THE CONFERENCE
Adopt the Franklin Plan - St. Landry, Acadia and Calcasieu Withdraw From the Meeting - Lafayette Delegate Vote With Those from New Iberia and St. Martin.
Trains from the north, west and east brought in the delegates who accepted the invitation of the Lafayette Board of Health to be present at the conference called for the purpose of taking "uniform and decisive action on the plan formulated by the health conference lately held at Franklin, to re-open railroad traffic along safe lines."
The meeting was held in the spacious dining hall of the Star and Crescent Hotel, which Capt. Hahn had placed at the disposal of the arrangement committee for the holding of the conference.
At about 7 o'clock Dr. Mudd, president of the Lafayette Board, called the convention to order. Dr. G. A. Martin acted as secretary.
A motion was made and carried that Dr. Mudd be made permanent chairman, and Drs. Labbe and Martin secretaries of the meeting.
The various parishes were represented by the following delegates:
Iberia - Drs. A. Duperior, Clarence Prerson, G. P. Minvelle, S. Sandoz, Messrs. Jno. Fisher, U. A. Patin, W. R. Burke, Julius Dreyfus, A. B. Romero, A. D. Foster, C. Provost, H. B. Hewes, Shelby Saunders.
St. Martin - Drs. A. DeLaureal, P. Sillan, D. Duperior, T. J. Labbe, Arthur Guilbeau, Mr. Albert Levert.
St. Landry - Fred Mouton, E. V. Barry, Dr. E. S. Barry, V. H. Sibille, Mayor C. J. Thompson, Dr. Wm. Thompson, P. Jacobs, J. W. Callahan, Jno. T. Nixon, R. Lafleur.
Lafayette - Drs. Mudd, Hopkins, J. D. Trahan, Tolson, Girard, Martin, F. W. Courtney, A. R. Trahan and Francez, Messrs. J. J. Davidson, C. C. Brown, M. Billaud, Jr., and D. A. Dimitry.
Acadia - Drs. M. L. Hoffpauir and R. Webb, Messrs. W. E. Lawrence, P. J. Chappuis and L. S. Scott.
Calcasieu - Dr. J. H. Cooper, Messrs. L. A. Hill, C. P. Martin, A. D. Lyons, G. W. Ryan, J. C. Lebleu, Wm. Dunn, Joseph Pitre, W. A. Vincent, Adolphe Myer.
Mayor Caffery welcomed the delegates in a short speech. He urged uniform action, and expresses the hope that the conference would adopt a plan of quarantine which would afford protection without paralyzing trade. The mayor delivered a very sensible address which was well received by the assembly.
Dr. Labbe, of St. Martinville, read the recommendations of the Franklin conference, stating that this plan was in operation.
Dr. Duperior, being called upon, made a very practical talk on the working and efficacy of what is known as the Franklin plan. Dr. Duperior expressed the opinion that this plan as it is now operated is absolutely safe and reliable.
Dr. Labbe said that his parish had railway communication under the restrictions of the Franklin plan and he had no doubt of its efficiency.
At the suggestion of Dr. Mayer it was decided to have the railroad company run its trains through infected points at the rate of twenty miles per hour.
Mayor Chappuis, of Crowley, stated the Acadia authorities had certainly misconstrued the meaning of the call and they were unalterably opposed to opening communication with New Orleans under any circumstances. He stated, however, that he held different views on the subject, but he was there to carry out the will of his people.
Although Dr. Mayer had presented a plan that differed in some particulars from the Franklin plan, he made the speech of the evening in favor of a scientific quarantine as against what he termed "the barbarous, inhuman" methods of the shotgun quarantine.
Dr. Labbe was of the opinion that the time to act had come and he made a motion to adopt the Franklin plan. This motion was seconded and voted upon.
At this juncture the delegates from the parishes of St. Landry, Acadia and Calcasieu announced that they would participate in the proceedings no longer and would withdraw from the meeting. The delegates from Sunset and Grand Coteau declared that they would not withdraw and voted to adopt the Franklin plan.
After the vote of Lafayette had been cast for the adoption of the motion, the Franklin plan was declared adopted by the conference. "Big Jack" Thompson, the genial mayor of Opelousas, said with characteristic earnestness and sonorous voice that "St. Landry was no longer in the conference." Acadia and Calcasieu followed suit and it looked like a bolt in a political convention.
