The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1907-08-31
SIERRA ARRIVES FROM COAST
WITH PLAGUE CASE ABOARD
Cabin Passengers Are
Allowed to Come
Ashore.

o. :. 5. Sierra, Captain Houdlette
arrived last evening from San Fran
cisco with a case of plague aboard
and was ordered into quarantine. He
\ cabin passengers and the mail wer
landed last night.
r Several hours later than expected
the Sierra was sighted off waimanal,
about 3 o'clock and, to the great sur
prise of the hundreds who had gather
ed on the Oceanic wharf and the foo
of Fort street, went ever to the quar-
antine wharf. The crowd moved, a:
with one impulse, to the Fort stree
extremity. wondering what could bt
the matter, many worrying for friend:
they We're there to meet. 1t took bu
ashore that there was a suspicious case
of sickness, and then the question was
as to the identity of the victim. Then
it became known that the sickness was
plague and all kinds of exaggerated
rumors flew about.
DR.. Sinclair was the boarding officer
for the L. S. Marine Hospital Service
He sent word ashore to his chief. DR..
Ramus, that there was a case of sick
ness among the crew and he believed
it to be one of plague. DR.. Ramus,
about $40 o'clock, a few minutes after
she Sierra had docked at the quaran-
tine wharf, went aboard in the launch
4 and confirmed the diagnosis OF DR.. Sin
clair An examination of the entire
ships company was then made, mes
senger being sent ashore to secure ad-
slitional thermometers that the temper
atures of all passengers and crew
might be taken. All this took time,
darkness fell and the crowd thinned
out on the Oceanic and Fort street
wharves. folks going home or uptown
10 dinner intending to make another
try at meeting their incoming friends
later. The information at that time
as to when the passengers were likely
TO be landed, if at all, was scanty.
The island steamer ]. a. Cummins.
Captain Searle, which had but just ar
rived from windward Oahu with sugar.
was discharged as quickly as possible,
extra men being put on the job, and
she was requisitioned to take the cabin
passengers from the Sierra to the Oce-
s4nic wharf. The Cummins, taking in
her boat on the port side so as to
breast the liner took off the first lot
of cabin passengers about $50 o'clock.
The Sierra's gangway was a difficult
proposition to negotiate with the Cum
minis and was drawn up and dropped
on the upper deck of the smaller boat
At this angle passengers had to walk
on the edges of the steps and found the
hand rope too low for comfort. Chief
officer Koughan stood at the head of
the gangway and handled the crowd
assisting the ladies with their hand
Sags. grips. suitcases and other bag
cage. men being stationed on the upper
deck of the Cummins to receive it. A
was stationed in the !
middle of the gangway to keep folks
from falling overheard and ships
officer took charge at the foot. A
cluster of electric lights illuminated 1
the scene. BY $40 o'clock the second |
load of cabin passengers was ashore
and those left aboard were second
cabin and steerage passengers
The mail was taken ashore in the
tug Intrepid about o'clock. There
was a. large quantity of mail, being the
of six days, the Sierra
having sailed from San Francisco on
saturday last and the previous date
of the departure of mail from the
Coast being August is.
There have of late been discovered
manv. cases OF plague in San FRANCISCO
and the presence of one case aboard
he Sierra naturally inspired the ut
most caution in the action of the Fed
araI quarantine authorities here. The
Sierra. will be fumigated before she 1s
moved over 10 her own wharf, the
oceanic. and her 1900 tons of general
freight will probably also undergo fu~
nigation. The second cabin and steer
lge passengers will probably be allow
"a ashore today, after their clothing
md baggage have been fumigated. Dr. I
2amus stated last night that after
umigation of the ship and crew the
-esseI would be allowed to move 10 !
Ter own dock. some time this after
loon.
There were some anxious ones on {
be wharf when it was known that :
,lague was aboard. for they imagined
he possibility of one of their friends
In a
: afflicted with the malady does not
ppear 10 be suffering acutely as YET.
Ie was troubled with high fever ana
he swellings peculiar to plague.
Continued on Page Seven).