The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-04-30
DOWN SOUTH
Q. H. Berrey Talked in
New Orleans.
He Told a Picayune Reporter How
HonoIulans Fought the Bubon-
ic Plague Epidemic,

Mr. @. II. Berrey is the first person to
reach New Orleans direct from Homo
lulu, Hawaiian Islands, since the bu-
bonic plague began it's ravages in
those islands, says the New Orleans
Ricoyune. In company with his
charming wife, Mr.. Berrey arrived last
night and took rooms at the Cosmo-
politan Hotel. They are en- route to
Madison county, Va, which is the old
home of Mr.. Berrey. thence to Wash
ington, ID. c., and later on to Paris and
the great exposition.
Mr.. and Mrs. Berrey are not only the
first travellers from the pls gue-stricken
port of Honolulu, but it happens that
of almost all men Mr.. Berrey is in a
position to be the best posted on the
plague, which struck Honolulu Decem-
Der H. He was one of the very first
citizen volunteers to band together
and work for the stamping out of the
disease.
Becoming a sanitary inspector and
Board of Health worker, he was en-
gagged in those labors from December
II until March l. Mr. Berrey is man
ager of the Hawaiian Mercantile
Agency and the special representative
of Bradstreet's, of New York, for the
islands.
They sailed from Honolulu March %
and landed at San Francisco March "a
How was the bubonic plague
brought to Honolulu asked the Plca-
yune reporter in view of the many con-
fiicting reports relative to its first In
ception.
THE plague was brought to us in
saki" replied Mr.. Berrey, and Mrs
Berrey kindly volunteered some infor-
nation as to what eaki is. "Saki Is
food--it is a kind of sauce put up by
the Chinese and japanese and is ship
ped in wooden tubs or casks. We know
the infection was carried in the SAX
because some of the same consignment
was sent to other islands and wherev-
err that particular lot of saki went the
plague developed.
How did we fight the disease?'
continued Mr.. Berrey. Well we or
ganized with a determination to do or
die. The best men in Honolulu got to-
gether We made house to house in
spections: we went from room to room
and cleared out everything injected
and fumigated.
I'VE never let the disease reach the
labor camps and the plantations, else
IL would have been gone, for those la
borers are Asiatics and would have
contracted the plague and spread II
like a prairie fire"
WAS il confined to the Asiatics?'
Practically so; there were only
about three Americans, one German
and a dozen native Hawaiians who
contracted the contagion. All the 9TH
ers were japanese and Chinese.
THE cost was something tremen-
dous. The bubonic plague in Hawaii
will cost the United States Govern
ment about 100000, and that does
not touch the private losses, because
all business was suspended. Trade was
stopped and the loss was frightful. We
burned one-third of the business dis
/ trict OF Honolulu. The torch was ap-
| Piled with a merciless hand"
And did none of the volunteer in
spectors take the disease?'
mo, not one; that Is remarkable
but true. The plague is disease thai
turks in filth"
do you think there is any danger o
1t reaching the United States?"
There is the same danger OF 1
reaching here as there was OF 1t get
ting to Hawaii. The danger Is owinl