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The Patowmac Guardian, And Berkeley Advertiser Domestic News September 23, 1793
Martinsburg, Berkeley, West Virginia
What is this article about?
Pennsylvania Governor Thomas Mifflin urges Philadelphia Mayor Matthew Clarkson to take decisive measures against the infectious disorder (yellow fever) in the city; Clarkson replies detailing police and health actions taken.
Quality green show the numbers
Measured from the scan
— how cleanly the OCR engine read the characters
- Mean ink quality
- 98.0% The length-weighted average confidence across the OCR lines — the mean of exactly the per-line scores whose tails the two figures below report. Typical is 99%.
- Illegible ink
- 0.0% Text sitting in OCR-detected lines that scored below 80% confidence — very shaky reads. Weighted by line length, so one long bad line counts for more than a short one.
- Uncertain ink
- 0.0% Text in lines that scored 80–90% — somewhat shaky reads.
- Matches source
- 95.5% How closely the served text matches the raw OCR of the same boxes, letter by letter, after collapsing spacing and case. This measures agreement, not correctness: the OCR is often wrong and the extractor corrects it, so 100% does not mean perfect, and a low figure usually means poor scan text was rewritten rather than that text was lost (length vs source shows loss).
- Length vs source
- 99.0% Below 100% means text was dropped from the OCR; above means text was added to make it read.
Assembled by the extraction model
— whether the stitched-together text holds up; catches layout and segmentation errors, which the scores above cannot see
- Transcription confidence
- 96.0% (typical 96%) How cleanly the extractor could assemble what it was given. Low here with clean ink scores points at layout analysis — the characters were read correctly but grouped or ordered wrongly.
- Comprehension
- 95.0% Whether the piece reads coherently start to finish. Can stay high while transcription confidence drops, when only part of the component is affected.
Clipping
Full Text
PHILADELPHIA, August 31.
To Matthew Clarkson, Esquire, Mayor of the City of Philadelphia.
Philadelphia, 29th August, 1793.
SIR,
THE alarm, respecting the infectious disorder, which has made its appearance in this city, encreases to so great a degree, that (however reluctant I am to interfere with the execution of your duties) I feel it incumbent upon me, again to call your attention to the subject. The most vigorous and decisive exertions of the police are become necessary; and I request, that, as the chief magistrate of the city, you will omit no lawful measure to prevent the extension, and to destroy the evil. Whatever expence may be incurred upon the occasion, (if the Corporation should decline) I am confident the Legislature will defray. I do not hesitate, therefore, to desire that gun-powder, and other salutary preparations, may be flashed through the infected streets; and that, generally the other precautions, recommended by the College of Physicians, may be strictly observed.
I am persuaded, sir, that feeling with me, for the distresses of our fellow citizens, you will readily excuse the trouble, and comply with the contents, of this letter. I am with great esteem, Sir, Your most obedient, Humble servant, (Signed) THOMAS MIFFLIN.
SIR,
YOUR letter of this date I have just now received. Every precaution which hath depended on the police of the city, has been attended to, in order to prevent the spreading of the calamitous disorder which now prevails.—For this purpose, the most pressing orders have been issued, and repeated, to the City Commissioners, to cause the streets to be effectually cleansed from every thing which may nourish or encrease its effects. The high constable hath been ordered to examine the wharfs attentively, in order to discover whether any thing may have been deposited upon them, which can be prejudicial.
The clerks of the market have been directed to render the houses as clean as possible; for which purpose, they have already been well washed, by means of a fire-engine.
The Corporation hath been convened upon the occasion; who have entered upon such measures as appeared to them to be most likely to conduce to the relief of those, whose situations will require assistance. A Committee of their body have had an interview with the guardians of the poor, whose co-operation for the relief of the distressed, will, it is hoped, tend greatly to their comfort.
