The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-05-06
PLAGUE CITY HELD
IN GRIP OF DEATH
Terror trickenL GuayranS
Cut Off From the
World.

wILLEAMsTAD. May 6-La GUayrs,
Venezuela, is a city OF death. The
plague is spreading there. The inhabi-
tants are fighting It frantically-al
and unaided. From the rest Of the world
they are cut off-on one side by the sea.
on all others by military patrols. under
orders 20 shoot fugitives on sight.
News from the town there is hard TO
obtain, so strict IS the quarantine.
Enough has leaked out. however. TO
prove the spot an inferno.
Business is practically suspended
stores closed. and residences shattered.
None venture abroad, except under al
solute compassion. Food Is hardly to be
had on any terms. Whoever Will, may
enter with supplies. but, having entered,
none can leave. Even for the enormous
prices offered for provisions few win
accept the certainty OF imprisonment
and the risk or death.
Fires Burn Constantly.
From miles away the smoke can be
seen by day and the flames by night
Of blazing houses where the plague has
been. of burning lumber piles from
:
the disease-Iaden rats, and OF the fires
in the oi-fiooded streets, plan adopted
by the authorities as the readiest and
speediest means of Kidding the comr1u-
nifty Of the accumulation Of filth VIII. Oh
probably was mainly responsible for
the epidemic.
Most OF the workingmen who, panIck-
ed by fear OF the plague and rendered
desperate by famine, broke through TIA
military Gordon and scattered through
( the surrounding country. have beer
nerded together and driven back by the
troops
The terrified villagers and countr,
1 people among whom they sought re.
| fuge did everything IN their power &c
aid IN the hunt Dr. Gomez PeraZa ol
I ease as bubOniC plague. and was thrown
I in prison by President Castro. only Il
I be released later when If became evident
( that his judgment was correct. is lead,
/ ing the sanitary workers in their ec
/ forts to stamp out the epidemic
| Except for few persons who rushet
I from the city before the cases became
/ numerous. the only ones who have es
capped have been those riCn enough d
/ pay the shippers of small craft 10 Snug
I Gle them from the harb0r and land then
/ surrepuiiousiy az distant places on IN,
( coast
Port Under Embargo.
/ President Castro has declared a block
| AIDE az the port. and regular shipping f,
! suspended. Even the blockade runner.
+ are few The prices they charge 10,
/ The supplies they bring in. and the pas
/ sengers they take out. are enormous
4 and only at the most imminent risk o
| death at the hands Of the SanItar
I guards are they able To break ire EN-
/ barge. The Ia Guayra railroad hai
! Ce8sed operations
4 The rate of mortality from the dis
I ease 5 enormous, and those who sue
! cumb are said 70 do so in the majority
! OF cases In about twenty-fOur nour.
/ from the time they are stricken
| There have been few cases OF til,
/ disease outside. La Guayra. but the gov
/ eTnment is making herculeau eXertion
/ 10 prevent the disease from getting
/ fuOtnold, <and the sanitary prec5utlon
/ promise 10 accomplish the desired re
I suit.
Foreign residents and wealthy Eeue
{ zueians who ere able TO leave their bust
( ness are quitting the country iu iarg,
( numbers. however. lest the epidemi
! spread