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The Wilmington morning star., 1940-01-07
Wilmington During The CiuI War
B H j. Becker
Chapter 4: Health Conditions And Decentralization

What was probably the most +rv-
ing and heart-rending period in the
entlre history of Wilmington ca: ,e
IN the autumn of 1852. Wilmington
iiao always been remarkable for the
general good health of the ma ;oritv
OF her inhabitants. This period was
however, a distressing departure
from that rule. Plague, as terrifying
DIS the european Black Death. rta1k.
cd her streets and tremendously in.
creased the harvest Of death beirp
reaped on the bloody hills of Virginia
and Maryland.
On August 6, 1852, the already
famous blockade-runner, Kate. dron.
PED anchor in the port of Whining.
ton. She was joyously greeted h, tho
cheering inhabitants, as was the
custom when a blockade.runner suc-
ceeded in eluding the constantly
tlghtenlng blockade. Her captain.
Ihomas ]. Lockwood, we'll loved and
greatly respected by the citizens of
wilmington, made ."open house" on
BOARD. Wilmingtonians swarmed her
decks in celebration of the occasion
and delighted to partake of the .
1reshments passed out by the ships
Kitchen. Alas, what irony! Amid
their rejoicing, little Gid the people
OF Wilmington realize that the chief
cargo brought to them by the Kate
was wholesale death, in the form of
the most dreaded yellow fever.
First Victim
The first victim of the u was
a young German. A friend learned
of his sickness and that he w s
alone. He went to see his friend to
visit with him and try to cheer Lin
up. he visitor noticed a distinctly
yellow tinge to the skin of the pa
tlent and supposed the disease to be
Jaundice, so little was known of the
disease at the time. Within forty
eight hours the young German had
uled OF black vomit, and yet, strange
to say, his friend lived to write his
memoirs. For about ten succeeding
weeks, the ravages of the pestilence
were terrible. 1t was at a time, too,
when it was most difficult to combat
its effects. Medicines and provisions
were not only high in price but
extremely difficult to obtain at any
price. The little %luXuries, so great.
ly needed for the convalescent, were
almost unobtainable. Many Of the
fear = stricken inhabitants fled the
town; all business was suspended.
The closed stores and the silent
streets gave the city the appearance
of a deserted city.
AS the people knew so little about
the disease and ever less about
treating it, there is little wonder that
they became desperate and frantic.
ally fled from their homes. DR..
James Sprunt, whose memory is
revered and whose writings are
held in high esteem by the people
of Wilmington, gives us a very vivid
picture of the situation:
THE country people, taking a
panic at the news of the presence
of the fever, no longer sent in
their supplies. The town was de-
serted, its silence broken only
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-01-07
County P.-T. A. Council Will
Sponsor Euerett Lectures Here

The council feels that in pre-.
senting Mrs. Everett that it is a
splendid opportunity to become in
formed on vital educational mat.
tiers, interesting to both parents
and teachers and the general pub
lie as we'll.
Each local association will re-
ceiye credit for attendance and
this parent-teacher study course
will give them a point on their
standard, provided each association
of the larger schools has an aver
age Of ten present at each meet
ing and an average of six present
at each meeting from the smaller
schools.
Mrs. Everett, a teacher Of dra-
matte art, is an eloquent speaker.
most entertaining and informative.
She needs no Introduction to a
Wilmington audience, having con.
Quoted a similar. study course last
year, at which time the classes
totalled more than 700.
The public is cordially invited to
attend.
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-01-07
HILL PERFECTS
TREASURY WORK
Customs Collector Serving As
Enforcement Officers
CO-OrdinatOr

John Bright Hill, collector of
customs, and e. c. Snead, assistant
collector, have returned from Bal
timore, where they attended an
area coordination meeting of the
law enforcement agencies of the
U. S. treasury department.
Hill has been acting for some
time as the co-ordinator of activi-
ties of the law enforcement agen-
cies of the treasury department. for
the district of North Carolina.
The program Of coordination.
Hill said, was inaugurated recently
to prevent an overlapping of &C
Invites Of the various law enforce
ment agencies of the treasury de-
partment and promote a better
clearing house for federal govern
ment information.
While out Of the city last week,
Hill and Snead stopped over in
Washington, D.. c., and made a
detailed report to the bureau of
customs covering activities OF the
customs service during 1889 for
the district of North Carolina.
This coordination program is
one of the most progressive steps
the administration has put into eff
feet regarding the enforcement. of
the neutrality laws" Hill said.
The coordination of activities of
the law enforcement agencies of
the treasury department is a re.
suit of the neutrality proclamation
issued by President Roosevelt on
September s, 1899.
In his capacity as district co.
ordinator, Hill can designate the
handling Of cases Of certain law
enforcement agencies of the treas,
ury department in an effort to pre-
vent the overlapping of depart
mental activities and thus promote
a better clearing house for all law
enforcement data.
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-01-07

