By G. Wayne Dowdy
Your correspondent writes another letter to Colonel John McLeod Keating, managing editor of the Memphis Daily Appeal during the 1878 yellow fever epidemic, where he discusses the state of presidential politics, the Covid-19 pandemic and continues to be inspired by the resilience of our city’s neighborhoods.
Dear Colonel Keating:
The pandemic continues with no end in sight. 258 new Covid-19 cases have been reported which brings our total to 32,306 infections since the crisis began. Sadly, 490 Shelby County citizens are now dead. The number of Memphians who have gone back to work has increased; in August 37,100 Memphians found work. However, our unemployment rate still sits at 11.8 percent.
Like a hunter creeping through the woods at twilight, we search for signs that we can overcome the division and sickness plaguing our land. We certainly didn’t find it this week.
Last Tuesday Derrick and I watched the first presidential debate and were disgusted with what we saw. The Republican attacked with blustering nonsense, trying to destabilize his opponent and avoid answering embarrassing questions. On the other side of the stage the Democrat, who seemed to lament that we have tripped into such a deep field of muck, desperately tried to make his case. The stunned looks on the faces of the television journalists were no doubt replicated in living rooms all across the country. It was a shameful event that frustrated our citizenry and delighted our adversaries.
On Friday morning we awoke to learn that the president had contracted Covid-19. What followed was four days of confusion, dissembling, and foolishness. The White House is now an infection zone and the President refuses to work with Congress to provide needed assistance for suffering Americans.
Two days ago Derrick and I again delivered meals for MIFA. At one of our stops Mr. Robert Wilson was waiting for us outside. While Derrick put his food in a bag, I asked Mr. Wilson how he was doing. “It’s a little cold but there’s no need to complain because this is God’s world, we just live in it.”
We talked for a few more minutes and when Derrick handed him his food, I asked if I could take his picture. “You want to take a picture of me?” When I assured him I did, he gestured for Derrick to join him and I snapped the photo. “Put me in the news,” he said as we drove away.
To tell you the truth, I’d rather talk to someone like Mr. Wilson than most anyone I know. His wisdom is far superior to many of those currently in the halls of academia, business, and government. Unafraid to speak the truth, Mr. Wilson and many like him have a lot to teach us. When we ignore those living in our neighborhoods, we limit our possibilities and weaken our future. Let us hope we will pay closer attention to what they have to say.
I remain,
Your faithful correspondent
I am sorry to hear about your coronavirus pandemic and that 490 Shelby County citizens have died thus far. As you know, the Yellow Fever epidemic hit Memphis 142 years ago. Of all the cities that battled yellow fever during the summer of 1878, Memphis suffered the worst. Those who remained to witness the carnage were overwhelmed with the magnitude of the epidemic. Within days of yellow fever’s arrival, hundreds of Memphians were ill, leaving citizens in a state of panic while officials scrambled to organize medical relief. Of the 20,000 people who remained in the city, over 17,000 contracted yellow fever during the three-month crest of the epidemic. More than 5,000 of these perished.
Be glad Mr. Dowdy that your Health Care workers are surviving your pandemic. You see in 1878, the Howard Association of Memphis was caring for the sick and of their 32 members, 10 of them died and 13 more were struck by the disease but eventually recovered. Thankfully, Catholic priests and nuns kept on serving the ill while 13 of these priests and 30 sisters died! Memphis doctors were helped by three times their number who came in from other cities; of the total 111 doctors who treated the symptoms of a disease they were unable to cure, there were 33 deaths.
In 1870, Memphis had a population of over 40,000 with a newspaper circulation of approximately 4,000. However, due to the yellow fever epidemic of 1878, the population was so decimated that Memphis became bankrupt in 1879 and was declared a Taxing District of Nashville.
Fortunately, by 1900, we had grown to over 102,000 citizens and our news paper circulation was almost 25,000! In is great to know Mr. Dowdy that your population in Memphis in 2020 now stands at over 1,150,000 people.
I am sorry to hear that your president came down with the virus, but it is good to hear that he is recovering nicely. Please do not be too hard on him Mr. Dowdy as I have lived through three presidential assassinations in 36 years … first, Abraham Lincoln in 1865, then James A Garfield in 1881 and finally, William McKinley in 1901. And … yes, they were all Republicans!
Give my best to you and all your Memphis citizens. I urge you to share my two books below with them so they can better appreciate our history. It helps to keep our history as well as our present events in perspective. I am sure better days are ahead.
Your truly,
Colonel John McLeod Keating
Former Managing Editor of the Memphis Appeal
Link to my books: https://archive.org/details/historyofyellowf00unse
https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=chi.20527175&view=1up&seq=7
Keating, John McLeod, 1830-1906