New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-03-10
THE FILTH OF BROADWAY AND THE
PUBLIC HEALTH.

To ne Editor Of TIE ~ Y Tribune.
SIR: His Honor Mayor Wood, in taking the step he
has for the relief of Broadway from the huge collec
ton of ice and filth which now incumbers it, has as
sumed responsibility which must be approved by
every citizen and he has set an example of decision
and yigor of government which must tnge with the
blush of shame the cheeks of the officials within whose
immedia sphere of duty that business lies.
But his Honor in his good intentions, has doubtless
through oversight, fallen npon plan OF disposing of
the material to be removed, which, if executed will
almost inevitably produce a result thousand fold
more disastrous to the city than the mere inc0nve-
nience of its present position.
He proposes TO deposit the accumulation of several
months filth, part of it on the Battery and the re-
mainder on the Park. In our judgement be could not
devise a method whereby the public health would be
more certainly and seriously injured. large proper
ton Of the material 10 be removed consists of animal
and egoable matter which though now in noxous from
being held undecomposed in the fngid fingers of Mn
ter WILL the advent OF warm weather undergo rapid
decomposition; then its noxous gases, released from
their icy bondage will go forth with redoubed CELEBRITY,
poisoning all who may nhae them IL may be that the
which wlthus be collected IN the Park Is intended
TO be removed TO the usual dumping ground, and con-
yeyed away in vessels like ordinary street manure;
but il would be hardly possible to effect this second re-
mOyal before the evilinhuences would commence, and
bow much better would it be to remove 1t permanently
at once. But that portion OF il which would be de-
posted on the Battery could not be removed at all.
II must remain there through the Summer and undergo
decomposition, inevitably poisoning the surrounding
atmosphere and producing the diseases 30 well known
10 the vicinity of marches, and other stagnant masses
of animal and vegetable debris. Ii was to similar
condition of SOIL though of course a much larger
scale that the yellow fever which devastated Norfolk
last year in great degree, attributable, and in
New Orleans similar circumstances more extensive
than these would be, have caused the same disease
Should the Mayors design be carried out, aud the
filth of Broadway be deposited over but single acre
OF the Battery and Park and be left to rot there in
the heat of next Summer and should the yellow fever
here, those spots might justly be regarded a. its
birthplace
But without applying this argument to this terrible
epidemic it il enough to know, what experience here
and elsewhere has abundantiy taught that other more
conn though minor diseases the direct effect OF
us such collections of animal and vegetable matter
as il il contemplated to deposit permanence in the
midst Of our thronging population Within two years
as is well known to the medical profession, intermt-
tent and remittent fevers have been more than or
dinary rife in this city, the OF which only
to be found in the Accommodations of decsyed organic
matter, to which every city is liable, aided by wet
soil and deficient drainage Cholera cholera inantum
and other diseases known to be the direct product
of the same general causes. We are already badly
of indeed, with all these things accommodating upon
u.s. with Health Department without a single med-
cal man in it; with City Government without
medical adviser in matters Of health find our other
wise energetic Mayor about to commit the fatal blum
der of adding to these removable evils the enduring
one of vast beds Of malaria whose intensity will but
increase with time.
The rivers which flow 80 rapidly and beautifully all
around the natural sewers Of this metropolis.
Let the Mayor them on this occasion TO carry
away out Of reach and forever, the filth Of the city,
and be will earn a civic crown; but 80 surely as be
carries his present design OF concentrating npon
the public grounds, will he SOW the seeds OF disease,
and the citizens reap harvest OF pestllsnce and
DEATH HYGIEA.
NsT Yo,k March 6 1856.