Mrs. Ruth Wick Everett, field
secretary of the North Carolina
Education association, will give a
series of lectures to the Parent
Teacher associations beginning
Wednesday,, $3.50 o'clock, at the
Isaac Bear school, and continuing
on Thursday and Friday after
Moons at the same hour. On Fri
day evenings at 8 o'clock, the
fourth and last lecture will be
given in the High school auditori-
UNI, after which an informal re-
ception will be held in honor of
Mrs. Everett. The members Of the
board Of education and the school
authorities will be special guests.
Mrs. l.. I. Lassiter, parental edu-
cation chairman of the New Han
over County Council Of Parent
Teacher associations, will preside.
On Wednesday afternoon Mrs. A.
M. Alderman, director of the Eighth
district of the North Carolina Con-
gress of Parents and Teachers will
conduct the devotional. Mrs. W. p.
Roudabush, president Of the coun-
ell, will present Mrs. Everett.
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-01-07
SUTTON BECOMES
VETERANS CHIEF
Rudolph Installs 1910 Officers
Of United Spanish
War Camp

Julius Rudolph, past commander,
installed the 1910 slate of officers
for the Wilmington Camp No. 8.
United Spanish War Veterans, at
a meeting held Friday night in
the dugout at the courthouse.
The new officers include: com.
mander, J. M. Sutton; senior vice.
commander. D. B. Sellers; Junior
vice-commander, I. K. Primer; adj
%jutant, Julius Randolph; quarter.
master, George K. D'Orange: truss
tees, J.. S. Lane, A. F. Gibson, and
w. A. Whitney.
Historian, c. N. Brewer; surgeon.
DR.. W. I. Taylor; chaplain, M.
Kelly; officer of the day, George
F. Dukes: officer of the guard,
Otto Lehman; color sergeant, Ma.
rion Sellers; and musician, c. M.
Hollowbush.
A new recruit, James M. Parker,
was mustered in before the install
lation of new officers. Several
guests were present and a smoker
vas given by Commander Sutton.
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-01-07

l. thrown into the streets or into
the drains. -.
z, All privies were to be clesn-
ed every two weeks.
8. A fine of $4,000 was imposed
for violating any of the fore.
going regulations.
From all indications, health con-
ditions in Wilmington were about
normal from March, 1853, until
about the same month two years
later. When Wilmington was occup.
led by General Hawley's troops, on
February %, 1855, the Feder;l Of.
ficers reported that they .1ound tn
city in a very filthy condition. How.
ever, the report continued to state
that health conditions in the city had
been good and that no epidemies had
visited the Confederate troops sta
toned there.
Soon after the occupation of the
city by the Federals, an exchange
of prisoners was arranged. Many Of
the Union soldiers returned by this
exchange to their commands, were
too sick to be moved and were hous
ed in public buildings in Whining
ton. 1t seems that an epidemic OF
typhus or Jail fever was thus intro
duced among the Federal troops sta
toned in the city. Between Febru-
airy 26, 1865, and June 80, of the
same year, about 1900 Federal sol
diers died in Wilmington. Fedora
military authorities estimated thai
$50 of these deaths resulted from
the epidemic of typhus fever.
Two Epidemics
With the exception of these two
%epidemics, the medical conditions In
Wilmington were about such as one
would expect to find in a wartime
city. It is certain that there were
four hospitals in the city and it is
possible that there were more. Be
side the surgeon of the city garri
son, the hospitals appearing in the
city hospital directory on January
IA, 1865, were: No 4 and Nc. 5
which were military hospitals, Way
side hospital, managed by the yer.
popular DR.. Halsey, and the Nava
hospital, in charge Of DR.. Sanford
1t what effect the evacuation o
the city by the Confederate troop
had on these Is not certain, but !
is natural to suspect that they wer
largely discontinued. General HaW
ley removed the pews from histori
St. James church and converted
into a military hospital. Reports in
dicate that it was never much NOR
than half filled, so it appears tina
hospital service in Wilmington mus
have been ample with the possibl
exception of the periods Of epidemic
No records of the hospital worl
in Wilmington were kept, so no sta
tistics are available as to the typ
of cases treated or the number Q
patients cared for. it is natural t
assume, however, from the natur
and amount of other similar worl
done by the people of Wilmington
that everything possible "a done t.
relieve the sufferings Of the forum
ate of the community.
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-01-07
MORE SUAVE
MIAMI BEACH, Fla, Jan.

