The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-01-20

4, The prcsery alton of the psbc health shall have
been estshii-h.d the laws u the system To guard
sps- the odUotion OF disease n lao easy task, but
~h.T. !, rbs have been introduced To check its Increase
v tho removal of the causes which give to more IN
~. se nagpan.y is labor not difficult Of performance
We address selves to the subject witt determine
ton 10 do all in our power 70 impair its maigaity
TIE importance Of free drainage rs well Understood Ia
oldon and the large cities Of the Connent and the
results have eqraed the expectations Of the most san
ruiue In the localities OF this city which We have
pointed out dry cellar is an unusual thing, and yet
these places Of disease the abodes of thirty thousand
human beings and VI the very class most likely 10 yield
To the attacks OF disease.
In he uIp.l part OF the city running norL ward and
in oca tics whore preparations may be made in advance,
and i,h comparative economy to guard against the
pending cy population s last crowdipg 70 be exposed
Ia The same evils unless pTccau taken advance
10 render these districts saubrous by proper system
az drainage In the paving OF streets or avenues no at
tention been had to the original topography OF the
island and this neglect only enhances the difficulties
which some future day must be met with greatly In
creased expense and Inconvenience. Marshy grounds,
which not unfequenly from ten 10 twenty feet be-
low the grade OF the street. sometimes fed mp with
out the slightest attention 10 drainage seemingly with
the idea that v, can only conceal the pesienta Po'
from the eye, have removed the Of the pesti
cf pei bars With tho more thoughtiess but not less
economical viw Of allowing postery to take iis own
risk VI sickness health long the present genera
ton ,scapcs this pernicious system OF inailcnon TO
the public health exercised on the ground OF economy
Is enough 10 gay that if the city is prepared
cur the expense "a proper system of drainage in these
localities that expense should be imposed the
Ct property 10 be affected by that system, and this
up With crowded population, which forcing its
way in that direction.
In these localities il is observable that while the
EDa type OF disease prevalent becomes changed
modified With the filling up of these unhealthy spots, and
the consequent accession Of population yet disease In
sope il almost 10 appear Thus the diseas.
one prevalent IN the eide OF the city, from the
m.Eccfnent OF Yorkvie 10 iarGm known MS the fever
ague and which has been nearly driven away since
the erection OF buildings ana fitting up OF marshy
eIoun, have been succeeded by Intermittent, bilious
other fevers which, the population increases will
continue ospread and take The I, pc OF iaaigty Even
ocas Of fashionable resort ia the veiy heart of our
cts where taste wealth have erected maus!1us o.
the meet elegant and costly character are pointed ont
for their unhcaithinCss the Is ut traced
inefficient anage IN these cases tho cause OF this
neglect cannot DO attributed TO The parsnaony aabi
liz, Of the pruprictuis take the necessary steps for
the preservation or health but 1t 10 be tire
que Of the want of system properly enfo ced by the
authorities, III cooperation with which property holders
would willingly join for tho sake Of their own COMFORT
aud the value Of their property even II not act I'D by
higher considerations. But no man Can ac except
stsm es,ss T ~ ,ss .utsor,es would
be the interest Of these proprcto,s T. JON III it,
without the necessity Of legal enforce mcnts.
report upon the sanitary state OF tho abong clsscs
hy souhW ard Smith expresses very strong opinion az
the injurious effects Of deficient drainage and in
mate does that gentleman conceive t connection TO be
With the presence u disease that he observed before the
committee that
you to take and mark out the districts which
tie records Of he Fever Hospital and at the time com
with OF the sewers OF the metropolis YOU would
where the and where they not by observing
whtre fever exists that always tell where the Com
Of Sewers have not been at work By the track Of
The lever.
