlating S3i5. 253.24 for a new
sewer system and 100000 for the sup
preston of the plague.
Asiatic Food tufts.
II was at this time that the sugges-
ton regarding the destruction OF Aslat-
ic foodstuffs came up, caused by the
| seeming likelihood that the numerous
recent cases OF plague were in some
way connected Herewith. This ques-
ion was destined to be much more de-
bated in thC ensuing weeks. because
on six consecutive Monday mornings
were reports OF plague cases or deaths,
and these were ascribed In many quar-
ters 10 the habit OF Asiatlcs to go in
for feast OF their native provisions
On Saturday and Sunday.
Three deaths on the 18th gave the
own the blues; but fresh start was
made the next day. Beginning with
that day, the Citizens Sanitary Com
nittee decided to make but one sani-
tary inspection day, in the afternoon;
and they requested business houses 10
close at y. m, opening at any hour
hey chose
4 new center OF plague infection
now showed itself-the Hotel stables
Two cases began there. yet the Board
OF Health showed an unwi.lingncss 70
take any proper action. The Advert
Sc: came out boldly and dem lnded
that the Board should hew to the nne:
but the Board undertook TO daily with
The question. No sound reason was adj
1uced why the Ho,el stables should not
follow the Pantheon, and local doctors
and business men came out strongly
with recommendation that these sta
bles should burn. The Citizens SAINT
tary Committee addressed a respectful
but pungent letter to the Board on the
natter. The Board persisted in tenn
rorizing. The feeling on the subject
grew Intense. IL Was even suggested
that the Board felt that Il had been
burning buildings unnecessarily and
meant to turn over a new leaf. At last.
on February 25. a third victim from
the stables decided the Board to burn
them.
The twenty-sixth brought 10 light no
new cases, nor did the twenty-seventh.
The last day of February added another
victim, Chinaman from the district
near the United States coal shed. Next
day III. NJ. Levy. clerk at the Hawaiian
hotel, was taken TO the pest house as
a suspect, and for many days Il was not
decided whether or no he had the
plague. There were unaccountable
symptoms which seemed to do away
with the idea OF pneumonia alone
There was another suspicious case the
same day. The latter died on the sec
ond, which also yieldai another suspect.
who died the next day.
Board Offers Reward.
On the sixth the Board decided 10 Of
fer reward OF 800 to any person. not
Its paid agent, who should report a
genuine case of plague occurring In Ho-
nolulu. Meanwhile the rat crusade went
merrily on. The lard pomade did not
develope much usefulness. but the offer
of the Citizens Sanitary Committee 20