MIAMI BEACH, Fla, Jan. 6.
-R-Mickey Rooney grinned
today as he commented on the
marriage of Diana Lewis to
Actor William Powell: MIR.
Powell must be more suave
than Lam"
The 19-year-old Rooney, how
ever, remarked that he and
Miss Lewis hadn't gone out to-
gether since he worked on THE
Devil is a Sissy" more than a
year ago.
In a more serious vein, he
added:
"I certainly wish Diana and
Mr.. Powell a lot Of happiness"
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-01-07

by the occasional pedestrian
bound on errands Of mercy to
the sick, or the rumbling of the
rude funeral cart -. Panic, dis
tress, mute despair, want, had
1allen upon a population then
strained to the utmost, with the
bleeding columns of it's regi-
ments dying the hills Of Mary.
land with their blood, until the
whole air was filled with the
vail Of widow and orphan, and
the dead could no longer he hon
ored with the last tribute of re-
spect."
In the ten weeks period, four hun
dred and forty-seven persons of g
population reduced by flight to five
thousand, YER carried away by the
disease. These were indeed dark
days, but the fortitude and courage
displayed by the people of Whining
ton should be an inspiration to al
succeeding generations. Not onl.
were those brave people compelled
to fight a dreaded disease in thei,
midst, but their courage and forti
tude were needed to bolster thu
spirits of their soldiers on the bat
tlefield. The well chosen words O.
DR.. Thomas Wood, a Wilmington
physician who served Throughout
the trying period, portray for us {
brave and courageous people, fight
ing a desperate battle.
"D~istresses and bereaved by
this new weight of sorrow, Will
mington sat in mournful habili-
ments of widowhood, striving,
amidst the immensely of the
struggle, to make her courageous
voice heard above the din of
war, to nerve the brave hearts
who stood Us a girdle of steel
about beleaguered Richmond"
Such was the attitude of the PEG
pie toward this most serious of loca
calamities during the war. Soon aft
er the passing Of the scourge-
which came only with the arrival o
frost-the authorities passed a serie
of regulations calculated to proven
the recurrence of such a tragedy
Some of these regulations, passe'
on March II, 1863, may appea
amusing to us with our moder1
knowledge of sanitation and diseas
prevention. However, the following
list will indicate the seriousness
with which the authorities embrace,
the problem. The list included, ii
effect, the following regulations:
1. A health officer for the
town was appointed and charged
with enforcing the regulations
as passed.
2. All damp or poorly drained
cellars ere to be filled up to
the level of the street with either
soil or cinders.
8. All cellars must be regular
ly ventilated.
4. All fish, beef, hides, ETC.,
were to be removed from cellars
and Easements.
S. Jamestown or other weeds
were not to be permitted to grow
within the city limits.
s. N garbage was to be
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-01-07
Richardson Assumes
Command Of u. S. Fleet

SAN PEDRO, Calf, Jan. 6.-P)
The United States Fleet was turn
ed over to a tall, friendly Texan
today with the words of its retlr'
ing chief "This fleet is ready tc
fight"
Admiral James Otis Richardson
relieved Admiral Claude Charles
Bloch as commandments.
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-01-07
Plans Are Progressing
For Annual Card Party

Plans are progressing rapidly for
the annual card party to be stag
ed by the woman's auxiliary to the
New Hanover Medical society at
the Cape Fear Country club on
Saturday. January 10, the sponsors
of the affair said last night.
Tables may be reserved by call
ing Mrs. ]. Buren, Sudbury at 3OO1
or Mrs. Ernest Bullock at 2S7.
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-01-07
Men Who Know A Great
Car Say Dodge Gives
Most For Your Money!

IF you ever had any doubt
i about what car gives you
most for your money, this
fact should help you decide:
4,O61 engineers bought
Dodee in the Iast12m onths~
Think of it! Men whose life
work is engineerine-men
who know a great car when
they see it-not only praise
Dodge, but buy Dodge for
their own use in preference
to other cars!
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-01-07
CHALLENGED

WASHINGTON, Jan. G. Up -
H. w. Prentis, Jr., president Of the
National Association of Manufac-
turers, challenged today what he
described as the implication in
President Roosevelt's annual mes
sage that invention takes away jobs.
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-01-07
APPOINTED

MONTGOMERY, Ala, Jan. 6-lR
appointment of William V. AL.
bright as regional engineer for the
farm security administration in Ala
bama, Florida, Georgia, South Caro-
lima and the Virgin Islands was an
nounced today by E. S. Morgan,
southeastern FAS administrator.
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-01-07
ATU Officers Here Take
Auto, Is Gals. Liquor

