The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1865-11-03
NEW YORK HERALD FRIDAY, NOVEMBER s. 1868

II is anticipated the most beautiful architectural displays
viii be made in the construction Of private residences
large bodies Of water, collected in basins covering an
area OF several blocks for which suitable oue<e exist
These basins Of water Furnish t rs true delightful recre
alton IN winter for skating parties who little dresm they
are gliding the valley q DEATH for in summer these
basins filled with rank vegetation the water is
suffering from the edocts Of fever and ague, in
termittent iyphus and typhoid fevers, incident
ruthless specuators who now bold this property
exorbtant rates WILL perhaps, in few months when
they are ready TO SELL dump few carloads earth into
this ietd mass and offer the lots for sale as the most
eligible building sites on Manhattan Island But few
years will elapse before the Illusion is destroyed and this
locality prove 10 be the most unhealthy in the city
unless the proper remedies applied. There
portions of the island, both up town and down town.
such Murray Hin and the moro elevated portions OF
Broadway, where residences are mol affected by the
evil we have referred TO- and where property viii always
Command re. .ne e., %
all classes OF society," and becomes the duty of every
citizen mater where he may reside, TO demand that
remedial shall be adopted before the esolang
eiecsof widespread epidemic shall have told us that
il is TOO late.
.tEH.a GENERAL vIRLEs REMEDY.
The remedy 10 be applied in the lower part OF the city
il TO widen the streets and 10 raise the grade
where the streets pass through the original depression OF
the surface Marrow streets, under any circumstance,
TO city They generally the abodcs OF
vice and crime In them ordinary sickness spreads
into pestlence, and lre ntoa confederation BY con-
ctng lateral drains along the slope Of the depressons
In the part Of the city, and connecting them with
the sewers they will intercept the water in Its descent
and prevent accumulation in the original basins; and
then raising the grade at the same time widening the
Streets and perhaps disseminating OF the short and
insignificant in tie Sixth ward, the health OF the
city will be improved hundred per cent SO far as
regards the upper part Of the city 1t s absolutely neces
sary that system should be adopted Tor the free
flow of along the channels OF the original drainage
streams This be done by building more substantial
cuverts beneath the streets, and by the con-
struction OF permanent drains 80 built as TO
admit Of the pcrcolation of water through
the interstices of the covering These drains
should be excavaed TO firm substratum, and every
property should be compelled TO construct OF
uniform character that portion of each drain which may
pass through his property. Where buildings already
occupy the entire site OF Of these streams Is the
In many instances, especially In that OF the
"Minetta water stream which ran from the vicinity
Of Union square, through the lower portion Of Fifth
avenue Washington square, emptying into the North
river in the neighbOrhood OF Vandam street. will be
necessary passage way under the houses,
skiful engineering, and then constructing open
restored to their original condition, and more evil
effects felt from the presence OF water or dampness
After the great fire in London which succeeded the great
plague OF 1865, and In which over thirteen thousand
houses destroyed opportunity was Afforded the
authorities to do the very thing which Is now ncces-
sary for TO do in the city Of New York-namcy, to
restore the old drainage streams in the manner we have
suggested As regards London the enormous population
included within its limits could never have existed
there had not that system been adopted amt