Small Pox Epidemic in Selma
From "Selma; Her Institutions, and Her Men" by John Hardy, pub. 1879:
In August 1865, The United States District Attorney, at Montgomery, instituted proceedings in the United States District Court, against the wharf, as Confederate property, but upon being satisfied that it was truly the property of the city of Selma, he dismissed the proceedings, and the United States marshal returned the property to the possession of the city. The receipts of the wharf then were about $3000 per month. Mr. And Mrs. O'Rourke were employed at a salary of $900 as nurses at the hospital, into which numbers of small pox cases had been put. The mayor was directed to deposit the $25,000 of the city shinplasters, in equal amounts, with the planters and Merchants Insurance company, Keith & Co., and the first National Bank of Selma, subject to be drawn upon by the city. The small pox made its appearance in the city in August, and in a few weeks almost every shanty in the city was occupied with form one to ten cases of this pestilence and loathsome disease. The Yankee military then in command of the city refused to have anything to do with the disorder, and the whole burden fell upon the city authorities, which proved a great trouble and an enormous expense to the City. The disease was not confined to the black and poor population; it made its inroads upon the cleanliest and best ordered families in the city, and scarcely a family escaped the distemper. J. W. Walker was elected market Clerk. The expenses of the city for the month of November 1865, were about $2,550--the $25,000 in shinplasters in circulation and only $171.15 in cash on hand. The Mayor was instructed to purchase a first class steam fire engine, carriage and 2,000 feet of hose. An act was agreed upon by the Council, to be sent to the Legislature of 1865-66, providing for the people of Dallas county to vote for or against the removal of the court house from Cahaba to Selma. The act was passed by the Legislature. The office of street overseer was created. Thirteen police were put on at a salary of seventy-five dollars per month. The current expenses for the month of December 1865 were over $5,000 and the affairs of the city, especially its finances, were being run on a decidedly rapid schedule. A resolution was adopted to build a new market house, a council chamber, a calaboose, and an engine house for the new steam fire engine. Jonathan Haralson was elected to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of C. E. Thames, in the Council During the month of December, Dr. H. F. Mullen, the city physician, had under his charge, and at the expense of the city, one hundred and one black and eight white cases of small pox. A committee consisting of George O. Baker, F. W. Siddons, and J. Haralson, was appointed to select at suitable location for a court house for the county. An ordinance was passed requiring every male inhabitant, between the ages of eighteen and forty-five, in the city to work on the streets ten days in each year or pay six dollars. Several efforts were made to enforce this ordinance but the thing became so ridiculous and unpopular that it soon became a dead letter. On the 26th of February 1866, a meeting of a number of citizens was held in the Council chamber, asking the council to take stock in the Alabama and Mississippi railroad , and in accordance with the urgent request of this meeting, the Council instructed the Mayor to take $21,666 of the stock of the railroad company and to draw a warrant or warrants upon the City Treasurer for the money whenever desired by the railroad company.
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