History: Local: When Death Visited Birmingham, 1849: Allegheny Co, PA Copyrighted 2001 by Lawrence Sullivan. This copy contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by the author. sullivan@scrtc.com USGENWEB NOTICE: Printing this file by non-commercial individuals and libraries is encouraged, as long as all notices and submitter information is included. Any other use, including copying files to other sites requires permission from the submitters PRIOR to uploading to any other sites. We encourage links to the state and county table of contents. ____________________________________________________________ When Death Visited Birmingham By Lawrence Sullivan "Birmingham has suffered more in proportion to her numbers than any town or city in the United States, and we are rejoiced that her sufferings are nearly ended." That was how the Pittsburgh Gazette proclaimed on Sept. 4, 1849, a bit prematurely, the end of a wave of Asiatic cholera that had decimated the predominantly German borough of Birmingham on the city's south side. More than 100 died ­ including 75 parishioners at the city's newest Catholic church, St. Michael's ­ in a three-week period beginning in early August. It was the worst cluster of deaths in an epidemic that finally petered out in early 1850. The exact toll overall, in Birmingham and throughout Allegheny County, is unknown, due reportedly to suppression of news by the Pittsburgh Board of Trade and faint-hearted newspaper coverage. One history estimated that between 150 and 200 persons died in all, but the figure probably was at least double that. "It is impossible to give the exact number of deaths because the newspapers deliberately suppressed the extent of the scourge and no other record is known to exist," historian Erasmus Wilson says in the Standard History of Pittsburgh, published in 1898. No one kept score of the deaths, and the Mortality Schedule recorded as part of the 1850 census was clearly incomplete and inaccurate. Birmingham suffered disproportionately because the disease struck a neighborhood of no more than 200 souls, according to newspaper accounts. St. Michael's reportedly could not keep up with the burials of its members. The grief-stricken parishioners gathered at the church on Aug. 22 seeking divine intervention. They vowed that if the epidemic would end, they would set aside a holy day each year in honor of St. Roch, patron saint of plague victims. The deaths soon stopped. And five years later, when cholera returned to Pittsburgh with even greater fury, not a single parishioner died. The Commercial Journal, echoing views of the Board of Trade, decried the cholera panic and blamed it on "demagogues" intent on harming local business. Noting that the city already had suffered a summer of intense heat, drought, low river levels, and a lack of faith in script circulated in lieu of hard money, the Journal editorialized on Nov. 2, 1849: "The cry then arose that cholera was in our midst, and it soon appeared that we had sporadic cases of the pestilence, yet enough to create a panic. If business were at a standstill before, this made the prostration complete. Š Such a state of things ­ such a combination of disasters ­ never happened, we dare say, to any community in so brief a space of time. The loss has been monstrous." The panic, of course, was not merely local, but worldwide. Pittsburgh's three principal newspapers ­ Gazette, Post and Dispatch ­ ran cholera reports in each issue from many cities nationwide, including Philadelphia, New York, Cincinnati, Louisville, St. Louis and New Orleans, among others. The papers also kept tabs on the pandemic abroad. On June 18 the Gazette reported, "The cholera has broken out in London and prevails to an alarming extent in many parts of the country." Two weeks later the newspaper said 11,000 had died in Paris since its inception there, including 900 cases and 600 deaths in one 24-hour period. On July 21 it was reported that 91 prisoners had died of cholera at the state penitentiary at Columbus, Ohio, out of a prison population of 450. Pittsburgh was spared the high losses experienced elsewhere, and one Gazette editor thought he knew the reason for this seeming miracle. "Our city still remains free from the ravages of this scourge of the nation and the probabilities are that it will visit us very lightly," the newspaper proclaimed on June 15. "We think there can be but little doubt