The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-07-03
"OLEANL1NEss NEXT TO GOODNESS"


"OLEANLINEss NEXT TO GOODNESS"
This would seem to be the age OF reason.
People in the great metropolis who refuse TO care
for themselves are forced to obey the commands OF
the law aud to live in healthy habtations From
aiar on come many vague rumors OF terrible
pestience, which, threatening TO sweep over the
land, promises to bring death to thousands OF
households Whether In the more aristocratic
mansion on the avenue on the fourth door OF q
crowded tenement, these uncomfortable whisper
ings are full OF grave import to every resident.
Rumor has 1t, likewise, that the curse comes most
surely those districts In which the population is
most dense and the individuals least cleanly.
Surely, OF all the clty's population, the poor
do not lead charmed lives. Theirs are,
at best uncoveted existences. Born and
bred in the slums early Injured to vice
and familiar with want. the poor daily become
more wretched, less clearly and least careful OF
the lives Of all the city's population. Clingng to
their squaid attics and cellars like barnacles to
the water side, this strange class ofhumanity seem
to require the interference OF the strong OF the
law to compel them to do what they should be
glad to accomplish without urging. 1t ia only q
few years since the lachrymOse New Yorker dis
covered that there existed more wretchedness and
vice round an adjoining corner than he bewailed
in the Fits. The open hand OF Benevolence first
came to the rescue, but time proved that this was
inadequate to the accomplishment OF the desired
result. The creation OF what is known under the
various names Of commissions and boards Of
charity and health has followed, and to-day the
sanitary branch OF the Police Department is Of
the most vital Importance rua
,-.tf ATTACKING THE DRAGON. r.
About nine O'Clock yesterday morning large
squad OF policemen belonging to the sanitary arm
OF the service, and under the charge Of Captain
Yule, left Police Headquarters to execute the
orders Of the Health Board. Sanitary Inspectors
Tracy, Post, Norris Bryant, Hamilton and Haw
were of the party ana discharged their disagree
able duty with conscientious fidelity. The squad
repaired at to Baxter street. that thoroughare
teeming with life and redolent of unpleasant odors
and although the cellars OF the premises located at
Nos. so, &c. 70 and Is were respectively visited all
had anticipated the call and departed. call at %
Pell street resulted in finding cellar which was
closed up and the curtains were down. The
premises were declared to be vacant, but nothing
save the closed doors and barred windows was
offered in substan tiatiOn. There was every reason
to believe that the cellar had its occupants but the
column moved on towards
THE FOURTH WARD.
This is the elysium Of debauched men and aban.
point toward which all drift when the worst lives
OF shame have become worthless In all other parts
Of the city: Inc policemen were aeaI,ainted WIN
forth to the light Of day the household gods OF base
ment population very much as they would have per-
formed the most ordinary service: Hating for u
moment at 20 Roosevelt street, the proprietor OF
the basement. as guarantee OF the good health OF
the place, produced woman who required two
chairs to sit upon and who weighed $50 pounds.
Like the appearance OF a jack III the box the
effect was magical: 1t was solid arg argument a.
side the doctors crossed the street and descended
into the cellar Of No. 90 to find that its late occupant
,1anv Gave had dan rfn fnl Va
DAMP CELLAR.
ne M nv ~ ZIG t ,rd to,v with an nncom
monty red face. The doctors were quietly well
coined and, instead OF putting in plea OF insanity
stated that his landlord had told him that he might
remain. The landlord, Mr.. Curtis. was then pro-
M aR he s rSe
able Lowrie then stated that his wife was lying
sick with the smallpox In the next room. H. was
heaven and the air Of Batavia street seemed at the
next moment TWO OF the physicians procured
the small, low room, and there, on pile of rags,
found woman. She was broken out with some
eruption ana very rne WAS
than interviewed and deposed ~ pay SO
per month Tor these quarters and have been
here three months; do not take any dodgers; there
il very good ventilation here; do not know
where to go; received the notification, but had
poor man, The jury OF five doctors was pres
ent tney sat on the case telegraphed for an am
S mS and hs ese into the street Again
the mechanical efficiency OF the police and again
the unconditional surrender OF Indebtedness to
-I.s THIS PROPERTY ITO LET"
Tue low damp basement at No. As Cherry street
contained fresh placard onering to let the prem
ises. Mrs. Welcn, the mother OF twelve children,
was finally found, and opened the rooms. All
very bad case was found at No. 40 Cherry
street. In this cellar there were five small com.
partments and more than that number of depraved
women. There was only about one hundred ano
sixty cubic feet Of 70 each inhabitant, while
for the needs Of health there should be 1900 to
each. A board over the. door announced that It
was lodging house and that the proprietor was
p. Quinn. Short work and dirty landed the foul
in h the Of %Ta a e
property was said to be owned by Mr. Lewis' oil
'-' LOW LODGING HOUSES.
The next den, NO. SO Cherry street, was lound 10
be low basement, the noors OF which were
rooms, eight by ten leet in size. There were two
dirty women in the place but no furniture II was
Henry Madden occupied cellar fifteen feet under
ground at No. IS cherry street and displayed the
sign Junk Store" AS he did not take dodgers
and could not kill any one but himself he was
On the top moor OF No. 81 Cherry street case Of
the basement OF No. 1O41s was occupied as q
dining room. "A square dinner" for fifteen cents
Be nsd ann CsTe 30 for
$500 per year. The latter is a sailors boarding
house keeper.
A. Hearne owns No. 100 Cherry street and resides
there The basement was full OF beds.
hustle THEN OUT"
said the doctor, and everything went into the
street.
Two rooms in the cellar OF No. 800 Pearl street,
next visited, were found empty. The birds mad
gone TO some other ro0kery.
vile resort was broken up at No. 81 Chatham
street. 1t was Kept by Sarah Burns, and, under
the name OF dance house. the lowest vice was
fOstered. IL IL owned by Mr. Lamn, or No. SO
Chatham street, and he gets $50 per month Tor the
den. Five dark rOOms-7 feet by 6-were
formed along one side OF the room by board
partition. The beds had been removed from these
and were placed in avault under the back stairs:
The avalanche OF Dlue-c0ated veterans descended
into that cellar and made remark ablV short work