Austin Issues Yellow Fever Quarantine Order
• Emergency Response: City Council held a special evening meeting to address the threat of yellow fever spreading to Austin from infected areas, particularly the city of Laredo.
• Quarantine Established: Council unanimously passed an ordinance (11-0 vote) establishing a quarantine against Laredo and other yellow fever-infected locations to protect Austin's residents.
• Swift Action: The ordinance was passed under suspension of normal rules, indicating the urgency council members felt about preventing disease transmission during what appears to be an active yellow fever outbreak in Texas.
Full Transcript
Called meeting of the City Council Hon R.E. White Mayor presiding Austin, Texas, Sept 26th 1903 Roll called. Present Aldermen Brooken Haynes Macken Maddox Willen Nitschke Shelley Shumate & Smith Absent Aldermen Kune. Moore Redd Schneider Weith The following Call of the Council was read. Austin, Texas, Sept 26th 1903 A Special meeting of the City Council of the City of Austin is hereby called to meet at the Council chamber of the City of Austin at eight oclock P.M. on Sept 26th 1903, for the purpose of taking such action as may be necessary, if any, to prevent the spread of Yellow fever to the City of Austin, by quarantine or otherwise against infected places R.E. White Mayor H.L. Haynes Shumate H.B. Redd G. Willen T.D. Smith J.B. Nitschke Wm. Weith. H.O. Shelley Lee Kune P.W. Moore Joe Macken J.P. Schneider P.N. Maddox I hereby certify that the named Aldermen has been served with a true copy of this Call by having same read to them in person. H. Montgomery City Marshal. Aldermen Weith & Schneider entered the Council Chamber. Yellow fever By Alderman Macken An ordinance Quarantine declaring and establishing a quarantine against the City of Laredo and all other points infected with Yellow fever. The ordinance was passed under suspension of the rules by the following vote: Yeas: Aldermen Brooken Haynes Macken Maddox Willen Nitschke Schneider Shelley Shumate Smith Weith 11 Nays None. On Motion the Council adjourned Jno. G. Johnson City Clerk