that our exemption is measurably owing to the presence of such volumes of coal smoke, and this confirms the theory that sulfur is an antidote to the cholera agent." The following week, on Saturday, June 23, The Gazette reported, "No new cases of cholera are occurring in the city, with the exception of a few brought up in the steamboats." As if proof of this prophetic report was needed, the newspaper on Monday carried the following story: DROWNED. ­ James Murphy, a passenger on the steamer Consignee, yesterday jumped overboard a little below Shousetown and was drowned. His wife had died a short time ago in Cincinnati of cholera, and he was bringing up his family to Allegheny, where his friends reside. After several days in which the newspapers carried sketchy accounts of cholera cases and deaths, the latter usually only one or two a day, the Butler Democrat in neighboring Butler County printed what may have been the first public accusation of official censorship. The story, republished by the Pittsburgh Gazette, read: "We are credibly informed by a gentleman just from the city ­ a man who has been a resident of that place for the last three years ­ that on Saturday last, the 30th ultimo, there were 10 deaths from cholera, notwithstanding there is no report made by the Board of Health to the public. "This is doing great injury to Pittsburgh. Š The deaths reported by the Board of Health would not alarm the public, but when they are informed of 10 deaths, they are ready reasonably to conclude that if the Board would not report 10 cases, they would not report 30." The Gazette came to the city's defense, pointing out that Pittsburgh no longer had "a regularly appointed Board of Health," but instead relied upon a Sanitary Committee made up of private physicians. "We can assure our friend of the Democrat that all the deaths which have occurred from the cholera in this city have been regularly reported in our paper," the Gazette added. This was not true, of course, but it's what the paper said. Before the situation grew grim in Birmingham, the local newspapers even found space for the occasional cholera "bright." On June 14, for example, the Gazette reported: "A man was seen lying on the pavement of the Allegheny Market house on Friday afternoon and was in a few minutes surrounded by a crowd of spectators who, despite their curiosity, kept their distance, for they were afraid he had the cholera. "A policeman, happening to pass by, was hailed, and breaking through the charmed circle, he approached the supposed victim of the cholera who was only dead drunk. He was sent to the watch house, and was discharged on Saturday morning on paying his fine." The Dispatch, in a similar light vein, reported a few days later, "Our city remains tranquil and remarkably free from rogues and rascals of all kinds. As soon as the cholera has passed away from St. Louis and Cincinnati, they may be expected to arrive here, en route for the eastern cities, and our police will have business enough to keep themselves awake." A few days later, the Gazette observed that "cholera may be said to be almost totally extinct in this city, where, indeed, it never had a permanent foothold." Apparently taking this news item as its cue, the Sanitary Committee announced on Monday, Aug. 13, "The cholera having almost entirely died away in this city, the Sanitary Committee have declared it advisable to discontinue the daily reports which we have hitherto published. We should be sincerely thankful to that kind Providence which has shielded us from this direful pestilence so fatal in the other principal cities of the Union." That same day an ominous brief item appeared in The Daily Dispatch: "A death from cholera was reported to have occurred on Saturday in Birmingham." For the next three weeks there would be a steady flow of news reports -- maddeningly sketchy and contradictory, and usually at odds with each other and with official accounts -- about the mounting toll across the river. Here is a sampling of this diary of death: Tuesday, 14 Aug (Dispatch) CHOLERA IN BIRMINGHAM. ­ The epidemic has made its appearance in real earnest in Birmingham. Fifteen deaths, according to some, and 21, according to other authorities, had occurred since Saturday up to noon on Monday, and eight or 10 critical cases were under treatment. The dis ease is said to be confined to one locality, near the foot of the hill. Wednesday, Aug. 