South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-10-10
CLOSE CITY At
z TONIGHT To
AVOID PLAGUE
Freyermuth Issues Order For
bidding All Public Gath
eringS Here Until Fur
theT Notice.

Acceding to public opinion and to
the wishes OF the state board Of
health. DR.. Emil 9. Freyermuth,
head OF the city health department
at noon Thursday ordered all
churches. schools. theaters and other
public places of amusement closed
and prohibited public gatherings OF
any nature. including club meetings.
lodge gatherings, public dances or
any other meetings OF a public ma
ture after midnight Thursday.
This means that the schools Of the
city. either public. private or paro-
cnial, will not open Friday morn
ing. and that after the theaters Of
the city close for their Thursday
night performances. they will not be
allowed TO reopen until the orders
OF the health board head are
rescinded. The following is Or.
Freyermuth's proclamation issued
Thursday noon, and which becomes
enective at midnight Thursday:
Proclamation
"Ofice Of the Board OF Health
oct 10. 1918.
"In compliance with the
wishes of the state board of
health and i'm obedience 10 pub
lie sentiment, all schools. pub
lie private and parochial;
churches. theaters. moving pic
ture shows and other public
places of amusements; club
meetings. lodges, dance halls
and all other gatherings are
hereby ordered closed from mid
night oct 10. 1918. until fur
ther notice. Public meetings or
any kind are also prohibited
during this time This order is
issued on account OF the public
fear OF an epidemic outbreak
OF influenza in ,his city.
"It Is 10 be emphatlcally un-
Jsrstood that there is no cpl
dcmic OF this disease at the
present time and that this order
is made merely as a precaution-
airy measure.
"E. G. FREYERMUTH. NJ. d.
Secretary Board OF Health"
No Epidemic Here.
Or Freyermuth issued the clos
ing proclamation reluctantly. He de-
Clsrtd that South Bend is not in the
midst OF an epidemic OF influenza
but that il appears TO be the desire
Of the board OF health OF the state
and OF public opinion in South Bend
that al public places i'm the city be
closed.
The health board secretary said
that there are less than 100 cases of
the Spanish influenza that have been
reported 10 the health department.
~c FAR and ne insisted that the situa-
tion is stil well i'm hand in South
Berd.
~ Freyermuth visited the city
schools Thursday morning and re-
ported that there are comparatively
rev cases or the influenza among the
students He declared that he found
only one teacher among those in the
schools who advocated the necessity
OF closing order.
Telephone Reports Erroneous.
The health secretary said that he
had been almost swamped with re-
ports over the telephone OF cases of
influenza. but that when ne had in
Nestieated these reports he found
them 10 be erroneous In the main
pr Freyermuth declared Thurs
day that his proclamation must be
taken literally and that public gath
eri1gs means an public gatherings.
and that they will be strictly pro-
hIti,ed. Hs said also that pool rooms
and billiard halls come under the
IAN. and that persons viii not be
allowed 90 l0iter around stores or
other places where the general pub
lio is en- the habit OF freQuenting.
According 90 the health secretary
about the only things i'm South Bend
that 90 not come under his closing
reclamation are the street cars and
restAura nts and other eating places.
The closing proclamation Will re-
main ir effect until the health
oard secretary issues another order
countermanding the one issued az
CONTINUED on PACE TEN