The Oskaloosa herald., 1908-09-24
PLAGUE RAYAGES
CzARS CAPITAL
AslAric CHOLERA INCREASING
IN ST. PETERSBURG.
THREAT OF MARTIAL LAW
Municipal Officials Finally Aroused to
Aetlon--Aiarm General Through.
out Russia--other coun-
tries on Guard.

st. Petersburg, Sept. 21.--St. Peters
burg is in the grasp of the Asiatic
cholera, which already has exceeded
10 severity and numbers OF victims
the visitation OF 1898 The disease
is increasing daily at an alarming rate
and, unless the authorities show in
the future a much greater degree OF
ability to cope with the situation than
they have in the past, there is every
reason to fear that it will get out of
hand.
The government has threatened to
apply the provisions OF martial law
and this threat has driven the munich
pality officials to bend all their ener-
giles to the campaign of clearing the
city of the scourge. The aldermanic
council Sunday voted preliminary
sum amounting to $25O,00O to enlarge
the hospital space, to purchase and
distribute disinfeetants, the supply of
which in st. Petersburg is well-nigh
exhausted, and to expedite the inter
ment OF bodies which has been notsri-
ously slow. The dead houses are over
crowded and many corpses lie un-
buried.
Sale of Liquor curbed.
Under his authority as project Of St.
Petersburg, Gen. Dracheffsky has pro-
hibited the sale OF liquor throughout
the city. including the government
vodka shops, until September 22, and
he has further ordered that after that
the sale of liquor shall be suspended
at two D. m. ON Saturday until ten a.
m. Monday. This action has been
taken in order to diminish alcoholic
excuses which very materially in
crease the liability to cholera infection
ana the general spread of the disease.
Sunday public schools were trans
formed into hospital wards. A mum.
Der of the grammar schools were
closed and 1000 OF the students sent
to their homes. The department Of
war has opened stores to supply imme-
diate needs, and army field Kitchens
have been dispatched to the poorer
quarters TO dispense free food.
Situation Becomes Graver.
The situation, which has always
been serious since the very first case
was reported. assumes a graver as
pect from the appearance Sunday Of a
very virulent type Of the disease, in
two cases of which death followed
within 10 minutes of the FIRST symp-
toms.
AS announced by the Official bulletins
the cases numbered 349 and the deaths
12s during the "a hours between Fri
day noon and Saturday noon. This
was a considerable decrease from the
preceding day, but there is doubt of
the accuracy of the Official statement.
The record for the same "a hours as
certained from unofficial. but reliable
sources, shows the actual number to
have been far in excess Of that
Whether or not, however, there was
an actual decrease, the disease re
sumed its march ON Saturday. the sta
tistics posted showing that from Sat
urday noon until Sunday noon there
were 39S cases and 141 deaths, this
being the largest number so far OH
cially announced.
Entire Country Alarmed.
Advices from all parts Of Russi;
show that the alarm is very genera
and that there is good reason for II
At Moscow a quarantine has been es
tabllshed at all railway depots and pas
c,...,S.,,, 80 ,.IanaJ undar the utricfaa
surveillance. Up to the present dos
COW has been immune A death ha
occurred at Helsingfors from the dis
ease and ten Russian steamers hav
been denied entrance to Yiborg hal
Dor for evading quarantine at Trane
sund, a roadstead eight miles iron
that port.
Several suspicious cases have bee
reported In the Finnish archipelago
where the imperial family are cruii
ing, and measures have been take
to limit navigation, only vessels haN
ing a practicing physician on boar
being permitted to sail in Finnish WI
tiers.
Twenty-nine cases and six death
were reported from Odessa on Satu
day.
Germany has become alarmed Owe
the spread of the disease and tn
German authorities have taken precal
tions to prevent its crossing III
frontier. Austria has done the sam
thing; Sweden and other nearby coul
tries have declared a quarantin
against Russia, and France is read
to meet any exigencies that may aris
Conditions at Manila.
Manila, Sept. 2l.-Fifty-eight ne
cases OF cholera and 10 deaths are r
ported for the "a hours ending at eigl
O'Clock Monday morning.
The infected areas in the city an
suburbs are spreading somewhat b.
the health authorities are still con
dent that they will be able speedily
gain control Of the situation.
The most rigid quarantine possib
is being maintained.