15 (Post) CHOLERA IN BIRMINGHAM. ­ We learn that there were five fatal cases of cholera in Birmingham on Monday night and three yesterday. The epidemic Š has proved very fatal. Thursday, Aug. 16 (Gazette) CHOLERA IN BIRMINGHAM. ­ There were seven deaths in Birmingham yesterday from this fearful disease. Many of the citizens are leaving the place, and several stores ­ whose owners have fled -- are shut up in all quarters of the town. The length of the Procedures of the Reception Meeting forbids a more extended notice. [This referred to a long story on plans being made for the upcoming visit of the President of the United States, Zachary Taylor.] Thursday, Aug. 16 (Dispatch) Birmingham. ­ We took some pains on Wednesday to ascertain the precise number of cases of cholera in this fine borough. The accounts were so contradictory that we were put to much trouble in getting at the truth, but by inquiries of physicians, druggists, coffin makers, undertakers, and others, we ascertained that the whole number of deaths from cholera since Friday night last was 31. Of these the greater portion were adults ­ chiefly Germans and Welsh. Most of the cases could be traced to imprudence of the victims, but others seemed to have no such causes. The disease has been confined to a small strip alongside the hill back of the town, the population of the infected district not exceeding 200 altogether. There are a number of slaughterhouses and ponds in the neighborhood, but the location is considered healthy. No case has yet occurred in the old portion of the borough. The new cases reported up to Wednesday noon were four -- Mr. Young and daughter, Mr. Hershman's son, and an English woman. The last case was a very critical one, and the sufferer was expected to die. The others were convalescent. Friday, Aug. 17 (Gazette) CHOLERA. ­ The cholera did not seem to rage in the same extent yesterday as it has for some time past. Taken altogether, there were only seven cases, only four of which were fatal. Great consternation still prevails, however, and many families are still leaving that town. It is a singular fact that in several instances persons have been attacked [by cholera] in the churchyard while attending the funerals of their friends, and in almost every such instance have died. Friday, Aug. 17 (Post) CHOLERA. ­ We learn from a good authority that the cholera is still fearfully on the increase in Birmingham. Since Monday in an area of not over 200 inhabitants, principally Germans, there have been some 40 deaths. The locality in which the disease has been confined is the back part of the town immediately at the foot of the hill; the offal from the slaughterhouses above together with the rains, have formed a pond, the miasma arising from which is sufficient to breed contagion in the whole neighborhood. The Councils of the Borough held a meeting on Wednesday night and appointed a Sanitary Committee, and we think the conduct of the authorities, to say the least, will be highly criminal if they do not at once adopt measures to have this pond of death that has been spreading contagion through the town, drained and filled with earth, so as to prevent the water from collecting there in future. Saturday, Aug. 18 (Gazette) Dreadful Ravages of the Cholera in Birmingham. ­ There were 38 cases of cholera in Birmingham yesterday. The greatest consternation prevails. Whole families have been carried off, and a great number of the inhabitants are leaving the town. The disease is still confined to the small spot where it broke out, in the neighborhood of several slaughterhouses, and if [it] proceeds much further, there will be no person left for it to attack. Monday, Aug. 20 (Gazette) Horrible Ravages of the Cholera in Birmingham. Fearful Mortality. The disease in this ill-fated town is rapidly on the increase, and is now spreading through all parts of it. The greatest consternation prevails, and few who can leave their houses remain in them. The stores are closed, and the streets, blocked up by the furniture wagons and carts removing families into the country, while the manufactories are, with very few exemptions, shut up. When the plague raged most fearfully in London, that town could not have wore a more pestilential appearance than Birmingham did yesterday. The people gathered in knots of four or five around the huge fires which were burning in the streets, some built of coal, others of tar and