Now that the authorities of the town and parish of Lafayette have committed themselves to the adoption of the Franklin plan, we will in all probability resume railway traffic with New Orleans at an early date under the following restrictions:
THE FRANKLIN PLAN.
1. The keeping up of parish and municipal Boards of Health to supervise local hygiene and regulate inter-parochial sanitary measures to prevent the spread of infectious, or contagious diseases, in accordance with such restrictions as are known, by experience and scientific researches to be effective, in preventing the spread of disease, without being harsh, and oppressive, and ruinous to the great interests of the State.
2. We recommend free intercourse between non-infected localities, within the State, and interstate, guarded only by such supervision, as the local boards may deem judicious to impose, in conformity always, with the rules and regulations, imposed by the U. S. Marine Hospital Service in its co-operating with the Board of Health of the State of Louisiana.
3. We recommend that our railroads adopt a system of relay stations at which exposed crews and officers will be exchanged for non-exposed, to proceed from the relay station, to non-infected points; the relay stations to be subject to the same rules and regulations adopted by the U. S. Hospital service, for camps of detention and disinfection.
4. We recommend that all through freights, coming from non-infected localities be transported without interference, (subject only to local inspection by health authorities) to destination. Unbroken carloads, destined to pass through an infected locality should pass through such localities at speed of 20 miles. The cars containing merchandise and commodities destined for healthy localities, should be sealed and disinfected. Upon their arrivals at the relay station, such trains are to be subjected to the same rules and regulations of passenger trains, to-wit: Before proceeding to destination, their crews should be exchanged for a non-exposed crew.
5. Merchandise and other commodities to be handled and transported will be subject to the following regulations.
Class 1st. All new and dry material unpacked such as lumber, machinery, brick, bar and sheet iron, tin, steel, agricultural implements, iron ties, stoves, saddlery, wagons, new furniture, new trunks, hardware without packing, lime etc., being unable of conveying infection require no disinfection.
Class 2nd. All goods in original or metal packages not broken in New Orleans or any other locality known to be infected do not require disinfection except the outside container.
Class 3rd. Good packed in textile material not broken in New Orleans or other infected locality, and kept perfectly dry, do not require disinfection except the container.
Class 4th. Fruit sound and taken directly from a vessel that has been quarantined and disinfected, transmitted directly to the cars for shipment, require no disinfection.
Articles, not in the four classes above enumerated, that have been exposed to infection are to be prohibited.
6. This conference recommend and hereby accepts the generous offer of the United States through Dr. H. R. Carter of the Marine Hospital Service, to establish a camp of detention and disinfection whereat skilled and other labor can be held under a thorough probation, before being transmitted to non-infected district, to assist in the saving of the present crop of sugar; so essential to the material prosperity of Louisiana. This conference, also commends the generous offer of Dr. Carter of the United States Marine Hospital Service to bring from non-infected points such as Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, Mississippi, etc., through New Orleans, in closed cars. doors and windows shit, and no person or thing being allowed to enter the car during its transit. The cars to be provided with United States guards on the platform of each car, to insure the faithful carrying out of this arrangement. Each passenger, so passing will receive a certificate from a United States Inspector, so that he may be identified.
People (mechanics) from an infected district, New Orleans or elsewhere, after staying ten days in a U. S. Detention Camp under medical supervision, their clothes being disinfected on arrival, will be transferred under the same precautions adopted for the laborers, outside of the infected district to destination.
The experience of the Jacksonville and Brunswick epidemics where detention camps, were used; where thousands passed through these camps and scattered over the Southern States without spreading or even engendering a single case of yellow fever, should quiet the public mind and inspire confidence in the application of the scientific methods used by the U. S. Marine Hospital Service in this country, and in Europe in 1893. During the cholera epidemic of that year probably 50,000 people were carried through infected towns, without giving rise to a single case of cholera.
7. It being necessary, in order to carry out the above proffer made by Dr. H. R. Carter, of the U. S. Marine Service, in his circular of September 30, 1897, that the Police Juries of the different parishes interested signify their willingness to receive laborers and mechanics under the rules and regulation above provided - we, the members of the present conference, recommend that the police service of the several parishes interested accept, without delay, the proposal of Dr. R. H. Carter, of the U. S. Marine Hospital Service, and ask for its speedy organization to insure the saving of the present cane crop. Lafayette Gazette 10/16/1897.
