The New York herald., 1873-07-20
The Dirty Dumping Grounds ON
the Harlem Marshes.
BREEDING INFECTIOUS DISEASE
Slime from the slums Spread Out Un.
der the Noses of Uptown Residents.
THE SMELLS OF A QUIET NRlGHBORHOOD.


dering on the East River, In the upper end Of the
city, and known ever since the time OF George H.
as the Harlem marshes, IL to-day source OF trouble
to the Health Department IL Is not the miasma
which arises rom swamp lands and the effects
OF which upon health are readily accounted for but
II Is the foul and n0xiOus smelling garbage with
which this tract is being filed up to level with
the surrounding country The marshes upon
which this work Ia being done were the especial
object OF much attention froR the late Tammany
Ring. Several thousand piles were driven upon
this land, and Is was In o fair way
Of immediate Improvement when the dissolu-
ton took place 1t then passed into the hands OF
Mr.. Brown, the street contractor. Who are the
present owners or the persons who having
the work done s dif1cult to ascertain The object
Of the contractors Is undoubtedly to add about
half square mile to the property Of the city, and
thereby to construct ground upon which water
side population shall gather. Preparations for ex-
tensive docks are also making, and future sites for
warehouses and steamer piers are selected. When
the rocks at Hell Gate shall have been removed II
is matter OF current prophecy that the price OF all
real estate ON the East and Harlem rivers Is to
advance to extravagant figures.
TAKING TINE BY THE F0RKLoCK.
Instead OF purchasing the great quantities Of
earth which are being excavated by the tunneling
OF Fourth avenue, or the masses OF stone which
are removed rom beneath the river bed at He'll
Gate, the owners OF the Harlem marshes have
qured the use OF Oil the oal and garbage collected
from the dirtiest districts OF the city and dumped
this rotten substitute for terra ,uad upon the low
lands. Evidently impressed with the intention OF
owning as much land possible, and holding it
for rise,
rHE HARLEM MARSH SCHEME
has been energetcally pushed by the corporation
whj hjch he IN of
the same sort as that found ut the foot OF West
Thirty fourth street when the excavations were
made for the new market. The stencil which
arises from the steaIning mass OF corruption Al
ready spread over this meadow land Is great
that the sense OF smell of the thousands OF inhab
tants adjacent to the place have for several weeks
term rendered the neighborhood intOlerabie. The
district which is being filled In extends from
Ninety fifth street TO lo4th street. and embraces al
nue.. nue. Il Is moi proposed in this article
and nauseatins sxhaiations r Which u render ndes
life In the upper east side next to unbearable.
Tne abuses OF the present outrageous dumping
ana garbage gathering systems culmnate at the
sight or smell within the whole Of Acty the city IS
brought on barges and spread out TO the sun and
the air.
THE EFFECT UroN PROPERTY.
While 1T Is an Admitted TACT that & this MS district
OF good earth and broken stone and rendered
habitable by The construction OF Streets the
IN the neighborhood would be TO cause an
advance, It is equally true that the pres
disastrous and depressing effect upon values.
Real estate men who operate largely IN The yk
cinty declare that the sales have greatly hileh "a
they would have closed fheff odices until the Au,
tunin.. Many property owners have personally
visited the Offices OF the Board OF Health and COM
planned In the cearest terms OF the outrage. o.,
NO HOPE FROM THE HEALTH BOARD.
Nothing has been done to put u stop TO this pal
pable violation OF the city ordinances, and the
citizen gets his trouble for his pains At present
more than two thousand signatures nave Deen OBJ
tanned to petition TO the same Board, and 1t IL
hoped that some Official notice will be taken OF this
garing outrage to the health OF the upper part OF
the city. petition was circulated last year and
the nuisance was temporarily abated; but after
few weeks the work or unloading flth from the
sluns was resumed, and has regularly proceeded
HOW THE sLUMs ARE CLEANED
The present street Cleaning Bureau have located
piers alongside Of which are moored large nat
boats, upon which are dumped all the contents OF
OF these carts or securing seat by the side OF
the driver, the reporter penetrates dark sevs,
smelling courtyards. Tho driver Begins his work
OF gathering load and empties into that cart all
the refuse Of dirty neign6orhood
First q barrel OF ashes, then the back door OF q
restaurant contributes its share OF garbage and
rotted fish then box OF broken plaster and after
that heap Of street fifth Is shoveied In, and then,
turning up into an alley the refuse matter OF evera
until a load is gathered alter which the cart
moves OF toward the river, and backing up to the
pier, deposits Its load Of miscellaneous Nth upon
the scow below. Thence in the progress OF o few
short hours the same barge, under tow takes lis
way to
at Harlem, where II Is mOored to the side OF the
wharf. During the trip up the East River It's foul
boats located along the route, and II late In the
afternoon IL causes the resident OF Harlem or Nor
relish for bis dinner. The convicts on BacKweil's
Island actually complain OF the nuisance and de-
clare that the 1th should be transported at night
This mass Of nauseous and
sICKENING GASES
Is up to this time retained in the solid form In
which the cart found and collected 1t. new
force Is now put In operation to spread this foul
out in thin layers that the full effect OF the
hot sun shall be mad and ali The various kinds Of
smells extracted.
ruR SEEDS OF DISEASE
Formerly when preparing the place for pier 1t
was matter OF frequent occurrence for the entire
barge and load to be sunk In the water to
effect a basis upon which to build, BY this
feet out into the water and upon these
submerged and rotten caissons rests the weight Of
present. sse s'1 however iofce Of about twensynHe
Italians transfers the barge loads wneelbarrows
ano n 1s as aw TO e OF
carts are employed in unfolding and spreading
this nlth.
The powers OF the pen are inadequate TO give
a proper idea OF the terrible stencil which hangs
over this place on q warm, sunny day, and which Is
waited of TO the north south or west, as the wind
favors. The effect upon the lungs Is to cause OPP
pressve breathing, while the odors such as make
any mans stomach traitor to his best interests.
The entire shanty population, resident for years
upon the rocks, and which street openings ana
health ordinances have been Of no avail toward re-
moving have lately, ior the most part, taken their
departure. and the greater portion OF the re-
mainder are preparing to follow. The fear OF the
coming OF the cholera is too much even for dirty
race like this. The more civilized and health
loving citizens abide the action OF the Health
Board with evident uneaslness and anxiety. viii
east side nusance2