The sun., 1900-01-31
TO COPE WITH THE SMALLPOX
City Council Has the Pow + 10
Provide Place Wherein
Disease May be Treated.
CITIZENS EXPECT SOME ACTION
City Charter Gives the Power to Bor-
row Money With Which to
Erect Pest House---Fa-
cilities at Farnhurst are
Already Inadequats.

Now that Wilmington is in fair way
to have an epidemic of smallpox. resi-
dents are wondering what means will b.
provided by City Council or the Board
OF health or both, for the patients Tn
pest house at FaTnhurst is full. II ac-
c"mmodate1 only six patients, and VI
coiored people will not be admitted nn.
der any circumstances, the problem IT.
beginning to grow serious.
No move further than to prevent the
disease from spreading has been made by
the Board of Heath, and az yet nothing
has been done by City Council. 1t lire
in the power of each to provide place
for The patients where they will bt be
y"nd creating contagion. Yet no move
has been made by either in this direc-
tim, and there are three cases of small
pox, one white and two colored, in the
CITY at pr sent that cannot be removed.
II any others are reported, they too,
must remain here.
IL is evident that the residents az
rule have become frightened at the dis
ease, one city vaccine physician having
vacclnated over ZOO people. The cit,
charter provides fur Just such IN
emergency. In section 81 il says: .'Th+
Council stall lave ,wer to enact ordi-
nances TO preserve the health If the city
and IT, pr vent the introduction of ~
iectinus or contagious disease, for which
purpose. it, jurisd tion stall extend 10
any distance within one mile of the
units ot the city" Thi4 e ction gives
Council power To erect pest house or
hospital ore mile beyond the cit, limits.
In section 6l the charter sa E: "rhe
expenditures for the year under anv
head or item of appropriation stall II, t
exceed snch head ur item uf prupria-
ti"n, and upon any such item or head Of
appropriation b, coming exhausted, then
ali the expenditures under such head ar
item shall Cease, and it shall not be law
tut to pass any ordinance or resolution
to transfer to said exhausted item or
head OF appropriation except such trans
Ter b. hr-t approved by the finance COM
nittee and ordered by two-thirds vote
nf Council nor shall it be Law ful at any
time to charge bills belonging to one
item or head Of appropriation. Provid.
ed, however, that should some extraor-
d1Dary occasion occur not anticipated at
tie passage of the general appropriate II
ordinance"
In section 67, the charter SAYS: "To
meet any extraordinary appropriation
under this section, the Council nmy
temporarily borrow from banks, or other
sources, such sums as may be needed for
snch purpose without incurring the
penalties provided for under section II,
subsequent"
Several attorneys said yesterday that
these sections of the city charter give
Council the power TO provide place for
patients suffering with contag Gus dis,
care. The fact tha, smallpnx has in
creased within the past week has beer
brought to the attention of City Council
Some ncil'n is looked for at the meeting
of the city fathers tomorrow night.
The smallpox victims wrre all imprr v
ing yesterday with the except on al
Joseph Corrigan, Of No. ;;17 Monroe
street, WHO was much worse tian the
lay beinre. Those at the pest h. use al
Farnhurst are getting along very well.