MERCHANTS ACTING CONTEMPTIBLY.
Abbeville, La., Oct. 9. - The yellow fever pulse of this community ran down to normal this morning when it was reported that expert physicians had pronounced no yellow fever at Royville or Patterson, but a little stir was excited when the Southern Pacific agent at this place discovered barrels of coffee that arrived here on yesterday's train from New Orleans consigned to parties in this town and labeled white beans. Coffee has been strictly prohibited from being shipped in any form during the present quarantine regulations, and this breach on the part of a supposed reputable New Orleans firm caused considerable comment among business men here and will cause an investigation at once of the guilty parties. Abbeville is not quarantined against white beans, but hereafter all packages will be closely examined regardless of the label they bear.
From the above special it will be seen that there are some unprincipled scoundrels in New Orleans who should be rigorously dealt with for the heartless scoundrel-ism of which they are clearly guilty.
The people of Abbeville are acting in good faith and are entitled to better treatment at the hands of the New Orleans merchants. The name of the "supposed reputable" firm responsible for the perpetration of this outrage should have been published and given to the public, in order that the people of the country parishes might know who to deal with in the future.
The action of this firm in trying to evade the quarantine regulations of Abbeville is only equaled by the contemptible offer of another New Orleans merchant to ship goods to a Texas dealer via. St. Louis, the shipper paying the difference in the freight charges and allowing 2 1/2 per cent off as an inducement.
The Gazette is satisfied that there are but very few New Orleans merchants who would employ such reprehensible methods for the sake of paltry gain, but those who will resort to them should at least be published to the world as unworthy of the confidence and patronage of the people.
Lafayette Gazette 10/16/1897.
ROYVILLE
Condemns Present Quarantine And Says Her Physicians Were Insulted.
To the Lafayette Gazette:
Royville, La., Oct. 7, 1897. - A meeting of the 4th ward of the parish of Lafayette was called to order by Hon. O. Cade in Mr. P. R. Roy's hall at 7 p. m., Oct. 7, 1897. After the object of the meeting had been stated Mr. H. Theall was elected permanent chairman and Mr. Chas. Young, secretary.
Moved by Mr. J. Primeaux and seconded, that a committee of four be appointed to draft resolutions expressing the views of the meeting. The chairman appointed O. Cade, J. R. Domengeaux, A. A. Mouchet and P. R. Roy on said committee. The committee reported the following resolutions, which, after due consideration and discussion, were unanimously adopted.
Resolved, That we, in mass meeting assembled, consider that the Board of Health of Lafayette has ignored the people of this community and insulted our physicians.
Resolved, That we have confidence in our physicians and consider they are as fully competent to judge the health of our community as any physician in the parish.
Resolved, That we condemn the present parish quarantine system now established in this parish in that it shows favoritism and inconsistency.
Resolved, That we protest against any and all quarantines that may be established against Royville and the 4th ward, as we know positively that yellow fever does not exist in our midst.
O. CADE, Chairman; J. R. DOMENGEAUX, A. A. MOUCHET, P. R. ROY.
Moved and seconded that quarantine be established against Lafayette as rumor reports that there are several cases of yellow fever in that town. Dr. N. D. Young being present arose and stated that he did not approve of any such steps being taken as he had the assurance of Dr. Raoul Trahan, president of the Board of Health of the parish, that the reports are false and nothing but dengue and other mild fevers exist in the town. Dr. Young seemed to think that the word of a physician of veracity and reputation could and should be depended upon without further investigation. The motion was, upon his suggestion, withdrawn.
Move by Dr. R. O. Young that a vote of thanks be extended our police juror for his strenuous efforts in trying to protect our ward and town against unjust quarantine and false reports. Carried.
Moved by Hon. O. Cade and seconded that a copy of the proceedings of this meeting be sent our two parish papers and the Daily Iberian for publication. Carried.
Moved by Mr. Domengeaux that our police juror be requested to read the proceedings of this assembly at the next meeting of the Police Jury. Carried.
There being no further business the meeting adjourned sine die.
H. THEALL, President.
C. I. YOUNG, Secretary.
Lafayette Gazette 10/16/1897.
YELLOW FEVER LIAR.
Is Still Abroad in the Land - His Last Effort.
