795. Pensacola's Yellow Fever Detention Camp 1905

The last Yellow Fever epidemic to ravage Pensacola began in July 1905 and would prove to be a forerunner of other epidemics including Covid-19. The obstacles our local government faced reflect many of the same that we've faced today. Our first cases appeared on August 30, 1905 and involved three Greek immigrants that lived on or around East Government Street. Ironically, these three had recently traveled by rail to New Orleans on a tourist excursion. This coincided with the fact that Natchez, New Orleans, Memphis, and Gulfport were all experiencing Yellow Fever cases themselves.

Four years earlier, Walter Reed had proven that the dreaded disease was spread by a particular mosquito thus eliminating the wild myths that surrounded its origin. Normally, the disease would enter the U.S. at one of their many ports of call and usually aboard a sea going vessel that carried the larvae. When our city fathers were alerted to the danger they immediately began looking for how best to fight the dreaded scourge. Their first inclination was to determine its target area and then quarantine those within the area. Afterwards, they would have to tend to the sick and dying as well as trying to eradicate the disease carrying host. However, the populace of Pensacola did not take well to decisions of the city fathers. As the officials began to close off a downtown section centered on East Government Street many of the citizens fled by train and wagons and even by boat that were rented to carry them out! Any citizen that fled was ordered to return at once or be arrested. Twelve guards were place around the target area then quickly increased to 48. Relay camps were set up to guard the city and county exits at Goulding, Escambia Bay, and South Flomaton. Quarantine patrols were sworn in and the Coast Guard furnished a patrol vessel (USS Penrose) to cordon off Pensacola Bay.

As the death toll began to rise, the target area was expanded. Fumigation crews set out to fumigate the homes and businesses of any infected citizen. At one point, they were spreading sulphur throughout 250 homes per day. Still the disease spread even wider. Panicked citizens among the outlying areas began to take precautionary measures. As far away as Cottage Hill, word was put out that anyone from Pensacola was not welcomed. Notices were posted that anyone who tried to disembark from a train or riverboat would be subject to arrest.

To further shut off Pensacola from the rest of the world the city officials decided to open a "detention" camp eight miles south of Flomaton in the vicinity of McDavid. The detention camp was selected on September 26, 1905 and opened for refugees on October 4. For those wishing to leave Pensacola they had to go downtown on West Government Street and be examined by Dr. Warren Edward Anderson (1857-1912). He would take your temperature and if appropriate he would allow you to purchase your railroad ticket for your destination. The citizen would then travel by train and exit at McDavid to report to the "Camp Murray" detention center. They would report into the camps dispensary for another round of examination before being assigned to a tent depending on their marital status. Families were assigned together to a row of tents called "Wall Street" with the bachelors assigned to tents along a separate avenue called "Broadway Street." After seven days, the citizens were allowed to board the train and continue on their way to their destination.

Life was pleasurable enough at Camp Murray given the circumstances with every amenity provided by the camp managers. Wholesome meals were served each day at 7:00 AM, 12:00 PM, and 5:00 PM. A barber shop was installed for the men and separate latrines were dug for restrooms. Most nights there was a huge campfire in the center of the camp where many of their meals were cooked. For entertainment, minstrels were brought in for vaudeville shows complete with sugar cane passed out for all.

But back in Pensacola things began to deteriorate as citizens began to push back against the mayor's edicts! Laws were passed making it illegal for failing to report yellow fever cases, having stagnant water on your property, spreading misinformation and rumors, or interfering with officials. Even Dr. James S. Herron and Dr. Lawrence Curtis Phillips were arrested for opposing inspectors. However, these incidents back in town had little effect on those at Camp Murray. During its brief tenure, the camp would admit a total of 223 refugees with not one case of Yellow Fever ever developing. On October 25, with the onset of colder weather the camp quit accepting refugees and finally closing on October 31, 1905. Historically, cold weather usually killed off the mosquitoes thus ending these deadly epidemics and this one would be no different! As cooler weather prevailed, Yellow Jack's last victim, six-year-old Laura Belle Shuttleworth finally succumbed to its misery. The 1905 Yellow Fever epidemic was the last ever to strike Pensacola and would claim 1,052 infected with an estimated 150 perishing.