The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-08-02

large bodies OF water al over the island which In
fence and disease
Whenever becomes, desirable to improve the lots
adjacent To these emDan ulents for sale or bulldog
pnrI oses earth Ia dumped IN to ab sOrb the water
Which none the less present because It Ia not
Tue son. becoming saturated, torn a sort OF SPONGE
through which the water ascenlssby capillary aitrac-
tion, givng our Constant less fatal 10
ue',sn man Tue S'ghant water which II replaced
any system OF sewerage. no matter how perfect.
would not be remedy for TINS evil, Tor the ewers
are but Ten or Twelve feet below the grade OF the
streets whe, as has been stated. IN some Instances
these streams are forty feet below the grade OF the
Streets being thirty feet between the bottom Of the
sewer anu tue water OF DRAINAGE.
furthermore, within the corporate limits OF the
city. mere tnan TOO acres have been filed in where
the Tue once no ied, aad the material OF filing
uds gcheraliy been the worst description OF earth for
sucn purpose. The fearful ravaVes OF eprieruics
IA tnose portions OF the city are sufficient evidence
Commencing at the Battery and following the
original topography we lind that previous TO the
year 1920 an Inlet, and subsequently a canal, ran
tnrou1h what Is now Broad street. "a far az Ex-
cnangc piace, Win branch running toward the
west through Beaver street, ar rewards known AZ
.ne oin Di.cn' me main canal was crossed by
Two principa bridges, one at where is now l,riage
street anu the other at Stone street. while ut
beaver street there were two smaller bri ges for
loot passengers The Long Island Terry house ssooj
W tne corner OF New street anu Exchange place,
tue Terry boat passing through the canal.
A., .,..e .ut.ncr north Scream rau through what
- now MAIDEN lane. Next above, where Is now
Ferry street was Bcckmans Park a large tract or
wei iahd from which stream ran inio the East
river. Next was the Collect Pond a large body
OF fresh water, SAID 10 have been seventy feet m
depth. located in the basin, the sight OF which "a
now occupied ny the foiahs. On this small lake
ritcn iauncheu ms frst steamboat. stream called
the Wreck brook run from the Collect TO the East
river, through low meadow; 1t emptied into the
river al the loot OF what Is now called Roosevelt
street.. rhere was formerly bridge across this on
the old road. which IL now Chatham street.
Inc man o.. OF the Collect was by stream
running 10 the North river through tile Li5penard
swamp, which covered very large surface extend.
Ing IRON Duane street on the south Spring street.
large stone bridge eros sed this stream at Canal
street. In the year 1856 project was submitted by
TWO engineers TO tue city authorities for making
. JOCK or basu OF the Collect safe
haroor 1Or shipping, and to OraIn and carry
or the water from that quarter by means
OF ship canal This shows what an extensive ar
posed that when the city is built upon ali the water
Will disappear, but such is not the case.
me very material which IL thrown in to cover 1t
up Will form nucleus for its increase not only re.
tanning larger amount OF moisture, but Will have
added TO 1t the DRAWINGS through the animal and
vegetable refuse which accumulates in ali
large cities. The consequences which we
have already felt are trining compared TO
the suffering that will follow the entire occupation
OF the Island. The older cities of Europe give US
sun1clent evidence OF this. They pursued the same
course winch we are following, ana what mas been
the resu'tS rake Tor instance, the city OF Glasgow;
for five years ending 1910, 55,S49 persons were at
Tackled with 1ever-every nth person IN the city;
out of these Ass died. We know not at what mo.
ment, under combination of uufavOrable circum-
stances, pesiilence may brcay out among US:
everything ripe for 1t, and 80 1t begins so
sure Will itfOOw the water lines.
The remedy to be applied in the lower part of the
city IL TO widen the narrow streets and 10 raise the
grade where the streets pass through the original
depression OF the surface Narrow streets under any
circumstances are q curse 10 city They are, too.
generally the abGdes of vice ana crime. In them an
ordinary sickness spreads into pesence and fire
INTO cOnhagrati0n. They are always filthy in sum-
mer and frequently blocked up with snow In
winter. They are not ft for business purposes for
they sli1e commerce: nor for residence for they
on n trlr arp
more healthy and cheerful for residences and more
useful ana valuable for business purposes. There
less danger !f0m ure US the flames cannot spread
across tine street. They are cleaner IN summer ana
are never impassable In winter. By constructing
lateral drains along the slope OF the depressions in
the lower part OF the city, and connecting them with
the sewers they Will intercept the water IN its de-
scent and prevent Its accumulation m the origi-
nii basins, and then raising the grade at the same
time widening the streets and perhaps disseminating
some Of the short and insignificant streets IN the
sixth ward, the health OF the city Will be improved
lUO per cent. SO Tar rs regards the upper part of
the city, II Is absolutely necessary that some sy stem
should be adopted for the free fow OF water along
tile channels OF the original drainage stream. This
can be done by building more SUBSTANTIAL culverts
beneath the streets and by the construction of
permanent drains, butt as to admit OF the percO
lation OF water through the nerstces or the cover
ing. These drains should be excavated TO a firm
saostratuin. anu every properly owner should be
compelled 10 construct, or uniform character that
portion Of each drain which may pass through his
property.
Let us hope that the time is coming when we shall
do some credit 10 the higher intelligence and broader
philanthropy which characterize the aye in which
we i've and shall adopt those measures which are
so clear and imperatvely necessary ii we
would avoid the want and woe, and wretchedness
which form SO many black phases in the history OF
the cities OF Europe. In this money making, money.
wasting generation, let us not be deaf to tue lessons
or the past. And whle we are erecting our marb lie
palaces Of trade, rearing our domestic affairs in
glded aud frescoed halls. and seeking heaven with
the spires OF our gothic temples OF religion let US
not forget that more tnan all this spendur surround
ed the thrones or the Cnsars, and yet Rome fell
under the combined influences OF q awicss dcmoc-
racy and the malaria of the Pontine marshes
In her history we may read our future unless we
learn wisdom Dy her experience.
General Vlele proposes that low, level sewer Of
DrcE, built In Golfer dam, be laid along both river
nOuts, by the bulkheads, to receive the drainage OF
the sewers and meeting at the Battery be run out in
tunnel TO the tidal channel, thus entirely relieving
the shores OF the Island from the n0xlous and often
sivc matter tnat is forever floating up and down Dy
the piers ~ either side.