An Hospital in an airy and healthy place is to be provided with all expedition; Indeed, there is the most promising prospect that the benevolent disposition, for which the citizens have always been conspicuous, will, at this time, be exerted, in an extensive degree, and tend to the relief of suffering individuals, as well as to the safety of the community.
What you have suggested, Sir, concerning the flashing of gun-powder in the streets, shall be attended to. I have already given orders to the City Commissioners to burn nitre in the part of Water-street, which is most infected, preparatory to another cleansing, which it is to undergo to-morrow.
I am, with great esteem, Sir, Your most, Obedient servant, MATTHEW CLARKSON, Mayor.
Philadelphia, 29th August, 1793. 9 o'clock, P.M.
To Thomas Mifflin, Governor of the State of Pennsylvania.
To Matthew Clarkson, Esquire, Mayor of the City of Philadelphia.
Philadelphia, 29th August, 1793.
SIR,
THE alarm, respecting the infectious disorder, which has made its appearance in this city, encreases to so great a degree, that (however reluctant I am to interfere with the execution of your duties) I feel it incumbent upon me, again to call your attention to the subject. The most vigorous and decisive exertions of the police are become necessary; and I request, that, as the chief magistrate of the city, you will omit no lawful measure to prevent the extension, and to destroy the evil. Whatever expence may be incurred upon the occasion, (if the Corporation should decline) I am confident the Legislature will defray. I do not hesitate, therefore, to desire that gun-powder, and other salutary preparations, may be flashed through the infected streets; and that, generally the other precautions, recommended by the College of Physicians, may be strictly observed.
I am persuaded, sir, that feeling with me, for the distresses of our fellow citizens, you will readily excuse the trouble, and comply with the contents, of this letter. I am with great esteem, Sir, Your most obedient, Humble servant, (Signed) THOMAS MIFFLIN.
SIR,
YOUR letter of this date I have just now received. Every precaution which hath depended on the police of the city, has been attended to, in order to prevent the spreading of the calamitous disorder which now prevails.—For this purpose, the most pressing orders have been issued, and repeated, to the City Commissioners, to cause the streets to be effectually cleansed from every thing which may nourish or encrease its effects. The high constable hath been ordered to examine the wharfs attentively, in order to discover whether any thing may have been deposited upon them, which can be prejudicial.
The clerks of the market have been directed to render the houses as clean as possible; for which purpose, they have already been well washed, by means of a fire-engine.
The Corporation hath been convened upon the occasion; who have entered upon such measures as appeared to them to be most likely to conduce to the relief of those, whose situations will require assistance. A Committee of their body have had an interview with the guardians of the poor, whose co-operation for the relief of the distressed, will, it is hoped, tend greatly to their comfort.
An Hospital in an airy and healthy place is to be provided with all expedition; Indeed, there is the most promising prospect that the benevolent disposition, for which the citizens have always been conspicuous, will, at this time, be exerted, in an extensive degree, and tend to the relief of suffering individuals, as well as to the safety of the community.
What you have suggested, Sir, concerning the flashing of gun-powder in the streets, shall be attended to. I have already given orders to the City Commissioners to burn nitre in the part of Water-street, which is most infected, preparatory to another cleansing, which it is to undergo to-morrow.
I am, with great esteem, Sir, Your most, Obedient servant, MATTHEW CLARKSON, Mayor.
Philadelphia, 29th August, 1793. 9 o'clock, P.M.
To Thomas Mifflin, Governor of the State of Pennsylvania.
What sub-type of article is it?
Disease Or Epidemic
Politics
What keywords are associated?
Yellow Fever
Philadelphia
Public Health
Governor
Mayor
What entities or persons were involved?
Thomas Mifflin
Matthew Clarkson
Where did it happen?
Philadelphia
Domestic News Details
Primary Location
Philadelphia
Event Date
29th August 1793
Key Persons
Thomas Mifflin
Matthew Clarkson
Outcome
measures taken to combat the epidemic; no casualties specified.