New-York tribune., 1907-01-13
SCRANI0NS EPIDEMIC.
Business Of The City at StqndstiN-
No Relief IN Sight.

40 f6Hef ia Sfght.
Scranton. Jan II (SpeciaD-Tbougb tho +,-
phoid epidemic which has the city in its srasn
Is NOW in what is called the secondary stage
the fear of contracting the disease has not by
any means subsidad. Commercial men are still
stunning the town, theatrical companies other
than those playing weekly engagements in the
vaudeville and burlesque houses, refuse to re-
main in the city overnight, families that are in
a position To do SO are leaving the city and
business, generally speaking. is at a standstilI.
The servant girl problem is 4 more serious
proposition than ever.
Hotel men are best qualified to tell Of the
number of persons coming to the city. and the
hotel men in no wise ioath 10 tell that the
epidemic is running their business. For the last
three weeks there is not a MOTEL in the city,
with possibly one exception. that has been pay
ing expenses. At all the others business has
been. to express the words Of of the pro
prietors, away off the handle" and they are
all deplori1g the fact that there does not ap-
pear to be any relief in sight Theatrical COM
panies come and go but all that The local hotels
get out Of them IS an occasional meal for they
make their headquarters in Wilkes Barre.
For large portion of the time the principal
hotel, which is patrtonized by almost all the
New York, Philadelphia and Chicago travelling
men, was almost deserted the others. Or
dnarily, in the evening the lobby is crowded
with men from all parts of the country, but
OF late there has been a wonderful falling off
The chief clerk in speaking OF the changed
conditions. said The number of drUmmers
coming here is usually large. but Il has dwindled
greatly since typhoid broke out in the city
Four OF the commercial men came in this morn
ing. They said they were afraid OF the fever
and would not engage rooms here, but go to
Wilkes Barre They said also they had met
other drummers on the road, who declared they
would not come TO Scranton again until the
fever Is stamped out"
1t Is estimated that hundreds OF families
have temporarily left the city in order TO escape
the disease. This is particularly true of bust
ness and professional men, who have gone
into the country a few miles out Of the city. and
who come in TO business every day. In several
instances, however, families have by moving
away run into the very thing they sought TO
evade.
Several cases Of typhoid broke out near
family by the name of Collins. and there was
hurried departure the part Of the family for
the country. Mr.. Collins owns farm few
miles out. and he decided 10 remain there until
the epidemic was stamped out. All of his goods
moved 70 the farm and the family was
comfortably settled. when to their consterna-
ton II was learned that there two cases
of typhoid fever in the next farmhouse, which
was only few hundred yards away. There was
another hurried packing and now the family i
in another part Of the country. where as yet
there is no typhoid
Servant girls much afraid Of the
disease as others, and. always a source OF
trouble they have complicated matters by ab-
solutely refusing work in families where there
IS a case Of typnod. Higher wages and better
hours appear % oe no inducemeut, aud the re-
suit IS that many families habituated TO the
service OF help. compelled 10 do their own
cooking and wait on the nurses in care Of the
patients. The employment agencies are Hooded
with applications for servant girls ana many
Of the offers are fattering' hlt the demand can
A force # fourteen trained nurses - engaged
in district work under Miss OEelloran, who
herself IS 20 be fosnd at Ter desk from early in
IN. ming until 81
ness many pathetic scenes one OF The most
touching of those was an occurrence in the fam
tIv Of John Bruno, If South Scranton, which, as
q result of the death II 4 daughter has been
broken up; the father has ruined himself and
the mother. after having had him arrested Tor
cruel treatment. is supporting herself by nurs-
I3rune'g nineteen-year- daughter by for
ner wife was i'll with typhoid. and his second
wife who IS a trained nurse, took care OF her
until she herself was worn out Bruno neglected |
his business 10 assist, but was or niue heip.
Finally Miss OiFalloran sent one of the district
nurses there Brune threatened that he would
kill her ana every one in the City Hall II his
daughter died. The girl did die and although
the father did not live UP to MS threat ne Is q
changed man. He blames his daughters death
on his wife and has beaten her so cruelty that
she has had him arrested, and he is now under
heavy bail for court. His business, which before
was fourishing. is now wrecked Bruno does
nothing but sit and mutter the name or the slil
over and over again.
A pitiable death that OF a woman who, !
with an adult daughter and son. lived in Ray
of the district nurses happened TO be passing /.
the house and dropped in TO see the patient |
She was astounded when she saw her condition !
and found that one was taking care OF her /
The nurse was in the house when the son and !
daughter returned and, in answer to her indiS- |
nant questions. the muttered that he did not |
know anything about attending TO the sick The |!
daughter, replied that she did not have the time
How ignorant some persons can be is we'll !
illustrated in the family of a Slav in 18th street
His fve-yea r-old daughter III of typhoid |
pneumonia, but, with the assistance Of the dis |
trict nurses she became conValescent and ell |
that was needed TO restore her TO health was !
care in giving her food. Some one foolishly |
gave her quantity of peanuts which she ate
and now she is dying from meningitis. When |
the physician in charge Informed the father |
that his daughter could not live two days he |
exclaimed, why she die now. them"
While there are numerous pathetic scenes. |
there are few that humorous. Such case |
is that OF rich old German woman who was
directed by the Bureau of Health to clean up the |
alley in the rear of her home. She protested !
that she did not own the alley and finally
claimed. ''Vat you think l am, the Street Clean
ing Department yes? Clean up your own /
alleys" The alley cleaned by men of the
Department of Public Works.
GUARD NEWS.