The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-07-12

many evident defects OF ir the Health Board cannot
be made directly answerabe but indirectly they are
for II Is to them that the people look Tor the nitro
ducton OF measures to preserve the health OF the IN
habitants, and whatever affects 1t injurousy they
should move to have abated or amended.
But for purifying the atmosphere OF the city the
Board OF Health are Immediately responsible. Pure
air. like pure water aud wholesome food. il one OF
the necessaries or life without which man cannot
exist in heathful condition. The more city be-
comes crowded the more II is the duty Of those en-
trusted with the execution OF health laws to be
watchfui ana attentive to their duties. And 1t is
especially in localities where thousands upon thou
sands Of the poorer classes crowded together in
tenements that the activity OF the health officers
should be greatest In the broad avenues and streets
lined with the stately mansions OF the wealthy and
fashionable the people located there have themselves
provided ali the means 70 keep the neighbOrhOod
fresh and clean and to remove every source OF
offensiveness. But where hundreds OF families
are crowded together In tile narrow precincts Of
single blocks occupying moor upon moor OF the same
row of buildings, packed together by dozen In
few small rOOms-these people have neither the
means nor the opportunity, and sometimes not even
the INCLINATION to comply with all the requirements
OF hyglenic rules ana 1t is here where the duty Of
the health authorities most tmperatvely calls for In
reference, not only for the protection OF these peO
pie themselves. but OF the whole city. For from
mere the miasma generated by the negligence or
careessness OF the poor may spread and commun-
cate to all parts poisoning tue air Inhaled by the
Win TINS object in view. ana FOR the purpose OF
showing how little Is being done by the Health
Board and how, 1t may even be said, criminay negt
gent the Board hiss been IN this respect the HERALD
ItOm tune to time pointed out very pest holes that
abound In various parts O tue city. But the other
day short reference was made to the condition OF
the streets in the Fourth and Sixth wards where
street sweeper's broom Is but rarely seen and gar
bage carts but seldom make their appearance.
IN THE ELEVENTH WARD.
1t Is now proposed to take review OF the appear
Tnis ward lies east OF avenue b. extending TO the East
river, and bounded south by kvlngtOn and north by
Fourteenth street. In territorial extent 1t Is smaller
than many OF the other wards, but In point OF pOpu
latiOn il stands the third highest the list. hav
ing 72,737 Inhabitants and being ontranked
and the twentieth with sa OF these Il, ISL per.
SONS living In the Eleventh ward, fully S. 900 ire
side, Though the word u somewhat Inappropriate
houses some Of the worst places in the ward are
found In the narrow, short streets east OF Clinton
as Attorney. Ridge, Pitt willett sheriff, Columbia,
Cannon Lewis GOerck Streets &c. Here the centre OF
nearly every block again closely built up with rows
ing out . small passage way between the front and
rear building. and narrow ana often dark lane for
access from the street. Such have been found by
the HERALD commissioner on nearly oil the streets
named between Mvlngt0n and Stanton and also
between stanton aud Houston streets. One on Pitt
street. near Stanton, and three on Goerck street,
near Houston, were entered and examined, and %
they all nearly alike and In tho same condition,
u -
OF what breeding places Of disease they all are The
passage way mentioned between the front and rear
tenements il paved with DOuders and cObblestOnes;
the surface is uneven aud full Of deep ruts and holes
Here the garbage, the vegetable and animal Ofral
from the many Kitchens are promiscuously thrown
Inc gutter which runs through tins passage
way and out through the alley or lane to
the street does tho not carry .o one sns Of
stick to the boulders deposited In the ruts and
holes and there become dec0mpOsed. The nuids
the reverse Of pleasant. heavy. drenchlng shower
is very godsend to these localities, for It washes
good deal Of the sickening NTH away. except what
day afternoon the street cutters are turned into
rushing creeks and rlyuets nlled with black murky.
ment Of ali these courtyards ana alloys
All the other streets and avenues of tins ward
north Of Houston street are more or less In fthy
condition. A few instances Will suffice to indicate
the character a. to cleanliness Of THIS entire locality
On East Sixth street, near avenue 9. o livery
for the storage Of manure. On this entire block
heaps OF garbage can be seen In state OF decOmpo-
st0n, and the cutters are black with stagnsnt mud.
Tenth and Eleventh streets. Here q double
track for = street railroad is being laid
I'M and billed NEAR the gutter oSsrncnp the so ora
aud all the OfYa Stops and other solid and uid sub.
stances are thrown out by the tenants and left on
avenues and C. is literally dotted from line to line
with heaps OF garbage and other filth, and the gut.
ters present the same abominable appearance.
Thirteenth street, between the same avenues IL no
better but II anything IL Ii still worse. In front OF
No. 2O5 avenue b, the ground floor of which Is occu-
pied as grocery store, the sidewalk the gutter and
bage leaves, peapods and other green's and pools OF
stagnant thick and black water, II 1t be that This
ment In this ward and elsewhere. They use the
sidewalks for store purposes. pile up their cabbage,
peas and other vegetables Keep them wet oy sprnx
with pools OF water, and then they throw the
refuse greens, foul leaves, &C., into II. and
the sun. On thirteenth street, near avenue
o. dist,llery establishment has reared IN front of
It and almost in the middle Of the street large hill
OF old rusty iron, which forms SORT Of framework
for a muck heap. Near to this dead cat lies
unburied, no one knows for how long; and on the
same street, just east OF avenue B. stable uses
the sidewalk and the street TO deposit manure
OF the CUTTERS the same may be said In nearly all
the streets Should there not something be done to
remedy this evilf Why does not the Health Board
IN rHE SEVENTEENTH WARD.
In this ward 1t Is little, though not much better
Eleventh street, between First aud Second avenues
for instance Is IN q wretched condition. perfect
hotbed Of noisome smells I on passing through one
been uncorked under his nose sixth street, between
the same avenues 10 also In bad condition. though
s Ss No. % First avenue Se gutter and street.
present the same appearance ~ that complained OF
in the Eleventh ward, heaps u wited nd rotung
exposed to the SUM- Forsyth street, Eldridge street
and other adjoining streets, south or Houston are
slaughter houses used to BE- All the other streets
are a. those In the Eleventh ward filled with garbage
and OfIal One peculiar circumstance was espc-
cIaly noticed All along the avenues ana streets
IN snis ward small heaps Of dried black mud could
be seen Of regular intervals. They were being
driven over and through by vehicles, and the flth
was being rapidly spread out again and carried
over the whole width Of the street. II seems
that under the street cleaning contract with the city,
the contractor bound 10 sweep ese streets at least
once week. He did send hts sweepers there one
Day last week and had the following streets swept
rom the Bowery TO avenue B,--H0uston, First,
Second, Third, Fourth, Fifth and Snth. This &C
counts for the dirt heaps ct regular intervals. But
while sweeping the streets. he failed to send
TO maui Inc neAps away, and what the shower OF
Friday afternoon did not accomplish passing wagons
are doing--dsstrtbuting the inud again over she