The seizure of a 1885 model
Chevrolet coach containing 25 gal
Ions of non-taxpaid liquor was re-
ported yesterday by Alcohol Tax
Unit investigators Of the treasury
department here. =,
ATU agents said two negroes,
allegedly in charge of the car at
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-01-07
SLEDD CHAIR

RALEIGH, Jan. 6-R;-Provis1on
for the Benjamin Sledd chair OF
English Literature at Wake Forest
college Was made by DE-. Benjamin
F. sledd in a will filed for probate
today with the Wake county super
ior court clerk.
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-01-07

the time, stopped the car about
two miles north of Wilmington
at the end of the four-lane high
way on U. S. highway 421 towards
Burgaw and escaped across a field
when they noticed the approach
of officers.
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-01-07

A waterfall estimated to be 5000
feet high was sighted from a plane
lin the British Guiana jungle.
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-01-07
TROPHY

CHARLESTON, S. c., Jan. 6-P)
~Charleston's outstanding citizen
for 1910 will receive e silver loving
CID and a cash award OF 500.
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-01-07
Box Score of Sea Warfare
Rv The Associated Press

by The Associated Press.
The following "box score" lists sea warfare losses reporleo
during the 18th week, from Dec. 81 to jar. o. Gus Vncluoe
8 ships sunk earlier in war;
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-01-07

The nervous energy of the hu-
man body is nothing more than
electricity, according to DR.. George
A. Skinner of Berkeley, Cal.
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-01-07

80 YEARS of experience in building better motorcarsi That's the COM
bined record of Fred M. Zeder, Vice. Chairman and Head of Engineering,
Chrysler Corporation, and his associates whose brilliant genius has given
the automobile industry such great advancements as the all-steel body, ny
draulic brakes and many others. Left to right: Carl Breer, Fred M. Zeder
and Owen R. Shelton. These are the men who designed the new 1910 Dodge.
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-01-07
4t06| ENGINEERS BOUGHT DODGE CARS IN THE LAST Z M0NTAS!!*

And remember, Dodge engi-
neering costs you nothing
extra! 1t is part and parcel of
today's magnificent Luxury
Liner, with its smart new
lines, its gorgeous interiors, its
host of new IDEAS.
Have you inspected this
great new car? If not, by all
means come in and let US
demonstrate it to you. Expert
ence the new Full Floating
Ride, a new kind of ride at
the Dodge low price! Come
in without delay!
October, 1888, through September, 1889.
Latest figures available.
Tune in on the Major BoWes Orig
-1--As Ala
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-08-30

the day was 500 per hundred with
several farmers making Of
from $2S to $33 for their entire loads.
LUMBERTON.-Quality and prices
CORRESPONDENCE showed improvement
here today, J.. c. Fulton, supervisor
OF sales, said. More top grades were
IN evidence and medium and com.
mon smokers held firm to Wednes-
days level. Farmers appeared well
pleased and no tags were turned.
TABOR CITY.-More good tobacco
than offered heretofor was on ware
house floors here yesterday. Prices
ranged from IS to $35 per hundred
pounds.
WHITEVILLE.-Heavy sales con
tinued with prices remaining on the
same level, M. S. Smith, market su-
pervisor, reported. Some of the fin
est tobacco grown in this section
brought prices ranging up to SAG per
hundred. One farmer sold an en-
tire row at prices ranging from $33
to $45 per hundred. Low grade Of
ferings held the markets average
down. Farmers appeared we'll pleased
and few tags were turned,
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-08-30
OBITUARIES
MRS, M, M, A

BLADENBoRO. Aug. 2s.-Funer-
al services for Mrs. M. F. McLanb,
So, who died at $50 o'clock yester'
day afternoon at her home near
Bladenboro after a short illness,
were held at $3.50 o'clock this after
noon from the New Hope Baptist
church, lear Whiteville.
The Rev. W. S. Caudile, pastor of
the church, conducted the services.
Burial followed in the church GENE
terry.
She is survived by six sons, Ben
McLamb, Of st. Pauls, j. K. and
W. B. McLamb, of Bladenboro, E.
F. McLamb, of Elizabethtown, and
Johnnie McLamb, of Chadbourn,
and j. E. McLamb, of Buffers;
three daughters, Mrs. Ounce
WEIGH, of Durham, Mrs. Margaret
Barber, of Clayton, and Mrs.
George Russ, of Loris, S. c.
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-08-30
HOUSE COMMITTEE
WIDENS DRAFT BILL
Continued from Page One)

