The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1864-01-15
THE PARK BARRACKS.


-.S-u>~,-~~-~,-0> -.~>>~-~-
Heuors Of DIR. sayre. on Their Filthy
Condition-Apprs,<en ded Danger OF
contagious Dis ease, Sc.
me following comm .sncattou from Mayor 0unther, en-
r,sipg the report CIR Lewis A. sayses, relative 70 the
soadilp Of the Park Barracks, presented TO the
Board Of coune Amen al the meetsg held yesterday
vayoRs osncR Nsw YoRK, Jan. II, 1904
IL TBE Hon <SABiE Conaoa COUNCIL
GEsuis' A1s--I herewith trsnsmt TO your honorable
body ,npy OF the report Of Lewis A. Sayre A. d. rsh
tktha the barracks in the Park, ands2he
dau6r thence apprenended OF the breaking Qua OF
reniagson and disease visited the place Yesterday, at
lhe request DIR Sayre, and personally bear teeti
uouy 20 OF the staesents contained - the
report l weud respectfully recommend that the Com
non Council take Immediate steps 70 prevent thoxngen
&c 9. GODFREY GUNEHER.
Nav YoRK, Jan. Ia 1864
10 the Hon. c GoyseEy GUNNER Mayor and President
the Commissioners OF Health
prAR SR-ln osedience TO 3our request Of '0is date
visited the Barracks the Park and present the
TIE barracks on the Broadway eide four hundred
feet long by thirty feet wee under the carge Of Captain
cAs three ASSISTANTS TO Keep 4 clean. This is
used q boarding house hoso for the various
soldiers their transit through the CITY TO and from the
seal OF war Al the present eeh hundred men are
accommodated there, independent Of the Provost Guard
who occupy the lower portion Of the barracks ana Toe
number 81 which could tot ascertain The building 10
cted with sufficient regard u ventiaton ~
cold ,ther means OF warming and as they have
but three sstsn il impossible 70 keep II clean with
eiant hundred meu tramping out anu IN WIN sno" ana
mud
Il would requlyc at least fty do justice .hc
place; camp, under military discipline, II would
Jake The whole eight hundred, az each man would be
com, relied 10 police his own quarters. as should
be dene; but here they are simply ooarders
Or guests IN hotel to ,r,n DO waited ,. on and
and the superintendent has control over them and
there entire Of military discipline, some
OF the companies having officers at all as matter Of
course building Is much more dirty than il should
be, but is kept neatly as can be done, under the
circumstances with the amount OF force employed 40
the soldiers compelled TO police their quarters
the camp, II win require, instead Of three as
sistans, least hfty and these, by constant labor
would not more than do the Work 10 muddy and wet
weather
Between these barracks and those Oh the Park row
siructed for only and Of entirely
untitled for this cold weather and absolutely require an
entire reconstruction as they are now constantly frozen
In the Park row side small room Tor the officer 10
charge and the medical attendant is cut of from the
lower corner Of the building embracing one hall its
width and opening into the barracks.
Immediately behind this part is petitloned OF,
which the doctor properly denomnated the pen"
This pom fifteen feet wide twenty feet long, eight feet
high the peak and eight feet TO the caves boarded up
three sides ii hty the fourth, which faces in the
barracks directly opposite an immense stove, which rs
heated to red heat, s separated by Stats tour inches
wide and placed three inches apart.
In this fifteen by twenty there s not bench or stick
OF wood thing 70 sit on, not even post TO lean
against except the four pendcular sides Of the
There s not even straw to cover the oor as hog or
months only thing that separates the
the naked floor In this zen are confined at the present
time and the officer charge informed
me that he had at one time many seventyseven.
Some Of the havo been there from three to four
months. They are thus imprisoned for various military
Offences, breach OF discipline and deserton-a huddlei
In this common pen sick and well together. guard is
placed thn prevent escape and another guard
10 waiting to accompany them the water closet in the
Park, one at time. The other seventysx must wait
their proper turn matter how pressing the necessity,
from dysentery darrha or other cause and OF course
the result OF such barbary can better be imagined than
described.
These fed through the bars, taking the meat
allowed. Spoons are allowed once a day, when they
have SOUP. No blankets allowed thsm unless they
happened to have one themselves when placed there
and but lew Of them thus forunae they have there
fore 10 lie upon the naked floor with the exception OF the
accumulation OF Attn aud mud before referred TO.
sides In spoon fashion and by packing putting the
beads Of the bodies OF the in front, he
could pack forty FIVE pen. The taken
out and chained 10 trees until these forty Ave have had
some SLEEP and then they we're transferred.
The only mode OF cleaning the apartment was by run
ming IN Croton sater from hose through the Stats which
forced the bones, pork Sims potato skins &C. 70 the
back ana corners Of the and IL is nearly level
they there and 10 some places are near an inch
tao in depth.
The men covered with lice and vermin and the
stencil was almost unbearabe.
Dr. Blauvelt, who In attendance and who is kind
hearted honest, faithful man. Informed me that be had
repeatedly reported the nuisance as graphically rs pos
sble his superior officers, General Candy and General
Dix, and demanded redress but up the present time
without any avail
General Dix himself personally visited this place few
days snce and therefore, certify 10 the accuracy u
m, description.
This pesi hole an outrage on humanity burning dis
grace TO any nation and ought not for one moment TO be
tolerated
the general government choose thus TO outrage hu
mainly and treat their soldiers than wild beasts
in Gods name let them take them away from the city
and put them government property and thus assume
city any longer TO be dsgraced by allowing them
cupy tie grounds and on them practice such borrd bar
barities. Very respectfully, &c,
LEWIS A. sAYRE, NJ. D., Resident Physician.