rosin, while the streets wore almost a wintry aspect, in spite of the fire and smoke, owing to the quantity of lime scattered around, It would be impossible to record each particular case, but we are assured by the Sanitary Committee that 21 persons died yesterday, while between 30 and 40 are now under treatment ­ many of them in a state of collapse. Several instances have occurred, in which men, while walking through the streets, have been attacked [by cholera] and dropped down as though struck by lightning. Whole families have been carried off, and there seems no end to this deplorable state of things. We think that the Sanitary Committee, although they have stated the number of cases correctly, have perhaps underrated the deaths by four or five, as, from all the information which we could gather, there were 25 deaths since our last report. Tuesday, Aug. 21 (Gazette) THE CHOLERA IN BIRMINGHAM. ­ Only five persons died in Birmingham on Saturday from this dreadful disease, and as many yesterday. The disease seems to be abating, and it certainly has not so much material to work upon, more than half of the inhabitants having left town. There were a considerable number of cases on Sunday, but only the number of deaths mentioned above. Tuesday, Aug. 21 (Dispatch) LOCAL NEWS. ­ The Sanitary Committee of Birmingham have adopted the plan of burning large quantities of coal, tar, &c., in the streets, especially near the cholera. They attribute the abatement of the disease to these and other disinfecting measures. A farmer named Noble, who was passing through one of the streets with a load of hay, about 5 o'clock on Friday afternoon, approaching too near, his hay took fire and was burned up. The wagon was very much injured, and his horses saved with difficulty. A member of the Committee appointed to keep up the fire during the night, describes the watch as the most mournful he ever shared ­ the numerous dogs howling for their lost owners and all the people in distress and consternation. Wednesday, Aug. 22 (Gazette) CHOLERA IN BIRMINGHAM. There were six deaths and 10 cases of cholera in Birmingham yesterday. The inhabitants are still leaving in considerable numbers. Thursday, Aug. 23 (Gazette) CHOLERA REPORT. -- There were eight deaths yesterday in and on the borders of Birmingham from the cholera, and about 10 cases in addition to the deaths, some of whom are past all hope of recovery. Friday, Aug. 24 (Dispatch) CHOLERA IN BIRMINGHAM. -- The cholera still prevails across the river. We were informed by a citizen of Birmingham late last (Thursday) night that Miss Wyensler, Mr. Shuman, a boy named Lowrie, a son of Dr. Moyer, Bernard Haines, Mr. Redfox, his mother and son, John Himmerley, Robert Hughes, Mr. Poblar, Mrs. Spatze.Mrs. Greene, and Miss Baldwin had died [in all, 26 new cases and 14 deaths were reported]. Saturday, Aug. 25 (Gazette) Cholera in Birmingham. The fearful disease is again greatly on the increase in this devastated town. There were 25 cases yesterday, and 15 deaths. The inhabitants have scattered in all directions, and the [toll] is rendered more frightening by the small number of inhabitants remaining. The deserted streets present a dismal appearance. The factories are all closed, and no sound of wheels is heard, save when the hearse, freighted with its load of corpses, dashes rapidly off to the churchyard. Saturday, Aug. 25 (Dispatch) Birmingham ­ Cholera. ­ The following is the result of a laborious and careful inquiry into the cases and deaths of cholera during Thursday night and Friday. Š Deaths ­ Mr. Mooder's child, Mrs. Redfox (her sister is also ill), Mrs. Seil, Mrs. Neigly, Louis Burrell, colored, and another colored man, name not given, Leonard Betz, Mrs. Augustine Heise, Mrs. Gerbrook and sister, Henry King, John Spatzell, Mr. Metz, Mr.. Bemur's child, Mr. Goff, John Baldwin, two German children in one family, names not given; 18 in all. Monday, Aug. 27 (Gazette) Cholera Report. -- 12 died yesterday and there were 25 new cases in Birmingham. Tuesday, Aug. 28 (Gazette) [Extract from Birmingham Sanitary Committee report] "It is truly frightful to look at Birmingham now. A short time ago it was one of the busiest little places on the vicinity of Pittsburgh. Now it is almost deserted. A striking proof of the scanty population what now inhabits it can be found by going to the middle of the Monongahela bridge and seeing how clear the atmosphere around