tSU41G11IuCu IL U1l1 L "a O1lCJ
ar amendment and speak on it fol
that length of time.
Controversy developed within the
committee on the question of in
GLIDING the Russell Overton
amendment which, adopted yester'
day by the senate, authorizes the
government to take over industrial
plants, needed for defense produc.
ton, when no satisfactory agree
ment on prices and profits can be
reached with the owner.
No Vote
Rep. Brooks (D-La) proposed the
amendment today, but it was not
brought to a vote, because Rep.
Smith D-Conn) suggested a sub.
stitute, containing the same funda-
mental purpose but intended to as
sure that the government shall not
acquire title to the properties as
seized, and to permit their opera
ton under their present owners,
subject to government direction. 1t
was decided that Smith and Brooks
should work out such a provision
over the week end, to be presented
to the house as a c o m m e e
amendment.
The senate's big appropriation,
bill contains funds and authorize
tons for starting work on a two
ocean navy" and for purchasing
the myriad items of equipment
necessary to the maintenance OF
an army of 1000, 600.
Nothing that congress would vote
to spend more than $11, 900, 0O0,-
900 for defense at this session, Sen
ator Vandenberg said that all new
taxes would net but 5000, 600, 900 for
the year, and asserted:
Il share the country's enthusi-
asm for national defense, but l
know this costs money and some
body will have to pay for it."
ut is no time to criticize" re-
torted Senator Mcclellan O-Tenn),
in charge of the bill for the appro-
priations committee. I'VE must not
spare in expenses for defense
Denies Criticism
Vandenberg heatadly denied that
he was criticizing. He had voted
for all the previous defense ap-
preparations, he said, and firmly
believed in total Defense" He
added that 'in the final analysis
the public credit is the first line
of Defense"
1.-The country's credit was never
sounder than it is today" said NC
Kellar.
Senator Walsh D-Mass) vehe.
mently complained that the bill
endeavored to increase the profits
of airplane manufacturers less
than "a hours after senators voted
to ~conscript a year from the life
of our youth" One section OF the
measure, he said, would raise the
present profit limitation of eight
per cent on the government air.
plane contracts to IL per cent.
''What will the country say about
this" he demanded.
Walsh, an opponent OF conscrlp-
ton, issued a formal statement,
later c%riticizing the measure
passed last night.
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-08-30
w. HI. WALKER

SOUTHPORT, Aug. 29.-Funeral
services for William Henry Walker,
5%5-year-old insurance agent, who
died at 9:10 o'clock yesterday morn
ing in the ]. Arthur Dosher Memo
rial hospital here from injuries suf-
fered when an ammonia tank ex-
ploded late Tuesday afternoon at the
local railway station, were held at
3 o'clock this afternoon from the
Trinity Methodist church at South
port.
Coroner John G. Caison said last
night that after an investigation of
the death he had ruled the case "ac-
cidental" and no inquest will be held.
One other man, Martin Marlowe,
was injured in the explosion. He
was given treatment at the hospital
for cuts on the arm.
The Rev. r. S. Harrison, of South
port, assisted by the Rev. T. r. Jen-
kins, of Maxton, had charge of the
funeral rites. Interment followed in
the New Southport cemetery.
Active pallbearers were: Odell
Evans, Harlan McKeithan, Walker
Bellamy, Roy Jenkins, Floyd Henry
and r. W. Rainwater.
Honorary pallbearers were: c..
Ed Taylor, DIR. J. Berg, DR.. l.. c..
Fergus, Richard Taylor, MI. Stevens,
MI. Osbourne, Robert st. George,
Joe Rourk, Crabley Rourk, John
Caison, George Galloway, judge E.
H. Cranmer, F. L. Lewis, r. S.
Lewis, r. S. Willetts, Geo. W. Will.
let's, r. D. White, Price Furpless,
J. L. Henry, A. P. Henry, W. p.
Duncan, Dan r. Johnson, I. D.. Har-
relson, Lewis Goodman, Fred Tucker,
J. w. Babson, G. E. Brooks, Frank
Norris, John Jenrette, C.. P. Will
let's, W. A. McGirt, o. A. DuRant,
E. c. Woodbury., L. E. Woodbury.,
W. S. Knight, J. w. Lancaster, c.
M. Crapon, Capt. c. N. Swami, ]. j.
L%oughlin, Joel Moore, R. L. Dosher,
J. D. Sutton, T. M. Summer, joe
Loughlin, L. D. Smith, G. P. Nc
Keithan, r. S. McKeithan, w. H.
Yopp, Thomas st. George, Prince
O'Brien, W. E. Dosher, W. E.
Bell, E. J. Pigford, Albert Rogers
and Roscoe Rogers.