STONE rI:rs.
appears from reports from the Comptroicrs Depart
ment that the appropriated for building and
pairing piers and docks for the last five years amounts TO
1854 COO For repairs alone the large amount OF about
$s COO has been appropriated and vet with this great
expenditure there is not city in the world Of any com
mefci importance that does not in this respect present
super ory metropolis. II the position Of
commercial greatness city is source OF admira
ton TO strangers and OF pride 70 ourselves thero is
another feeling the vey reverse OF PRIDE for The accom-
modatiou provided for that commerce The figures W.
have quoted to prove that Is not from want of
expenditure OF money that our shipping u not provided
with sufficient accommodations. But both the for
that expenditure and its constant cont found
In the ready practice Of false economy, which
white limiting sof to the immediate eyigcncts OF the
present thinks little of that durability which provides for
the future Regarded in merely economical point u
view there he but little question that had wc be
gun should have done BY The erection Of durable
piers and qUayR, thor cost at this day would
structicn and repairs TO which have been subjected
by continuance Ct the existing system, which continu
ally require repairing, and which IS ncscr completed
The mater lal used in the construction Of docks
not only not Of durable nature but il impossible &c
give 10 II that sod;y which required by the constant
service demanded by the public necessitics In many
parts Of the city ia the North and Fast rivers the hthy
condition Of the piers arising from ious causes Is
shame 10 DOR civilization, and presents an ebtrascn u
neisaEccs TO every observer and one which capable Of
remedy
There be but little question that the expenditure
already incurred IN constructing, repairing and recon
Stfuctirg these Inadequate works, would have beer
su FOR the construction OF walls o. graui,e from the
Battery, aong the Hudsc AMI East rivers. Of tho Jsi
solid aud enduring character In many paris Of Europe
the date Of the or these stone pier be traced
back 10 centuries, whir instead of boiug promoters OF
pes'cnce from the docayiug nature OF their materials
is the With US, they the great promoters
i, aih. That they would effect this result may be
auduced from the fact that public sewers might
he connected with them without interference from
the sinking or breaking OF the rier. This woGlt
at once free slips from the sewage dis
charged in them while on the other hand and by
connection with the piers, much Of the matter
river. In every point of view and particularly
garus the health of the city, this reform casd for
and the work could be begun ut those points where nsa
fc at or imperfect pe,s arc found and where repairs OF
old the building Of pins considered necessary.
There seems TO br belief prevalent in the mind OF every
citizen that tho time must come when stone piers I'LL be
built For many years the same idea prevailed % the
necessii, o. introducing, az some day pure and whole
some water INTO our city bur the fear of c2pens, pro-
crastnacd tho project year after year until last our
authoris we're urged upon the apparently bold enter.
prise. The comparative ease With which il carried
into completion has caused to forget the backward
with which entered upon II, the fnisgyng5 Vi
the load u expense II might entail upon the city
A new system Of building cu, piefs with the most
durable material Wi be The parent OF similar results
and fairly ttsi IL b. 10 ct the 81
appreciation, as it wr be equally sure TO guarantee the
health, comfort and of citizens the
daily increasing necessities a our c. mmerce.
While IL ia directly within my province 70 refer TO
the iradcqaate accommodations ~ vessels yet those
OF health that have dwcN on Il In this connection The
laws regulating health but parts az tho regulations
app icabc TO commerce. and the accommc iaion Of the
former necessarily involves the AMI preservation q.
the latter.
In the suggestions and recommendations heretofore
made this subject has been treated 10 "a com
mercia point 81 view Hhc i,s eccts a sanitary mel
have been overlooked; and IS with the view ~
saing Jour attention % Il IN his light th have thGs
owelt upon il At length
vAcf1sAupy
In connection with thu, subject is agreeable duty
4Y.fgV
receives from eur several upcDaricS By their free
systein OF vaccination. enc Of their reports Says
They furnish the Hppt we'd aud rel BILE
teral, and vaccination to itch ald who will allow him.
sell 10 be prtt cted from most malignant desease by this
recourse because the great pubic benefit derived iherer
ferGcrs the widest d n this preventive the duty o. all
public medical chariti-s they the only erganz
ed efficient Tor The dl uf this anloe among
poorer classes They rbarge and pay
mrnt
is 70 10 regretted that it Il only in instances Of
puhc alarm that vaccination Is more generally rcsortcd
whereas II should be among he st duties OF parents
to guard against the mnady u, vaccination, Al present
smallpox Is rag ng IN more OF our cities and we
may have To announce early daT us existence
among During the past year the cases Of smallpox
in city have not been unusually large, but there IN
The pat no guarantee tbnt 1T visitation may not
crme. lnsirnc,iohs from this office have been given