The New York herald., 1872-12-16
GREED IN CONFLICT WITH HEALTH.
Startling Pictures To Be Studied and
Abuses To BE Corrected

Abuses 10 lie Corrected
We live in an age OF cheap construc tion, specu-
lation, competition and greed having joined in the
race 70 get rich, and, consequently, honesty and
safety get pushed to the wall. We witness this in
every department OF industry and manufactures.
One OF the results OF this greedy competition Is
the introduction and acceptance Of inferior work
manship not only on the part OF and by the pri-
vate individual, but by the departments OF the city
government, in dealing with contractors. 1t is
pad enough when this Affects only the value OF
private property; but when 1t creates conditions
which are directly injurious to the health comfort
and even the lives of the community. and when it
Is likely to affect not only the present community,
but to descend as a legacy to future generations,
1t becomes grave question for consideration by
our civic authorities. These remarks are sug-
gested by certain facts that now being col
lated to the Irregularities and criminal careless
ness Of wOrkmen IN the
CONSTRUCTION OF OUR PUBLIC SEWERS,
the sewer connections with houses and the plumb
ing necessary tc secure health and proper ventila
ton for our earthly tabernacles.
While we yearly spending hundreds OF thou
sands OF dollars in street cleaning and other sani
tary work to protect health and life our sanitary
savans in the past seem to have almost entirely
FOUL AIR AND GASES
that they engender and force out into Our bed
rooms, Kitchens and parors to poison the blood
and create disease OF the most malignant type.
Clean Streets the removal Of animal and vegetable
matter from yards and houses, the disinfection OF
Closets &c, are sanitary precautions that it is well
should not be neglected. but ell medical authorities
agree that the sewer gases are the most virulent
pos0ns. The sewers OF the city being under
the control OF the Department OF Public Works
the Board OF Health have been unable
to devote much attention to them and the effect
OF bad workmanship in their construction upon the
public health. Yet at various times during the
past ton years reports have been made looking to
reform in their construction. Among the gen.
tlemen who have carefully investigated the subject
from sanitary point OF view are DR.. Henry r.
Stiles, Inspector, and James Ingram, Assistant En-.
glneer OF the Board OF Health. These gentlemen
for years have studied the entire subjects Of
STREET AND HOUSE SEWERS,
plumbing and house construction, and are now en-
gagged In the compilation OF their voluminous re-
port covering the whole ground. In it will be made
some startling revelations, that cannot fail to have
. good lfect more especially in the construction OF
sewers, waste pipes prvy vaults, cesspoo,s, hy-
drants, bahtubs, slop sinks and cellars reporter
OF the HERALD was permitted lew days ago to
tracts that will be perused by every reader OF the
HERALD who is interested in the scientific con-
struction OF houses. and a perfect sewer system
that will do away with the poisonous odors that
are now exhaled from many Of them even in the
more arlstocratic neighborhools.
ON THE OBJECT AND PRINCIPLES OF SEWERAGE
the inspectors devote considerable space. The iol-
lowing, however are brief extracts:-
Now the object Of being not the reception Of
% se ses s a Ia ane swer @ s If o @ ss
do not % provide eth this % Immediate eonveyanes with
IN mse Of
weeks and months giving forth It's most pencious gases
.STousS the sews, opsnnss into the street. %. ?!
the city S py 4e system e. Indeed TO no wos
But that this unfortunate state of things can and
s shhsS1'y
e SpnSa utterly patent
% every city resident 1t becomes a pertinent
through what aSisss; sswsTs nSpeIs
srScns perverng is junction Ss%s pas
sage into m ha IF mere & Of @ may
and ys% Of
iy 9hs sewer Or its tributary brsnshes; third from
Ge either in aSnany or force Of the waer
the contents d the sewers; fourth from animpericct
detects ci eo8stracion either in Workmanship or mate
CONDITION OF SEWERS IN A CITY.
hSa ora a aa aem %s % s sSnnr
"' saessn %s as s%%s
@ svns aHss out s0wy sa lhss' this
lifting stree, ma%Sels fy y one ne o os!
IRON houses sewers and, by culvcrts from occasional
keep them Roronshy Washed out Il they ali had
the deseen, and were entirely free from
often do not obtain Then, we have beneath our street
AN ELONGATED pRrvY VAULT,
miles In lcngtha constant of disease and annoy
M less dreadful or active because II is hidden
from our sight In the summer season the peculiar
by any one OF average smelling powers
The decomposition OF the organic matters which com.
pose the thick backish and tenacious mud sewers
drains prvy vaults and cespools s constantly going on
on an offensive and deoterious gas which bubbles up
through the Waer on the surface 9he sewage mud and md
Sd. 'ns ses ssbs es''s.
nabie, and easily lighted with match This,
ns air snd sssens ses San o9 senon
S.s ssesnS n w ssfsps ns at at the
side atmosphere OF much lower temperature we can
easily see that watery yapor condensed like steam This
vents Than inside of houses where higher tempe
prevahs The amount OF this gas given Oh into the
The defects Of house ID drainase Sewerage &C. 70 which
scnss to the sys eye nor e ne smell Indeed
searcheI who has been exposed TO them for brief
period that y almost impossible for him or his friends
the trouble Yet medical literature is full OF examples
rou5 iuuuenccs may result IN the serious disease
DEFECTIVE SEWERS
The facts collected by these gentlemen show
that many OF the street sewers OF the city are 20
imperfectly constructed that for distance OF many
blocks the now OF water is either completely OBJ