The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-07-18
LONG ISLANDS, PEST HOLES.

The Dutch Kills Fnt Boiling and Gut Cleaning
Facteries-The Homo Of New Y0rk's Oustcd
Nuisance Breeders.
Dutch Kills and Ravenswood form the Third ward
OF Long Island City, RavenswoOd being built up
almost entirely by the wealthy New Workers.. who
have erected handsome palaces recently along the
shores Of the East river. opposite Blackwell's
Island. Dutch Kills is the abiding place, with an
occasional exception, Of the poorer classes-work.
men who have moved here for bit Of fresh air and
health. 1t s situated the high land back Of Hun
ters Point, at the source Of the creek OF the same
name. Five hundred families have here congre.
gated, mostly Of that class who occupy tenement
houses in New York. Small houses, small gardens,
goat or cow, q half dozen hens and the air be-
long TO each Of these poor families
Six months ago the Metropolitan Board Of Health
drove from New York o large number OF establish
ments calculated to iDjure the public health-fat
boiling establishments, which the owners conended
were cleanliness itself; fertilizing manufacturers
the odors Of which could be detected from river to
river; pggeries, where the filth down the gut
tiers IN streams. all inspected, examined. dis
cuSsed and decided to be nuisanceS. They were
accordingly banished, ana In an evil hour their pro-
prietors looked upon Dutch Kills ana satisfied.
The same war which was waged against them In
New York Is now being enacted at Dutch Kills. the
same arguments are brought forward to prove that
the obnoxious gases OF these concerns are not detr
mental to health.
Located within space OF less than small block
IS an establishment FOR cleaning entails 1.-THE initia-
factory OF Fertilizers, two fat boiling estab shments
and ten piggeres, In which from 200 10 1000 pigs
are fed upon the refuse OF New York city.
In the first establishment are employed ten men
day and night hunks being fitted in the upper part
for the gang OF hands, which Is of work to sleep
in The enrals are brought from the slaughter
houses directly here, and the fat and other eXtrane
Gus matter removed, after which they are sailed
down. Although MI. Egner tries 10 keep the estab.
that cleanliness Is impossible. The Odor for 100
yards from the building is disgusting. 1t is this
establishment which so nauseOuS to the passengers
OF the Flushing and Long Island railroads, which
run recty through this infected district. The
filth and decOmpOsed matter empties into Dutch
Kills creek and together with all the drainage OF
the district, Is carried backwards and forwards by
the td e. ahil finally II reaches the tst river
and Patrick McArdle are trle less lthy, but still
are OF such character that they should not be al
lowed within miles Of q dwelling house. The colec-
lions from the city are brought here in barrels and
boiled In an immense alright boiler, from which a
PIP PIPE connects with worm The gases. after al
the air. II possible, in this district more foul. The
pggeries are as Oathsome as either OF the other
York and, in fermentng state brought to the yards
1t Is then dumped into an immense iron kettle where
course arising and pervading the entire neighbor.
hood. In some OF the Establishments there two,
III others only one, probably fifteen or sixteen boil
cfS In all, holding at least ten barrels each OF swi.
The swirl after being boiled is left In open wooden
tanks, and the action OF the sun upon the vile COM
pound helps to increase the e1uvia which pervades
the district The excrescences of the piggeries the
tat boiling factories and the intestnes Is used TO
manufacture patent fertilizers at an establishment
near. At low tide along the whole length OF Dutch
Kills creek the partially decomposed animal matter
can be traced and when the sun Is exceedingly hot
rols OF the creek. Those who dwell near this in
fected district complain bitterly Of the situation,
but until lately their complaints have been passed
over without notice. DIR. Denner the new Health
Ocer, has gone actively to work to have these pests
removed. but tlier political ana financial influence