Yellow Fever at Miami 53

 Despite the optimism, new cases continued to appear, albeit
less frequently. A light frost occurred on Christmas Eve, a sure sign
that the end of the epidemic was near. The last new case appeared
on New Year's Day, but the quarantine was still in place.
 During the night of January 5, 1900, thieves robbed Frank T.
Budge's Hardware, on the northeast corner of Flagler Street and
Miami Avenue. They set the building afire, ostensibly to cover the
theft. Word of the fire reached John Sewell, who had just returned
from a buying trip to New York and was staying at Buena Vista
because of the quarantine. Sewell, whose haberdashery was located
in the Biscayne Hotel building, just across Flagler Street from the
Budge Hardware Store, later wrote:

 I knew I had to get down to my store in some way, but I didn't
 know how to get beyond the quarantine line. I hopped on my
 bicycle ... and decided if I stopped to argue with the guard he
 wouldn't let me past, so I just went past him full tilt. It was about
 1:30 a.m. then, and the guard was hardly awake before I was
 past. I heard him shout at me, but I kept pedalling on.... the
 health authorities were in a quandary over my getting past the
 quarantine line. They didn't want to let me stay in town for fear
 I would bring further yellow fever infection in.... the health
 authorities finally settled matters by allowing me to stay at my
 store during the daytime. But I had to return to my lodgings at
 Buena Vista at 4 p.m. and remain there until 8 a.m. the next day.52



 Quarantine Finally Lifted

 The quarantine was finally lifted on January 15, 1900. Only then
did the Metropolis editor admit, "When the first scare was reported
a general stampede occurred, but when the real epidemic had fas-
tened itself upon us, our people deported themselves wisely and
thoughtfully, as always characterizes all good Miami citizens."53
 With the lifting of the quarantine, the city came alive! Optimism and
jubilation reigned. Citizens and whole families caught outside the quar-
antine, such as William M. Burdine and his family, came streaming
back. The wondrous Royal Palm Hotel opened in time for its fourth
season, and the Miami Transfer Company bought new equipment: