PLAQUE IN MANCHURIA

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1063, 28 February 1911, Page 5

PLAQUE IN MANCHURIA

HUNDREDS DYING DAILY,

APATHETIC CHINESE OFFICIALS.

By Tclceraph-Fresa Association-Copyright St. Petersburg, February 2G. Plague is raghig at Shuan-chen-pu, 150 kilometre? from Ho.rbin! Fifty deaths occur daily. ,'■'."•■•

The Chinese refuse to co-operate with the Japanese in combating the plague* at Mukden, whero fifty persons are dying daily. ' Inspection of the houses is regarded as ii a infraction of China's sovereignty. . Thoro are a hundred deaths daily at Kwang-cheng-tze. DEAD BODIES LYING EVERYWHERE. (By Telegraph.—Special Correspondent.) Auckland, February 27. Tho Eastern newspapers contain accounts which show what horrible results have followed in the trail of the plague in Manchuria. They confirm the report that 150 deaths took place daily in January among the Chinese at Harbin alone. Some of the incidents described show clearly how the ignorance and lethargy of the people are a direct cause of the fearful march of the epidemic. A party of 12 Russians had occasion ta go through a portion of Puchatien, a Chinese town, which journey they accomplished on horseback. . In the first street they were horrified to see seven dead bodies lying on the ground surrounded by a gaping crowd of 30 or 40 Chinese. A few steps further on they passed four dead bodies in the open drains on either side of the road. The party had. not proceeded far beyond this when they were confronted by another terrible, spectacle,- a Chinese vendor of nuts expiring before their eyes. Further on a dead Chinese was ruthlessly thrown out of a shop and left on the public road. A Chinese policeman, asked w!»y ho did not take any measures to removo tho body,:said it was not his business. . ■;.- . . ■

Arriving at the bank of the Sungari, tho party found' themselves face to face with a revolting scene. Three dead bodi33 lay on tho shore, two entirely naked and the others only half clothed, and the todies were left open-to the' attack of dogs and crows. On the way to liie etc&nier • which they intended to board the j.aTty. encountered no fewer than 46 bodies in hnstily-dng holes or in open drains. A Chinese engineer on tho vessel told them that from 150 to. 200 persons were d;ing in tho city every day, and that Oiese comprised not only the poor, but also raerchnnts and officials. Tho. party,, vLick, had not anticipated passing through such dangerous spots, offered to bubmit'to disinfecting operations, but tho Chinese officers said it was not necessary , . The menibers of the City Council speedily paid a visit to the Chinese quarters! to verify tho report that dead bidies were t'.ti;mn into tho Sungari.''On landing from the boat near.the .Chinese Customhouse they, saw open graves with limbs protruding from them.. .There■ were no indications that disinfecting operations had c.-r----ried out on the craves. The worst scraps worfton a small'island opposite D'irin Mill, where n number of roughly-dug frrnves hnd been torn open by do|r*.. The Chinese informed' thn .visitors that a number of bodies had already been crtrriotl awny bv the river. On the mainland tbo bodies werel'heine removed from the houses and carried alonif the streets in carts without any attempt Iwing made to prevent contagion, p.nd the. , streets, wcro as thronged as usual. : '.-. ■