Epidemic Of Flu: Ellensburg, Kelso, Longview Schools are Closed: Too Many Students Out: Pneumonia Takes 23 Lives In Yakima Past Three Weeks; Everett Also Closed by Epidemic.
Ellensburg, Feb. 24. - The Ellensburg school board today closed all schools for a week in an effort to check the spread of an influenza epidemic which caused the absence of 561 Students.
The school board of Thorp district near here, also ordered all schools closed.
In Snohomish county, Health Officer H. L. Eldridge ordered the towns of Lake Stevens, Sultan, Startup and East Everett to close its schools.
Everett and Mukilteo schools were closed Friday after half the school population was absent because of influenza.
Dr. Eldridge said he would close all public gatherings places if the epidemic continued to spread.
Pneumonia Fatal to 23.
Yakima, Feb. 24. Pneumonia took a toll of 23 lives in the city of Yakima during the recent three-week cold spell, county records showed today. Most of them were children. Hospital authorities said there had been several hundred persons ill of pneumonia during the period and last Thursday, when 149 patients were in the hospital, showed the largest number being treated at one time since 1931.
Longview Schools Closed.
Longview, Feb. 24. - Persistent prevalence of colds, coupled with an influenza epidemic, today caused an extension of the closure order affecting Kelso schools and announcement that Longview schools will close for the balance of the week following dismissal of classes today. Kelso's schools will not re-open until Wednesday morning, Superindent Clarence J. H. Lillie announced. The schools were closed last Wednesday afternoon due to the large number of absentees suffering from cold weather ills.
4 Meningitis Deaths.
Harlan, Ky., Feb. 24. - Four new deaths from spinal meningitis increased the toll from the disease in outlying districts of Harlan county to 20 today and resulted in dispatching of deputy sheriffs to enforce strict quarantine at one community.