The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-07-24


However it may be asserted by interested
parties that the health of the city never was bet
ter at this season than now, the contrary is the
fact. The bills Of mortality for the last week
show large increase of deaths from that of the
previous week-nearly fifty per cent. Sudden
deaths have occurred, followed by rapid dis
celebration and decomposition, and the yellow
fever is in the bay. The report of the Board of
Health states that vessels having cases on board
have been ordered to Gravesend to unlade; eight
more from Southern ports have been compelled
to undergo ventilation and cleansing before they
can come up to the city and the steamers from
Havana are under surveillance. Be the disor-
der contagious or not, it is very certain its pro-
gress is aided by hot weather, uncleanliness and
bad air; and at present we have all of these
Indeed the condition of our city is deplorable.
In the upper wards the streets are green swamps
bordered by stagnant pools where children and
animals wallow about like alligators in bayou.
On the East river side, the cross streets are canals
floating with garbage and emitting the most pes
tilential odors. Between Twenty fourth and Thir-
ty-sixth street, the air is almost uncomfortable
in the evening" and dense population
snuff up contagion at every breath. The
south part of the Twentieth ward and
the northern part of the Sixteenth ward are in
shocking condition There are many other To-
calities equally infected, as every reader will ac
knowledge. Nothing but personal observation
will enable one fully to understand the extent of
the mischief which is brewing. Dead animals,
vacant lots full of stagnant water, decomposing
vegetable matter and piles of unremoved dirt
meet the eye in every direction. There seems to
be no one to look after and remove them. The
truth is, we have no practical government in this
city. 1t is hydra with ten heads and twenty
horns, curious to look at, but destitute of useful
power. We have several departments, which
have various authorities over the streets-ther
regulation and their repairs-but they amount to
nothing We have superintendent of all sorts
and degrees; but to the public they are invisible.
We have Health Wardens at three dollars day.
and many of these do little except attend to their
own business Wehave police-excelent play
ers at dominoes, and terror to little boys and
girls but to few else. Complaintsare unattended
to, and the city groans under seven millions OF
dollars of annual taxes, expended heaven and
favored partizans only know how. A more
neglected city than ours does not exist in
lawyers say, remedies in the premises" The
press and the public utter the voices of remon-
STRANGE IN vain and the Common Council spend
Their time in voting away thousands to unprinci-
pied par,isans. 9r IN metamorphosing their places
OF meeting into pugilistic arenas and political
shanbles
We have however, Board of Health in ses-
sion, and to them alone must we look for safety.
They are clothed with extraordinary powers for
extraordinary occasions and these have occurred
before, and are now occurring We call on them
to do their duty. If the Superintendents Of
Streets and Lands, and Street Repairs, are
apparently so much engaged in electioneering-
if so many of the Health Wardens are occupied
with their private business and cannot attend to
that Of the public--let the Board of Health take
action and protect us from the impending dan
ger. We have lost all hope of redress from any
other quarter. If they, too falter--if they shut
heir eyes to the condition Of the city-we shall
be compelled to adopt the short method Of the
San Franciscans, and organize Committee of
Vigilance to protect ourselves.
With some such energetic man as John. N.
Genin at its head, we should not fear miasma or
pestilence. We should have our streets thorough
ly swept, our cutters cleaned out, the stagnant
waters drained, the green pools filed up, and the
atmosphere purified.
Whether tho yallotv favar In ftcalf ho con.a-
gious or not, it is certainly propaga.ed by inn
pure air and unhealthy exhalations. We have
witnessed its ravages under these conditions
elsewhere with dismay, and have seen our South
ern cities depopulated with no hotter weather
than we now endure. New York, In its present
filthy state, would give contagion wings aud
spread IL in every direction. It's commerce and
business would suffer to the extent of millions,
and industry would be paralyzed. All this, too,
because our authorities neglected their duties.
OF what earthly use is our municipal organiza-
ton, when its most sacred duties are thus wicked
ly neglected? What advantage is il that John
Jones should be Mayor, or Bill Jones an Alder
man, or John Smith Recorder, If it is at the ex-
pense Of thousands Of valuable lives? Who
cares about the views Of this or that politician If
We are to get them at the loss Of health and the
destruction Of property? 1t is time that some
thingwasdone, and that our public servants should
be held to the extreme Of responsibility for this
shameful disregard Of that confding public who
feeds and clothes them, and receives no protec-
ton, no care, no justice in return
AMERICAN PRESENTATIONS AT THE Courts
or EURoPE.-By the last accounts from Europe
we learn there has been no new phase at court
Of an alarming character. The peace Of the
world not having been disturbed by the oontre-
temps Of the West Point Professor there is reason
to believe that the Secretary Of State will not be
called on to communicate with Mr.. Dallas on the
inherent old clothes rights Of mankind in general
and Americans in particular. The embarrassment
of Mr.. Dallas is over and the West Pointer has