The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1865-08-28
HE B AT E r Y.
FILTHY CONDITION OF CASTLE GARDEN
A DISGRACE TO THE CITY.
&c. &c. &c.

A walk down TO Castle Garden and the Battery will
reveal TO the reflective citizen sad state OF neglect
consequent decay This portion of the city rst seen by
the stranger on arriving from foreign country must
necessarily present to hs mind if he uses the faculty of
reflection damaging estimate OF the condition OF the
first city OF the American continent II is not until he
has run the gauntlet Of the dsaeeabe sou nts sights
and smells that greet him if he should have the mis-
fortune to be landed anywhere the confluence Of
the North and East rivers, and begin inhale purer
atmosphere and witness all the signs of Aourishing
community, that he begin estimate the greatness
f the Empire City.
To begin with the Battery itself. The huge circular
unsghtly building into which emigrants ushersd on
their arrival is in state Of dapdation painful to
witness The plaster is fast stripping from the walls
and ceiling; great patches Of bare lath visible
in both, and large holes in the floor, highly
suggestive of decay ard ruin, not to
ton the positive danger of walking beneath the
stanty railing masses OF plsster overhead especially TO
young children, with which the building is frequently
thronged on the arrival of immigrant vessels In fact,
the aspect OF the entire edidce is sufficient TO suggest to
minds not very mid apprehensions Of the whole tum-
bling down about the of its inmates Of these fine
DAYS nights Unfortunately there chance of any
OF those who are responsible for the safety OF the build
ing being beneath its roof when such catastrophe &C.
ours, If it ever does-which may Heaven forefend-or
such lesson might be taught their survivors as might
induce them TO look more carefully after the safety OF
the structure in the future only in consideration Of
their own precious,iives.
Next in importance ito safety is the cleanliness that
ought TO be observed throughout building where hun
dreds oil soourn night and day. So far however,
Is any attention paid to this first requisite Of sanitary
ngemens that the floor and every part of the interior Is
thicky coated in this dry weather. with black dust,
which, in seasons of ra must be converted into mud of
such consistency would delight the heart Of Cork pig
or Florida mud turtle Wherever you turn dirt meets
your eye, comes in contact with your clothing and de-
touch any object In fact the use Of soap and water in
the interior OF Castle Garden is the pre-
coas comWodiie;i Havana hotel apq ths! Is saying
great deal And in the midst Of all this filth, and the
foul atmosphere thereby engendered and aggravated by
the want of proper ventilation hundreds Of strangers Of
both sexes and all whose advent to these shores is
so desirable, are hudded together till they obtain en-
ploy or take their chance of livelihood in the dis
an West. AT present the old structure is pretty well
five ship loads Of them having arrived on Friday, aud
one on Saturday They consist of Irish Germans,
nationalitics Of Northern and Western Europe.
1t is of the first importance that the sanitary regulations
of the landing and abiding place OF these people, and
others who are Hooking here TO augment the strength Of
the great republic should be such to give
ance of health and comfort during thor temporary resi-
dence there
Outside Castle Garden the Battery grounds present suf
ncieny forlon appearance On entering the enclosure
from the left side of the Bowling Green, passing down
wards drcary waste is presented to the eye,
bling a miniature Sahara--f the term be admissible.
Advancing towards the barracks and thence to the fer
ree, you indeed come upon patches OF green sward,
with walks between, shaded by BILE trees but such
patches also 'shTeds' OF what they in
former days InteIspersed among the trees too, and
lyin ctims the grass, and about often the
bare earth, whore the grass has been trampled out
groups CT azzaroni may be seen IN attitudes more sug-
gestive Of the whskcy shop than ''syvan grove or
'shady covert while general air Of neglect pcrvados
the entire place
The barracks which we're erected for the accommoda
ton of our brave troops, who constantly arriving
and parting, are well enough in the enclosure contain
ing them but the roce would do well to put stop to
the disgusting nuisaces and exposure Of person constant
~ taking pla Q lust outside the fence
such The Battery and Castle Garden, they
not as they WERE when they the fashionable resort
of te citizens oi New York in former days. and such as
they can be made again A jrd'cious expenditure OF
money ia building quay wall along the front,
keeping the grass plots order, and generally beautfy
ing the locality, Wond do much towards eeyatiDg the
tastes of The down town popuaton who cannot afford the
time nor the expense of frequent trips To the Park;
while proper ard for cleanliness aud order in the
Battery building would tend materially to improve the
health and comfort OF the Immigrants.