It appears that some people, who evidently have nothing to do, spend all their time hatching and circulating yellow fever lies. It seems that every community has its quota of these fertile liars who are continuously engaged in their nefarious work. Since the beginning of the yellow fever scare Lafayette has been the victim of several large lies hatched with remarkable vividness and circulated with electrical rapidity. The last of these whoppers had traveled nearly a hundred miles before it was nailed. Wednesday The Gazette received a telegram from the Lake Charles American asking it was true that there was a case of yellow fever in Lafayette. An answer was wired immediately stating positively that the report was unfounded. Had not the American taken the proper steps to ascertain the truth of the rumor, the chances are that all the towns west of here would have established quarantine against us. If one of those who originate yellow fever lies would be caught and severely punished it would have a very salutary effect upon the whole tribe. Lafayette Gazette 10/12/1897.
ANOTHER RUMOR
That Yellow Jack Has Made His Appearance Here.
To the Lafayette Gazette:
Opelousas, Oct. 14. - Rumors here of suspicious cases in Lafayette. Wire truth at once. Have cases been isolated ? - (Signed) CLARION.
The foregoing telegram was received Thursday morning.
There appears to be a systematic attempt to create the impression abroad that there is yellow fever in Lafayette. This message and the one from the Lake Charles American show that some one has been doing a great deal of tall lying about Lafayette. Fortunately the Lake Charles American and Opelousas Clarion have acted intelligently in the matter, exploding the falsehood before allowing it to cause much damage. Lafayette Gazette 10/16/1897.
Quarantine Dots.
It is safe to say that the discovery of yellow fever in Galveston did not cause a profuse shedding of tears in the commercial circles of New Orleans.
San Antonio is doing the Atlanta act just now. There is some magnanimity in the land yet.
In the matter of quarantine there is a marked difference between the people of Atlanta and those of Rayne.
We hope Breaux Bridge will quit worrying itself about Lafayette.
At one time it did look like Lafayette had quarantined against one half of the world while the other half had quarantined against it.
Lafayette has shut out Abbeville because of its relations with New Iberia and Abbeville has quarantined New Iberia on account of the latter's failure to quarantine against Lafayette. And there you are.
It would be a good idea to have New Iberia sent out a few of its Solomons to disseminate the surplus wisdom is oozing out of Bro. Weeks of the Iberian.
We read in the Rayne Tribune that it was "officially" reported that there were five or six cases of yellow fever at Royville. Lafayette Gazette 10/16/1897.
Their Own Fault.
The health authorities of Acadia, Calcasieu and St. Landry were invited by the Board of Health of Lafayette to attend Thursday's conference "for the purpose of taking uniform and decisive action on the plan formulated by the health conference lately held at Franklin, to re-open railroad traffic along safe lines."
The delegates from the above named parishes stated to the conference that they had come with instructions not to consent to any plan which admitted anything from east of Lafayette. The gentlemen also seemed to want to cast mild insinuations that they had been inveigled into this conference by "ways that are dark and tricks that are vain."
In all candor we will ask our western friends to again read the invitation and get its clear and unmistakable meaning. It meant exactly what it said and said exactly what it meant. There is no ambiguity about it.
The conference was called of the purpose of taking action upon the Franklin plant and they tell us they were instructed to have nothing to do with anything east of Lafayette, and yet they accepted the invitation and attended the conference and tried to poke fun at us for it.
To paraphrase Webster Flannagan, "Gentlemen, what were you here for, anyhow?"
Lafayette Gazette 10/16/1897.
Press Meeting Postponed.
Crowley, La., Sept. 22, 1897. - Inasmuch as the prevalence of yellow fever in New Orleans would doubtless prevent a large attendance of members of the Editorial Association at the meeting, if held in October, even though there be an early abatement of the disease, the executive committee has deemed a postponement wise and expedient. In accordance with this decision, the dates have been changed from Oct. 7. 8, and 9 to December 16, 17, and 18, 1897. This will bring the convention at a time long after the fever will have been killed out, and at a season of the year even more delightful in Louisiana than the original date. It is sincerely hoped that every member will make special effort both to be present themselves and also to incite others to join and be in attendance, and do all within their power towards insuring the success of the convention.
There will be no material change in the program of exercises and amusement features as originally published beyond that the excursion to Nashville must of necessity be declared off. Whether or not an excursion to some other point will be arranged has not been determined, and the secretary would be pleased to have suggestions from members relative thereto.
