The sea coast echo. [volume] (Bay Saint Louis, Miss.) 1892-current, 1905-07-29
REPORT FROM COMMITTEE
SENT TO JACKSON.

leans for Bay st. Louis ana WaVeIano'
The gentlemen composing the commit
tee, whose names appear at the end OF
the report, were headed by n. H.
MoOday, who acted as spokesman.
Mr.. Moody's address to the Governor
and Secretary Hunter Of the State
Board Of Health was not only scholarly
in its form Of presentation, but the
logic OF the address for such a conces-
sion sought was so self-appealing to
the gentlemen who had granted the
committee an audience that we are told
the Governor acknowledged that the ar
gument was unansWerabIe.
The delegation represented the Com
mercial Club and mass meeting Of the
citizens of Bay St. Louis and Wave
land. The Commercial Club left moth
ing undone for restricted communication
with the City of New Orleans, and its
executive committee is to be compi-
mented upon taking the initiative in the
matter.
The report Of the committee follows:
Bay ST. Louis, Miss, July II, 1903.
To the citizens Of Bay St. Louis and
Wavcland.
Gentlcmcn:-
We, your committee appointed in
mass meeting on the 23rd inst. for the
purpose of interviewing the Governor,
and the Secretary Of the State Board OF
Health, with the view of having re-
moved the STRINGENT quarantine re
strictions placed on the coast, beg leave
to report as follows:
The committee left Bay ST. Louis
Monday morning, arriving in Jackson
the same night. On Tuesday morning
at II O'Clock we had Joint conference
with the Governor and DR.. John F.
Hunter, in the parlor CT the Norvelle
Hotel. Your committee explained to
these gentlemen the peculiar relation
ship between New Orleans and the twin
cities OF Bay ST. Louis and Waveland,
showing them that the working people
were dependent largely on the summer
visitors, and in turn the New Orleans
residents were accustomed to have their
families in these respective villas, and
to go to New Orleans each day and to
come out each evening.
The committee also stated that in
their opinion the said residents did not
visit the infected portion of the city,
and asked that they would be allowed to
go and come under the most stringent
regulations of the local board of health,
namely, of having a Doctors certificate
that they had not been exposed each
day to the infected parts of the city.
After hearing the statements of your
committee, Gov. Vardaman replied that
he had made up his mind to enforce the
most stringent quarantine regulations
against New Orleans, for the time being.
He also stated that if yellow fever
should visit Bay St. Louis and Wave
land, even then he would have a rigid
quarantine against New Orleans, and
further added that if every man, woman
or child should ask it, he would not al
low single person to come out of New
Orleans until the quarantine was raised.
He further remarked that, leaving out
the loss of life occasioned by an cpl
demic along our coast, it would cost the
State of Mississippi 5000, 200, 900 in de-
probation of values in real estate.
He said that it would be better for the
citizens of these towns, for short time,
to be bottled in by Gordon OF quaran-
tine officers, and eat mullet and crabs,
and escape the yellow fever than to get
all the revenue they could out Of the
refugees and have one case of yellow
fever.
When asked how soon the quarantine
would be raised, the Governor replied
that he expected to send a medical ex-
pert Immediately to New Orleans to ex-.
anime the fever situation there and to
keep him informed daily as to its spread
or cessation, and just as soon as the
Marine Hospital Corps, who have things
in charge, now publish to the world that
the danger of infection is past, and the
Mississippi authorities are cognizant OF
the fact he will give the relief de-
manded.
1t might be pertinent to remark that
our delegations from Vicksburg,
Natchez and Pass Christian, to all of
which he gave the same reply as to US.
The Governor was very emphatic in
his decision, and stated that no amount
of argument could move him from his
position. He also denounced vehe-
mently the practice in vogue in the
medical profession in concealing cases
of yellow fever, saying that doctor
who would do such a thing should be
hanged or put in the p9nitentlary for
life.
After our conference was finished
telegram was received by Dr.. Hunter,
signed by the following gentlemen: A.
r. Hart, editor Progress; A. S. Weston,
NJ. D.; w. w Stockstill, county super
intendent; S. C. Whitfield, NJ. B. S.;
S. j. Macarthur, NJ. B. S.; E. Hoffman,
county clerk; ]. E. Saucier, sheriff;
and A. Griffith, attorney. Asking that
action on petition of Board of Health,
End Commercial Club, be deferred until
letter could reach them.
Your committee was treated in the