The Express.
London, England, 1853-09-28 00:00:00

CITY COURT OF SEWERS.

Yesterday, there was a full attendance d the nom-
wiwiosen. Deputy Exacova is the °hair.
The CRIFF CLEitx. informed the court that he had sum-
moned the contractor for not having duly removed the dust
&e., from houses in Peahen-court, on the complaint of the
Hector of St. Ethelburga, who had, since the tune of the
authority, expressed his wish not to prosecute the same;
and read a letter from the rev. gentleman to that effect.
Mr. Bamford, of the Temple, a part owner of certain
house. in Meeting-house-yard, Gravel lane, attended on the
subject of works required to be done thereat, which, after
having heard him upon certain legal difficulties in the way
of enforcing them, the orinsusaionen referred to a commit-
tee, to inquire into end report upon.
The Clerk reported that notices had been served on the
owners of 20 slaughterhouse* in Aldgato High-street, with
orders to amend the places complained against forthwith.
MOM AND HORNS OP C/ATTLI NUISANCI.
Mesas. Streatfield, Lawrence, and Mortimer, of No. 3,
St. Mary-axe, were summoned upon the certificate of the
Medical Officer of Health, stating that ss there is upon these
premises a large store of hides and horns of cattle in an
offensive state, and that the same is likely to be prejudicial
to the health of persons whose habitations are in the neigh-
bourhood of the same."

iheff;feicl;ntitTlirough one of the firm, said that they
bad carried on the business for twenty years, without caus-
ing the slightest drum, or injury of- any kind ; that the
hides they received were conveyed (as our reporter under-
stood the gentleman who represented the house) to their
premises free from any tendency to decomposition, which
would, in feet, render them valueless for commercial pur-
poses ; that at their premises the hides were salted, a pro-
cess which effectually prevented decomposition, and which
would altogether be unavailing in cases in which deoompo-
sition was taking place, and that they met the charge, de-
termined to abandon any technical objection which might
present itself, as an authority for resisting the application.
The Medical Officer said that he had abundant testimony
presented to him upon his visit to the premises in the
enormous muses of maggots and the stifling vapours of
ammonia which almost p ed him from drawing his
breath.

The representative of the firm said the maggots could
not have proceeded from the hides, u nuggets mutt not
teat upon contact with salt. They mast have issued from
the horns.

The Medical Officer said he did not mean to state that
the bides were so decomposed as not to hold together, but
he certainly meant to assert that they occasioned a dread-
ful nuisance, of the injurious nature of which to the neigh-
bourhood he entertained not the remotest doubt.
...

One of the defendant% said he bad been on the spot
many years in constant attendance in 'the business, and he
I had not during the whole period a moment's illness.
He believed that so far from being prejudicial the
ammonia which had been represented as so offensive,
had operated as a preventive of the cholera in the vicinity
of the place in which the hides were deposited, and had,
amongst other liras, saved the lives of the clerks of the
establishment, 30 of whom had been employed when that
disease had been last prevalent in London. The maggots,
he bad no doubt, came from Leadenhall Market In the
limo., and to proceed to condemnation upon such grounds
would be tantamount to en act of shutting up that place
of business altogether. He begged to assure the court that
when hides came from North America find other distant
countries he had never heard of any illness amongst the
crews, and those who wirii acquainted with the trade
were aware that hides which in some seasons would
keep a week would in other seasons spoil in 24 hours.
He came forward himself to bear testimony in his own per-
son to the innozious quality of the trade to which he had
long punctually attended without ever having suffered a
moment's indisposition from a constant exposure to every-
thing described as noxious or disagreeable in it.
Deputy LAMB, who resides in Aldgate, said he must dos
Blare that he never heard any complaint of the premises,
and wished I. bear testimony to the respectability of the
firm.

Deputy Harmer:it; never for a moment doubted the re-
spectability of the gentlemen complained of. He considered
the high character they maintained as a security for the im-
mediate removal of a nuisance of the character so posi-
tively denounced by die medical officer of health, upon
whose judgment the court had the most perfect reliance.
(Hear, hear.)
Defendant—l can prove, by the longevity of numerous
families who hay* always resided in the neighbourhood in
which hides were accumulated, that there is nothing in
them calculated to engender disease.
Deputy Hour submitted to the court that it would ohm
a total disregard of the exertions of the government to pre-
vent the spread of cholera and other fatal diseases by the
appointment of able officers, and the publication of rules
and orders to combat with such formidable enemies to
human life, if the commissioners did not resolutely carry
into effect the masterly c. unsel of the able officer who kid
given such unquestionable testimoay as to the nuisaace
they were called upon to remove. (Hear, hear.) The
healthy appearance of the gentleman who came forward
upon the occasion was certainly an armament to show that
the proprietors had no apprehension of the consequences of
frequent exposure to the stench which had been described,
but the nuisance was no doubt very oasaaive. He hoped
the court would adopt a middle course at any rate.
Deputy BTZTENO said, in allusion to the fast hold which
epidemic, endemic, and contagious disown were said to
take of narrow and neglected places of abode, that et the
time of the great plague Petticoat-lane and its immediate
vicinity had the good fortune to escape.
A Couguistoxia said he really believed that it was the
wish of Nome people to make a private parlour of the City
of Loudon. (Laughter, and cries of " Oh!") He had lived
many years and his father before him had lived in the
midst of the matters complained of, and a healthier family
existed than that which they had successively brought
up in the City. He wished that the gentlemen who were
so very nice, were obliged to go without meat for twelve
months. (Laughter.)i
Deputy ARRISON said the court had no other count to
pursue than to act immediately upon the medical officer's
certificate, according to the 9th clause of the act of parlia-
ment. (Hear, hear.) In his opinion the defence set up by
the firm confirmed in all its essential points the decided
opinion of the medical officer.
The order was then issued for the immediate abatement
of the nuisance.

Summonses were issued to the owners of common lodging
houses foe sot having duly abided by the regulations of the
comnsissionen.
The Medical Officer of Health reported an immense
number of filthy habitations and many cases of bad water
supply, and the commissionen directed that the most prompt
and energetic moans should be pursued to remedy the
defects so critically pointed out.
Several contractors were fined in the sum (collectively of
131., for their neglect of duty, in relation to non•remoral of
dust.

Deputy HARRISON said It gave him great satisfaction to
be informed by Mr. Daw that the New River Company
would supply water to the whole of the courts and alleys in
the City on Sundays as well as on all other days.
The commissioners and all the oaken connected with the
commission showed the greatest alacrity in giving atAd re-
ceiving directions and regulations.
The Medical °Moir of Health concluded the active busi-
ness of the day by informing the courtthat the amount of
mortality of the City was considerably below that of either
of the last two quarters. (Rear, hear.)