New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-03-19
POISONED AIR.
THE HEALTH OF $4,000 PEOPLE IMPERr.E

rHE HEALTH OF $1,000 PEOPLE IIPERILED.
MANURE DUMPING GROUNDs A SOURCE OF DEATH
AND DISEASE--ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY
TONS OF MANURE STORED IN A DENsELY
POPULATED DIsTRICT-PROFITs OF RECK-
LESS CONTRACTORS $1,00O,000 ANNUALLY
PLAGUE SPOTS ON THE EAST AND WEST
sIDES-HOw TIE EVIL MAY BE REMOVED.
The resolution introduced in the Assembly
by Mr.. Moulton of this city, calling the Board OF
Health report whether the charge that vast pescr
Gus manure depot been established along the East
River 'front.' from Forty fourth TO Fortyseventhst is
true and by whose authority this depot has been es
tabshed renders it probable that this nuisance Will be
made subject legislative inquiry, and that steps viii
be taken for its ultimate removal. 1t IS not only on the
east side however that large deposits Of manure arc TO
be found There is a similar nuisance the west side,
in the open lots bounded by Thirty-ifth and Thirty
eghthsts Eleventave. and the river There are other
smaller deposits in various parts OF the city but those
mentioned on the Rivers are far greater
Dusances than all the Others combined
For several years these dumping grounds have
been the subject OF complaint the part OF citizens
living In the vicinity AS the city became more
compacty built and the open spaces used for dumping
grounds encroached upon, these complaints became
frequent. Moreover tho deposits each year in
creased in quantity with the greater number of horses
used on the various car and stage lines ana the odor
from the grounds pcrmeates the air for distance OF
half mile In the immediate vicinity the stencil IL AT
times almost uncomfortable and on hot Summer days all
windows necessarily kept closed to exclude the foul
0dors
UNsCRUPULoUs CONTRACTORS.
Petitions to the Common Council have been OF avail
the contractors engaged In removing the manure from
the stage stables being able to defeat meas
for the relief OF residents The nuisance was not
aated until the creation OF the Board of Health, IN 1906
an attempt made to compel the owners OF the
manure which hal been accumulatng on the east and
sides II from the city limits. The Board
ordered that all manure should be dumped into boats
and removed The contractors urged that 1t was only
during Spring and Fall that they had market; and
that the farmers and marketgardeners their only Gus
toner's would purchase at no other time Fresh stable
manure mixed with hay and straw was not saable un
I'll the had lain for several months, and become
tained its decision, but suggested that Dayd's
or some other island on the East RIVER and some point
along the Palisades or on the NewJersey bank should
be obtained by those who used the east and west side
dumping grounds respectively.
Inc struggle was a long ana Ditter one for every
wliu violation OF the rules OF the Board the offender
was arrested and fined, and finally, after more than two
years of litigation the Board carried its point me
manure removed directly from the stab les TO the
boats and conveyed in them to various polnts ,,o
| shed there little trouble with the manure con-
tractors. As soon. however, as the new Board came
into in tho Spring OF 1870 the old trouble recon-
mcnced. In few months there were Immense deposits
fifth Forty-sixth and Forty seventi-sts and along the
North River from Thirty-iith to me
|
relative to manuredumping fatmelting, slaughterng,
etc. were reGnacted by the Board and efforts to
Spring and Fail the orders OF the Board respected
| the deposits being removed with commendablc regu-
aIy, and sold to the farmers ana market gardeners
but during the remainder OF the the deposits were
allowed to accumulate Perhaps the fact that at least
especial champion OF the awbreakers and could safely
be depended upon to offer technical objections whenever
..Sso,"t.,e.S .s Cher neInTcrs may have had some
hias t. do With the persistent violations OF ORDERS
PROTESTS OF THE VICTIMS.
PROTESTS THE VICTIMS.
Last Sumner petitions were received by the Board Of
Health from large number Of residents in tho vicinity
of the dumpinggrounds at the foot of East Foryhfth
Forty.sixth and complaining that the
stencil arising the decayng rendered their
houses almost uninhabitable Sultry the day might
be- people could not raise window because OF the foul
odor that pervaded the air at all times 1t was also as
that the health Of the negbOrhood was materially
affected by this horrible nuisance, and that there was
great danger Of pestence The petitions were signed
persons living in First Second Third Lexington Fourth
M Mssoner smith WRo lives
between Fifth and sxthayes declared that on days when
deposits ess wa offensive at his residence How
1t close at hand may readily be 30 urgent
dweers in brown stone mansions alike that the Board
OF the Objections Of the opposition member and
0ubbng Of Others an order was passed directing the
S%aa to- the deposits forthwith and
dunn on the ground An effort was made TO prove that
tine met oS STcdSte of ea but Without
cess; and suits begun against the recusant CON
at the request OF the Defendants and ultimately com
promised. The contractors then resumed dumping on
| the ground. - r,..,o. r.o
Contractors obey the orders OF the Board OF Health as
long AZ they please and longer being confident that
the imposition Of small fine is the only penalty and
not even this in all cases The METROPOLITAN Board oI
Health, during the last year Of Its pGnt ae
| day to secure the observance OF the law.
| PROFITS OF THE TRADE
II ia estimated by those who cOnversant with the
business, that about one million loads OF manure are
yearly removed from this city Each load Is estimated
to be worth 81 when properly cured for Market making
total income Of for those who are engaged In
the busness The manure its state, costs about
s cents per load at stables In all OF the large car
and sta stables the is removed by contract
The Sixthave. Railroad Company receives $1,000 annl-
aiIv for stable manure the Thri-ave. Railroad Com
pany 5000 and Others III proportion IL Is thns appi-
enrased in the business OF removing manure and
company formed for this purpose, and grounds rented
u sufficient distance away from the Guy There woula
three by Commissioner Stepncn Smlth ana DE-
Elisha Harris to 2 number OF wealthy men. lt was
shown by these officers that the business OF removal
could be conducted in nOfensive way by the use OF
properly constructed covered carts, and the prevention
OF ACCOMMODATIONS. The project was not favornby re-
'''' GLIMPSE OF PLAGUE sroTs
At no time during the past year have the dumping
grounds been in worse condition than at the present On
thc grounds of Messrs. Kane Ryan there are about
10 400 loads In all stages of decay About 900 loads are
dumped daily and gangs OF constantly engaged
In stirring UP this manure, to prevent 1t nom heating
and dcprectating in value The nauseating exhalatons
iii the air considerable distance ana IN the nme
date ncighborhoOd the stencil almost taxes away tno
breath x portion of this reekng mass Is piieo up
again It one OF OF tenements The occupants com
plain bitterly OF the STENCIL ana say th rs soon AZ
warm weather begins they viii be compelled 10 remove