the town now is, once clouded by the smoke from a thousand chimneys." ROBBERY. ­ We regret to announce that bands of thieves have commenced their depredations in Birmingham, and have broken open and plundered several of the homes which were deserted by their owners. The citizens who remain should organize a patrol which would, we think, deter the ruffians from pursuing their almost sacrilegious system of robbery. Wednesday, Aug. 29 (Gazette) CHOLERA REPORT. ­ There were two deaths and eight new cases in Birmingham yesterday. Only one-tenth of the inhabitants remain in the town. A man whose name we did not know took the disease, died, and was buried within four hours from the time he was attacked. A woman who had fled from Birmingham died [at a home] in Franklin street, and such was the terror produced among the inhabitants of the house where she was stopping that they all fled, locking the corpse up. The undertaker was forced to break open the door [to retrieve the body for burial]. Thursday, Aug. 30 (Gazette) CHOLERA IN BIRMINGHAM. ­ Thomas Blackmore, of the Sanitary Committee, reports the following cases for the 24 hours preceding 11 o'clock yesterday: Frederick Heckham Š died at 8 o'clock Monday night, Chas. Hyer Š died at 8 o'clock Monday night, Chris Sleighter Š died at 4 o'clock Monday afternoon Friday, Aug. 31 (Dispatch) Cholera. ­ We heard of but one new case in Birmingham yesterday and one death. Saturday, Sept. 1 (Gazette) CHOLERA. ­ We saw several physicians from Birmingham and Temperanceville yesterday, and they report no deaths and no new cases in either place since Thursday night. Monday, Sept. 3 (Gazette) CHOLERA IN BIRMINGHAM. ­ The Sanitary Committee of Birmingham report four deaths and four new cases of the cholera yesterday. [A correction in Tuesday's paper reduced the incidence to two deaths and no new cases.] Tuesday, Sept. 4 (Gazette) CHOLERA IN BIRMINGHAM. ­ The fearful pestilence has so far abated that the inhabitants are returning to town in great numbers, and almost all the manufactories and stores have again resumed business. Birmingham has suffered more in proportion to her numbers than any town or city in the United States, and we are rejoiced that her sufferings are nearly ended. A few notes on numbers: Newspaper, census and church records pertaining to Pittsburgh's cholera deaths in 1849 do not mesh, by any means. Although daily death counts in the newspapers totaled slightly more than 100 for August alone, only 47 of these victims were identified by name, many of them only by last names. The census-related Mortality Schedule should have recorded all deaths in Allegheny County between June 1, 1849, and May 31, 1850. The list included 218 who died of cholera ­ exactly half of the deaths (109) occurring in August -- but of the 47 victims identified by name in the newspapers during that month, only nine could be matched to names on the Mortality Schedule. Lastly, while no one would question St. Michael's assertion that the church lost 75 parishioners to the disease, its own records seem to show only 29 deaths from all causes for the month of August. Moreover, the writing in the ledger of rites and burials is so faint and crab-like that only a few names can be determined with certainty. A great-great-granddaughter of one of the victims, a 47-year-old sailor named John Lauer, said of the scrawled ledger entries, "It looks as though the man who kept the books died during the epidemic and the job was given to someone who merely pretended to be able to write." Lauer's entry was one of the clearer ones. It showed he died on Aug. 23, apparently within hours of the death of his 11-year-old son, Charles Theodore. A 9-year-old boy named Lewis, listed in the Mortality Schedule with the same misspelled last name (Lowery for Lauer), also died of cholera in August, but he probably belonged to another family. A "Mrs. Lowar" noted in the Dispatch as having been stricken on Aug. 24 most likely was Lauer's widow, Mary. She recovered, managed somehow to keep together the family of three surviving sons and two daughters, and never strayed far from the shadow and spiritual support of St. Michael's. She died at the age of 77 and was buried Sept. 21, 1886, at the church cemetery. Above article was written 15 Aug 2001 by Lawrence Sullivan, 109 Beechwood Ct., Glasgow, KY 42141. E-mail address sullivan@scrtc.com. Comments and corrections gratefully accepted.