New-York daily tribune., 1858-11-10
PUBLIC MEETINGS
THE sENATE's SANITARY COMMITTEE.

fsrATEMENT OF THE CITY INSPECTOR AND TIE
SUPERINTENDENT OF SANITARY INSPECTION.
The Sanitary Committee of the Senate, on the sub
Sect Of sanitary improvements in the city, met again
yesterday afternoon.
Mr.. RICHARD DOWNING the Superintendent Of
Sanitary Inspection made long statement, giving
his views the subject AS to the question how this
city compared with other cities in the Union and in
Europe he remarked that to tho latter he had
rect knowledge; as to NewYork, 1t differed so widely
with other cities that comparison could not be fairly
made The difficulties in Carrying out sanitary reguia-
tons we're very great.
In the first place, there was the immense immgra-
lion TO the city. The poorer classes of emgrants-who
composed the greatest number OF them-beforc leav-
ing the hold of the ship in which they over, con-
tract the seeds of disease and rpen them in the niser
able and squalid dens in which they live after arriving
here by remaining in the city instead of proceeding
q. once to the West, where they were needed, they
add much to the difficulties in carrying out good sani
tary rules.
Another detriment in tbc way the faulty system
of sewerage. The city is in position to afford the best
drainage, but sewers notwithstanding nuisance.
They sre carried to the bulkheads at the dock and
there stop allowing the accumulated filth to settle and
remain in the slips breeding pestlence and disease,
IT, To examine the condition Of the It only
Necessary to open "man-hoe at one Of the street
corners The contents Of the of the most
dangerous kind to tne public health. Over half our
buildings aud sinks were connected with them and
empiied their filth into .hen. Tne aughter-houses,
soap-bolmg establishments &c, ali contributed to
The sewers, and the filthy contents found egresS in
slipe where there tide to sweep them away.
Large deposits Of such matter were constantly being
made and the stencil arising from tie Nuisance at
of the docks was ntolerable. The sewers in his
opinion should have larger trunks, aud be carried to
the outer ends of the piers that the tide could sweep
of the filth as il emergcs into the river.
A great hue and cry was made years ago
agaipst scavengers dumping night soil into the
river An ordinance then passed for having night
soil carried far from the city, This was good meas
nre but it did overcome the evil for under the
sewer system. immense amount Of tie same kind
Of filth being deposited into the slips. To Illus
tra.e this evil IL on necessary to anchor vessel
with white stripe on her bottom couple of days,
after which she would doubtless need repainnS. The
white stripe would be almost black.
Another detriment to sanitary matters, was the con
dton Of our sreetsnot the cleaning but the kind OF
pavement our general pavement, the cobble stones,
kept the mud closely adhered, and prevented the alb
sorbton Of water could be by numerous stag
nant pcols after every wet spell This saSnant water
was a dangerous nuisance and wonlj exist 80 long ss
cohbe stone pavement allowed. I. was disgrace
to the city, and il was impossible to clean the cobbe
as il should be- by broom any machine thus far in-
vented The streets he thought, should be paved with
either belgian iron pavement and then all water and
other LIQUID substance would drain off. The latter
pavements were NOR eeasy cleaned aud woald remain
clean ten times as long as tae oobbe.
Another de.riInebt Was the nuisance uptown Of
driving trade in horse-menure, particularly the
stirring Of il up daily with forks, and mixing with II
sink manure place OF this kind was q, the foo, OF
Thirty eighth street, East River.
There was great difference in the mortality up
town and down. in proportion to the inhabitants. The
uptown districts contrary to general supposton,
were the most sickly. The reason OF this was the
large number If shanty residences in tho unnprovod
oisllcs' and the existence of so many sunkcn lots.
ihe "tr contributed largely to the cause Of mortality.
Inc remedy 10 NJ them did not lay with the City
inspector ss was supposed by many. The City In-
sPccto' hsd procured census Of these lots and laid
them before tne common Council, but ts body had
beg"cted 10 naso The evil remslied Il REQUIRED an
ordinance; some nusances Of the kind had been re.
moved the past summer by the City Inspector, where
the expense did iot exceed go. He had sent a rc-
quest 70 the Legislature last Winter that they would
pas some act TO cover the difficulty. Another detri.
ment was the hog Nuisance. Tie law by which boos
were kept was queer one, and passed as long back
1889. II prohibited the keeping of more than s,r-
hcgs on one lot. The hog gentry construed thi, to
suit their interests some OF them hired thirty lots N
ons block and put in one hundred and tSeaty pigs,
four TO each lot The Nuisance was partially shs,ed
l.x s..( ttg..I tl
too thort to drive the pggecs OF entirely lie hoped
law would be passed to remedy the evil.
AI. DoWNisG remarked tia, the teaement house