The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-02-04

NO. ~ LeNR euect, WITCH u uOOO OF o
alter was discharged from the waste pipe un-
ming under the sidewalk into the gutter scaldinS
one of the boys-the only son Of respectable
resident of the locality-so horribly that he
died almost Immediately. The verdict of the
Jury in the case was Accidental DEATH" simply,
without a word of censure or comment upon the
dangerous practice of ejecting volumes of hot
water and steam into the crowded thorough
fares-a practice which, we regret to say,
is common in many parts OF the city. In
some instances the steam from these factory
pipes is discharged into the street with force
hardly less than that Of gunpowder, to the immi-
nent danger of any one who may have
the i'll fortune to be stepping off the side
walk at the moment The hot water,
though not as sudden in its movement, nor
as explosive as steam, is still quite as dangerous,
as instanced in the case of this poor child, who
was hurried from his innocent pastime to an
agonizing death, almost in a moment
The question is whether this habit is not pro-
bibited by some of our city ordinances If it is
not, then measures should be taken at once by
the Common Council to suppress it. 1t is an
outrageous and dangerous nuisance. II is not
necessary to the requirements of trade and manu-
features, though it may be convenient to the
owners of factories. The superluous steam
could be blown Off into the air from the
roof and the water might easily be dis
posed of within the premises; and we hope
that an ordinance will be passed compelling
manufacturers within the city limits to make
such disposition of these two dangerous
elements, that the lives of citizens may
not be imperilled any longer. One victim and
one example are sufficient to prove that it is
unsafe to permit the discharge of steam and
boiling water into the public streets.
ALARMING MORTALITY OF New YORK Cry
BY reference to our news columns this day our
readers in New York city will find document
which possesses more real interest for them than
anything they have read for number of years.
1t affects that which is dearest to all men-their
lives 1t involves questions of life and death to
every inhabitant of this great city, containing
population of three quarters of q million. We
allude to the report of the committee appointed
by the Senate of this State to inquire into
the sanitary condition of New York. The
facts and figures are truly alarming, and
are sufficient to stir from its depths the
popular Indignation against the men who
have SO misgoverned this city for many
years as to sacrifice the very lives of the people,
while the cost Of this misgovernment far
exceeds in money that of any other city
in the world. 1t is proved to be the
| most unhealthy city, when facts show that it
ought to be and might be the hea,thiest on the
face of the earth. 1t has exchanged places with
of cities. In 1856 the mortality of London was
one in forty-five Of the population. In New York
| it is one in twenty-seven; whereas in Philade[
phia it is only one in forty-four-whch by ma
ture is not near so healthy as New York. Two
| centuries ago the mortality of London, before
there was proper drainage and sewerage,
amounted to one in twenty-four of the inhabi-
tants; and in New York fifty years ago it was
| one in forty-seven and half-which is better
| than London can boast of even now; SO that it
| is plain that while the health of London-in con-
sequence of attention to sanitary laws-E every
| year improving, the health of New York is
| retrograding in the same ratio The United
States is now the healthiest country in
the world Only one and half to one
hundred of the population-or fifteen to
one thousand-die annually; whereas in
England the mortality is twenty-three to one
| thousand. In Russia the mortality is as high as
| thirty-six to one thousand.
There is, therefore, fearful responsibility and
| culpability resting on the heads of our city
| government and State Legislature. The best
proof of the natural healthy situation of the city
| is to be seen in the fact that in those wards in
which cleanliness and ventilation are observed,
and free sunlight and pure air admitted, the
mortality is exceedingly small. For example
| in the Fifteenth ward it is only one in sixty
nine in the First ward it is one in twenty-one--
more than three times as great. Defective and
overcrowded dwellings, damp and dark cellar
residences, excluding the direct light and the
pure air, the insufficient sewerage and drainage,
and the dirty streets, combine to make this vast
difference.
1t is proposed, therefore, to enforce, by law in
the most unhealthy wards, the same sanitary
conditions which are voluntarily adopted in the
most healthy. We trust that this will be done,
and that the report will not be a mere por ct pro-
erea aiil-sound, and like all its predecessors,
mere vor ct preterea nihil-sound, and nothing
more--ending in a bottle of smoke.
MORE TROUBLE WrTH THE MORMONs.--A tele-
graphic despatch from st. Louis informs us that
Judge Sinclair had adjourned the Grand Jury Of
Utah upon petition of nine of its members, who
alleged that the jury was unable to command the
attendance of witnesses. 1t is further stated
that there was much bad feeling between the
Gentle and Mormon members of the panel, and
that revolvers were freely drawn" Our cor
respondence, published in another column in