Members who have secured transportation for the October meeting should return the same and request its re-issue covering transportation for the later dates. Any members who were unable to arrange for transportation for the October meeting and desire to attend the December convention, will please communicate with the secretary, who will assist in the adjustment of the matter.
The request is made of members that they kindly make mention of the postponement in the columns of their papers, to the end that it be given as wide publicity as possible.
Fraternally, L. E. BENTLEY, President,
L. S. SCOTT, Cor. Sec'y.
Lafayette Gazette 10/16/1897.
New Livery Stable. - Erwin Mouton has opened a first-class livery stable near his home in Mouton's Addition and he requests The Gazette to state that he is ready at all times to accommodate all who may need anything in his line. Mr. Mouton has some splendid horses and vehicles and he will give strict attention to his stable. Lafayette Gazette 10/16/1897.
A Promotion? - The Lake Charles Tribune says that W. C. Mead, editor of the Leesville People's Friend, has been "promoted to the position, of track-walker on the new railroad." This is encouraging to other editors who have no hopes of promotion in this world.
Lafayette Gazette 10/16/1897.
Pilette Accepts.
To the Dixie Club of Lafayette: Gentlemen-The Pilette Union Baseball team accepts your challenge. They will play on the Pilette diamond, Sunday, Oct. 24, 1897, at 2:30 o'clock p. m.
We promise not to borrow players outside of "Cajundom," not even outside of the seventh ward. The captain may be seen at Pilette any day to close the agreement,
Fraternally,
PILETTE UNION B. B. C.,
R. H. BROUSSARD, captain.
Laf. Gazette 10/16/1897.
Selected News Notes (Gazette) 10/16/1897:
To-morrow afternoon a game of baseball will be played at Pilette by the Unions of that Place and the Carencro team.
Charley Young, of Royville, was in Lafayette Wednesday.
Lafayette Gazette 10/16/1897.
LAGNIAPPE:
Live TV, Fast Mail Service To Be Benefits of Satellites.
By 1965 the "man in the street" will be enjoying such benefits from space satellites as an orbital postal service, completely accurate weather forecasting and direct live television from any point in the world.
Edwin Diamond, science editor of Newsweek Magazine, said the satellite services he envisions for 1965 do not represent any costly or radical departures in the march of space technology. The forerunners of the systems to be used have already been flight-tested, he said.
The Louisiana oil industry pointed out that Petroleum plays an outstanding role in the assault on space. They note the industry has provided millions of gallons of liquid fuels for missile tests, while oil researchers are at work now on new high-energy solid fuels and high performance space lubricants as well.
Just five years from now, Diamond said, a family planning a weekend will be able to check the weather description - not prediction - in advance and find out exactly what the weather will be. The electronic eyes of Satellite Weather Central might show, for example, that only a small shower for an hour or so on Sunday afternoon would mar the weekend picture - and there would be no question about the accuracy of the statement.
Early last April the U.S. Television camera-carrying satellite Tiros I gave man his first panoramic view of the earth's cloud cover-that atmospheric cauldron where the worlds weather is brewed. This bird-eye view in the opinion of weathermen, is the key to precise forecasting, Diamond said.
Even the prospect of the Sunday afternoon shower would not daunt the family of 1965. According to Diamond, they could simply tune in on the Intercontinental Television System which might be offering "live" direct coverage of anything from the Salzburg Music Festival in Austria to Bantu ritual dances in Africa.
Just four relay satellite stations would allow a TV program to be sent between any two points on the earth cheaply and without delay, Diamond said.
As far as orbital mail is concerned, Diamond pointed out that just before Christmas in 1958, the U.S. launched at Atlas ICBM into orbit with a transmitter inside that carried a message from President Eisenhower of peace and good will. If six "Talking Atlas" satellites were placed in orbit, international air mail could be written on V-mail type paper and then scanned electronically. Combined with modern techniques of high speed coding the entire daily mailing would clear through the satellite relays in just six hours.
Oilmen are basically in the business of providing energy-low, cost abundant energy which has powered the nation to the world's highest standard of living. With the development of the U.S. missile and rocket program, the nation looks to the oil industry to continue its role in a new direction.
Lake Charles American Press 10/16/1960
No comments:
Post a Comment