The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1866-08-06


small In thus view, although the political
record Of Mr.. McCulloch my be satisfactory,
he has otherwise become identified with Secre-
tary Chase and his policy, so that his retire.
ment becomes as essential to Cabinet clearly
representing the policy OF Andrew johnson
as the retirement Of Mr.. Seward, Stanton or
Welles.
The Nuisnnces Of the City-Work for the
Board of Health.
The chapter of nuisances which we pub
lished yesterday shows conclusiyely that the
work of cleansing and purifying the city is far
from completed. 1t reveals the fact Of the ex-
istence of cholera nests OF the worst character,
and that disease Of all kinds is not only fos-
tered, but invited, by these numerous pest
houses Of the city. What is more, they are not
confined to one locality, but are scattered all
over the city, endangering the health and lives
OF our citizens in almost every section of the
metropolis. Not only are the occupants of the
buildings described subjected to epidemics and
disease of all kinds, but the very character of
the nuisances Is such as to poison the atmos-
phere for blocks around them, rendering 1t
dangerous even to pass through the streets.
Tae wonder is, not that the cholera is on the in
crease, but that, with such material to assist
1t, these neighborhoods have not long since
been depopulated by that or other MAS
matte diseases We're it not that the facts
and data given in the description of these
places were obtained from q personal ex-
animation, 1t would be almost impossible to
believe that such things exist in the city. How
owners of property and landlords can be
80 regardless Of life as to allow their tenement
houses and other establishments to relapse
into such condition is beyond all comprehen-
sion. We should think that they would be
afraid to 60 near enough to their own property
to collect the rents. The Board of Health
should obtain the names Of the owners of all
these houses and tenements and publish them
to the world, that the public may see who the
parties are and who are responsible for these
nuisances- Lot us have the names, that the
people may know whom TO blame, and who in
our midst are so parsimonious rs to thus endan-
ger the health OF the entire metropolis. In
this way, perhaps, II in no other, they may be
shamed into decency.
But let us look ct the facts ~ described by
our reporter. II il true thst they are almost
too disgusting TO consider. Here we have
tenement houses crowded with Luman beings,
some of them with upwards Of thirty families
under one roof, with leaky roofs, sewerage
obstructed cellars in IN abominsble condi-
ton, while In one place the water stands ~
deep in the basement tina, the approaches to It
have to be nailed up to prevent the occupants
of the other floors from being drowned. We
cannot imagine what nend in human shape
could have the effrontery 10 rent ont such .
building or even to allow any person TO oc-
cupy u so long ~ il is in such . condition
This, bad ~ il il, II not the worst place de-
scribed. The slaughter houses on the cast sidc
Of the city, especially in the Fourteenth ward
present horrible state Of Affairs, where stag
nsnt blood stands in pools in the yards, with
decomposed DIAL and vermin in oil their dis
gushing details;" the effuvium from which
penetratos one Of the ward schools, whore the
children in attendance are obliged to inhalc
the foul atmosphere. Thus Il IL, whether We turn
20 james, Madison, varick, Ciarkson, Washing
ton, Marion, Elizabeth, Mott, Leonard, Thomas.
West broadway, Thames, Suffolk, Ludlow,
stanton, Dry Dock, Jersey street or Second
avenue. or even into some Of the uptown
streets, such as Twensy-third, Thirty-ninth,
Thirty fourth Forty-seventh or Thirty-second.
We dnd in some portions the existence of these
disgusting places, inviting disease and cpl
demics. The very material is found in sll OF
these places 10 assist the spread Of disease Of
all kinds and almost insure the defamation of
the population in he neighborhood.
But what has The Board Of Reslsh been
sbout oil summer tlst these nuisance. have
our judges have in,erfercd and prevented
their removing the fat melting, bone boiling
and slaughter house pests. but their inluc,ions
do not apply 70 he tenement house. or any
such dangerous places ne thosc described ia
East Thr,y-second. Madison or Washington
street Extraordinary powers were given
them by the last Legislature Tor the es-
pres. purpose Of correcting all these evils.
which the owners, either from cupdity NJ moan
ness, would not remedy themselves. The f1cts
which W. published yesterday show a rcgIcct
~ duty somewhere. II may he that some men,
hers Of the sanitary squad ARE in league with
the owners Of these places. We know u in
stances where they have notified parties CON-
planned agsin-, that sbcy need NOT do anything,
aud this practice may have been extensive. A.
any rate. there i evidently great negligence
somewhere; aud We insist, In behalf % the
people, that the authorities nov 20 t. work n
earnest. We have given tlicm spiIitien, facts
will look e. these nuisaucts and have them
ahatcd-thcse disgusting places overloaded.
and cleansed. n this Is nos done A. once