The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-01-30

Meeting Of the Board Of Health-Report Of
Health Inspectors on the Condition of Gel
lars-Work Done During the Week
Bad Condition of Schools
The Mortality Tables.

The Board Of Health held its regular meeting yes
terday, and took action upon several matters OF
Importance. A letter received from the United
States Consul at Gibraltar relative to vessels eav
ing there for this port without proper bills OF
health ordered to be sent to the Health Oficer
OF the Port Some bills for work done were or
dered to be paid and the following report upon the
sanitary condition Of cellars &C., in the First
ward was placed on file:-
BUREAU OF SANITARY INSPECTION. Jan. %, 1873.
To G. CEccARNI, NJ. D., Chairman OF the Sanitary
SIR have respectfully to report that during the
past week thirty-one manufactures and workshops
have been inspected, nine Of which are reported as
the proper means OF ventilation or from exhala-
lions due to the want OF proper regard to ceanli-
ness Three hundred and nine cellars and base
ments have been inspected forty-fOur OF which are
reported as in condition detrimental to health,
and Of these latter twenty-seven are reported as
unfit for human habitati0n, each report includinga
recommendation that the cellar be vacated. The
following report of Inspectors Stiles and Roberts
an idea OF the progress of this work and the cond-
ton Of the cellar population in that portion OF the
CITY,
spected every cellar in the ward and have found
but few Of them occupied as dwellings. The fellow
NEW YORK CITY, Jan. 81, 1879
E. Fl. JAMES, M. d., City Sanitary Inspector, &c. =
SIR-haying completed our cellar survey Of the
general report of the same. The survey was made
with view OF ascertaining the sanitary condition
OF the inhabited cellars, with reference to the ne
cessity OF vacating them as dwelling places. And
we were guided in our inspections by the clause of
section Of the Sanitary Code, which defines
cellar to be basement or lower story OF any
building or house Of which one-haf or more OF the
level Of the street adjoining" the points Of in
quiry In relation TO these inhabited cellars
~ e S a o hrd ihe
average number OF dodgers, II any; fourth, the
sanitary condition of and the diseases to which
these inmates seemed :, most predisposed;
fifth, as to whether there was any air
space beneath the flooring. and the condition
OF flooring, as to dampness, repair. &C.. sixth. the
height OF the adjoining ground street or Yard in
front and rear, the size, condition OF area space If
any; eighth, the number and size OF windows by
which ventilation could be secured; ninth, the
means and amount OF ventilation; TENTH the drain
age; eleventh, the amount OF rent paid:
The First ward comprises the whole lower angle
of the island bounded by the North and East
rivers and by Liberty street and Maiden lane on
the north. In this space we found but thrty-three
cellars inhabited as sleeping places by families,
dodgers or individuals. Against thrty-one OF these
we made formal complaints, recommending their
vacation as places OF human habtation. With but
exception these cellars are located on the west
side of Broadway.
We inspected, Of course, great number Of cell
lars BESIDES but found them used simply as PLACES
of business or storage; some Tor dining rooms anil
saloons in connection with the boarding houses
above them, DC. very large number OF cellars
were found closed ana barred up, having been
very properly vacated as dwellings within the past
mentioned seventeen were occupied by single
families, sometimes as shop and dwelling CON-
bined; i've as saloon and lodgings and eleven as
lodgings. 1t is OF course, impossible to rely en-
tirely upon the statements made by occupants, and
equally difficult to draw the line very closely be-
tween cellars which claim to be family cellars and
those which are lodging cellars. Judging from APP
pearances, however, the lodgings" business, as
lar as cellars are concerned, does not appear to be
in very i0urishing condition in this ward.
Nor are the lodging cellars themselves as
crowded or in as poor sanitary condition as those
of the Fourth ward; that is, relatively, for none of
them are ut for human beings to live in.
Most Of these cellars are In the hands of agents
and sub-agents or lessees, fact which is always
intimately connected with the existence of de-
fective and unsanitary conditions. Where owners
interest themselves directly in the condition OF
their property the effect IS very perceptbe in the
appearance both Of property ana tenants.
In regard to the general condition OF these Gel.
generally OF good size, except bedrooms, which
are frequently made by partitoning or a portion
Of the main room into small cells about Sx6 feet,
the door. Ceilings range In height from door from
six to eight feet the larger number being
few are only five feet ten inches high.
They are mostly on level with the pavement
OF adjoining street sidewalk. Not more than two
OF the whole thirty-three cellars had any under
space beneash the noOrs ana the area space was
generally little more than nominal compliance
with the tenement house law. Windows, although
afordIng in most instances tolerable amount OF
light, were, in almost every instance, con-
structed and located that they could not be used
absence OF any adeauate measures for proper
Observation-Disclosures ventilation. Drainage, in
tirely. Rents range from 81 to $4o-the worst eel
lars apparently bringing the highest rents. Rheu-
na On tbs 70 of these ndsr
ground habitations. The Irish and Germans were
most largely represented in this cellar population,
the latter belonging more to the class OF families
and saloons.
The general conditions OF these cellars were such
as can be best expressed in w0rd-dlthy
hOuSeS-Once
mansions OF the city, now diapidated and passing
through strange and varying phases OF occupancy.
The only two cellars which we excepted from CON-
plant and recommendation OF vacation were in
a modern built tenement house, constructed in
accordance with he acquisitions of the Tenement
House act, and with certain special Improvements
OF the owner which did credit to his heart and good
sense.
In conclusion we beg leave to state that this
inspection has confirmed most fully our previous
conviction that no plea and no subterluge should
ground apartment for purposes OF human habita-
CHARLES +. ROBERTS, M. D.,
HENRY II. STILES, NJ. D.,
Jan. %, 1878 Health Inspectors.
seventeen school buildings have been inspected,
being those of the Twentieth and Twenty -second
wards, and against all OF which reports are made
Of their bad sanitary condition. Six OF them have
class rooms ., so CAMP ana darK tnat tney are DE
case II is recommended that the entire building pc
| vacated.
ACCOMPANYING this communication are the sew
cral reports which are forwarded to the Board lor
the proper action. Respectfully submitted,
T.. II. JAMES, NJ. d.,
City Sanitary Inspector.
WORK OF THE WEEK.
The City Sanitary Inspector reported a total OF
1850 cases attended to by the Health Inspector
| and his assistants The Disinfectng Corps visited
As premises where contagious diseases existed and
| fumigated them. The Ambulance Corps removed
IL cases Of smallpox to the City Hospital. The fol-
! lowing is a comparative statement OF contagious
| diseases reported for the two weeks ending Janu-
uary 20, 1875
~. ~, se~- 4ea- Diph- Small
January Is .........2 ~ ~ % q
January % ......... 3 ii u
THE CrTy's SICK LIST.
The following tabulated statement Is furnished
by the Register OF Records:-