The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-05-03

Gen. Pierce is in this matter behind the spirit
of the age. We have an abiding hope that his
settlement of this business will be feather in
the cap of his administration. Is the Premier
ready?
The Healthof New York-Necessity OF Great
Central Park.
We published, the other day, a little table OF
the mortality Of several of the principal cities
of the United States; and the wide difference
between the weekly list of deaths of New York
and Philadelphia struck us as matter we'll
worthy the serious consideration of our city
health and prosperity of this great commercial
metropolis -
The deaths in New York, for the week ending
April 70 were. ................ 34l
In Philadelphia, for the week ending April l6 l76
Difference Observation-Disclosures. 165
Now, the ratio of population between Philadel-
phia and New York, according to the last CEN
sus is as four to five; or the excess of the popu-
lation Of New York is equal to one-fourth of
the whole population Of Philadelphia. In this
relation, the excess Of the mortality in this city
over that of Philadelphia should only be one
fourth more. But the foregoing figures-that
is to say, if they afford anything like fair stan
dard Of the comparative weekly deaths in the
two cities the year round-exhibit the mortality
in New York to be disproportionately larger
than that Of the city Of Philadelphia.
What are the causes of this unnatural NOR
tality Of New York. as compared with Philadel-
pbia? We say unnatural, because there can
be no healthier natural position for great city
than the beautiful site occupied by New York
Looking out upon the sea, fanked upon either
side by large, deep river, the waters Of which
are kept pure and wholesome by the prevailing
salt sea brine, and the heavy incoming and out
going tides-surrounded by lofty hills, with the
fresh and breezy Highlands just above Us, and
the sunny. sandy and windy long extend
ing beach of Coney Island just below us-and
beyond all other advantages, situated in lati-
tude which is exempted fiom the malignant
fevers Of the southern seaboard, and the intense
winters Of the extreme north-one would think
that Providence had done everything to render
this locality the very bealthiest, for great
city. in all the world.
What, then, are the causes for this unnatural
mortality we have exhibited? Why should our
delphia? The latter city. one would suppose
is rather unfavorably situated for health. 1t is
spread over a vast plain. On a broad reedy.
swampy, fresh water river, half stagnant in sum-
mer. and SO far in the interior as to be ex-
cluded from the cooling breezes Of the ocean.
The burning heats of July and August are
never mitigated there by the refreshing even
ing winds from the Atlantic, such as are diff
fused with the moonlight over New York.
The surroundings of Philadelphia too. are
mostly fat and monotonous, and her suburbs
are full as dirty as ours. Nature. then, has
done nothing to give to our neighbors the
agreeable comparative exemption from death
which they enjoy
The conclusion, then, is inevitable that the dis
proportionate mortality Of New York is wholly
the result Of artificial causes. Nor is microscope
needed to detect them. They are visible to the
naked eye. The census betrays the first great
cause. in the astounding difference between the
number of the houses and the inhabitants res
pectively. Of the two cities. Philadelphia ave-
RACES but seven persons to one house. while
New York averages from thirteen to fifteen.
This difference suggests at once the compare
tive excess of our population, crowded into
dark and damp cellars unwholesome garrets
and back buildings and narrow streets, shut
out from ventilation by the Irregularities OF
the plan Of the lower and most densely occu-
pied portion of New York. No doubt if the
lower half of the city were laid out with the
streets running in straight lines north and
south, and at right angles from river to river.
an advantage in ventilation would be gained
of incalcuable benefit to us Of the present
generation and to our posterity.
But the prodigious influx of foreign inmi-
grants-a large proportion Of whom land II ION
our wharves destitute and sick and often in a
dying condition-mcn, women and children
will account, to a great extent, for the bills
of mortality of this city. And when we con-
slider the close filthy. and unwholesome quar-.
tiers into which these people are crowded, in
many Of the immigrant boarding houses the
wonder is, that so large a proportion should
survive ae the nambers which ultimately leave
for the interior aud the Far West. The solid
mass Of shipping which TANKS the city on both
sides. the filthy docks, our cramped aud steam
ing market houses stale provisions aud distil
lery mix may also be brought into the general
account to say nothing of bone boiling estab-
lshments. &c. &c. Another large item il
chargeable to our tilthy streets, which. have
never known the blessings Of the cold water and
shovcls ard brooms daily administered to the
streets and sidewalks of Philadelphia
-"Earlylin the morning"
Now. then what is to be done or what can
be done, to diminish this unnatural mortality Of