But by October 1, the city was under siege. In one day, 635 cases of the flu were reported to public health officials. That, however, was an underestimate. Doctors had become so overwhelmed caring for the sick that most cases went unreported and the true numbers will never be known. On October 3, the city closed all schools, churches, theaters, pool halls, and other places of amusement in a frantic attempt to slow the spread of the disease.
