Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1901-01-17
NOTES FROM THE CAPITAL
Des Moines. January 10, 1901

sicians place the number OF Des
Moines people who are ill with colds,
grip, influenza, etc, at 22,50o or
thirty per cent of the population
The effects of the epidemic are felt
in every branch of the city's life. In
commercial circles it has been the
cause of much grief. Business houses
of all kinds, department stores,
banks, insurance offices. and all other
institutions which employ men and
women have suffered. Interviews
with employers and proprietors
throughout the city show that over
10 per cent of the employees OF all
houses are kept from work
by the disease, and many others
affected but still at work. In the
public schools the same condition
prevails. At the West Des Meines
high school five teachers and fifty
pups are out on account CT severe
colds. This is over 70 per cent of
the total enrolment. About the
same per cent is to be found in all
the other schools of the city, barely
half the pupils being present. Com
parison with opening days in the
schools on previous years indicate
the cause is the influenza epidemic,
as ordinarily the first days attend
ance is good. The physicians say
practically every patient they see at
present is troubled with grip. In
many instances an entire family ~
affected at the same time.
Three changes in state officers have
ust occurred. w. d. Martin succeed
ed G. l.. Dodson as secretary of state.
.. S. Gilbertson took John Herriott's
place as state treasurer and Charles
". Mullan became attorney general.
succeeding Milton Remley. Owing to
the doubt of the effect of the Titus
constitutional amendment, Messrs.
Herriott and Dobson formally re-
signed their offices, and Governor
Shaw appointed their successors and
Mr.. Mullan to the offices to which
they were elected "to fill the vacancy,
| IL any exists" Mr.. Remley did not
deem it necessary to resign.
II there was ever any doubt that
Mayor IIartenbower possesses the
power to close the gambling houses
whenever he desires it, 1t is dispelled
now. On the strength of an edict
| issued by him and delivered through
Chief Mathis, every gambling house
| in Des Moines has, been closed as
tight as n drum. No raid was neces-
sary. The proprietors of the differ
ent resorts that have been paying the
city the monthly $500 for the sake
of immunity were merely notified
that they must close and they read
ny 0Oe'eu' ri
Adjutant General Byers has re-
| :eived kilograms from Nebraska and
Wisconsin saying that the governors
of those states will not be accom-
panied by a military escort to the
Inauguration at Washington, but will
have their stats only. General
Byers made this inquiry before ask
ing any of the companies to go. If
any of them decide to go at their,
own expense they can be mobilized
into an Iowa battalion and offered
the committee ON arrangements in
Washington.
The Iowa hotel, the old Aborn, cor
ner of Fourth street and Court ave-
nue., was quarantined on the 18th by
order of Secretary Kennedy, of the
state board of health. About seventy
five persons, including the hotel en-
ployes, were in the building when the
quarantine was ordered. Thirty Of
these were dismissed by City Physi-
clan Shift, after standing q test Of
fered by the physician. They were
required to show vaccination marks,
and to swear before a notary public
that the vaccination had taken effect
within three years. The entire hotel
building was thoroughly fumigated,
and all of the inmates of the hotel,
except those few who have come in
contact with the patient, will prob
ably be released by DIR. Schiltz after
being vaccinated. The patient will
be removed to the detention hospital
Though not generally realized,
there is more smallpox in Iowa now
than ever before at the same season
of the year. DIR. Kennedy, in IN in
terview, said that since last October
when cases first began to be reported
this year in any considerable num-
Der, there had been at lowest esti.
mates, 1000 cases. In at least $50
localities in Iowa, there are cases
of smallpox. The type of the disease
is not considered malignant, yet
there has been not less than fifty
deaths in the state from this cause
since last October. The disease is
most prevalent in Hamilton, Webster
and Boone counties. The danger to
the health of the state at large con-
sists in the fact that the contagion
exists at so many different localities,
each point where a person Is sick
with smallpox being a center from
which the disease may easily radiate.
There is no knowing where the
present widespread attack originated
from. 1t appears to have been start
ed from no single locality. All
through the summer there were q
| few scattering cases in the state.
| in fact, since 1889, when the disease
appeared at Storm Lake, smallpox
has never been entirely stamped out
Of Iowa. The winter season is in
variably the worst time for the d.
sease, owing to the tendency of hui
manity to live gregariously and IN
| doors.
The first section of the survey of
| the Des Moines & Northern railroad,
owned by Des Moines capitalists, has
been completed, the fifty-second mile
| of the survey having been finished,
and the line into Boone from Des
Moines having been completed. Man
ager Cumming, in charge Of the sur
vey, has taken his corps OF
ten men to Britt and begun work on
the stretch from that town to Min
neapolis, which is TO be the northern
terminus of the road. This, the last
section of the survey, will be COM
pleted, IL the weather is favorable,
by February 10.
CHANDLER IS RETIRED.
| n.usv Will Gurraad Hin,