The New York herald., 1874-05-07
DISTURBING THE DEAD.
A Novel Way to Fill the
Harlem Flats.
Vacant Lott on Second Avenue Filled with the
Dust Of the Kn okerbockers Old First
Street Graveyard Raksd by Contrao-
trs-Public Indignation in Har-
lem-Cremating Old Conina

There has been good deal OF excitement within
the last lew days at Harlem, In the neighborhood
OF Tooth street and Second avenue. caused by the
nlling In OF the vacant lots known as the sHarlem
nats." from Tooth street as far south as Ninety
sixth street and between First and Second ave.
nues Tho surrounding inhabitants by no means
object to the filing in OF the vacant lots, bur the
material used to NIL MP the s'ats" to the level OF
FIRST and Second avenues within the above limits
has given rise to
THE DEEPEST INDIGNATION
In the neighborhood, which threatens TO assume
tangible form in the shape OF o public protest
against the further continuance OF the work
with such material. When the street clean.
Ing contract was held by John L.
Brown from the old Street Cleaning
Commission, which was abolished by the Legisla-
ture OF 1872 the contractor used dirt for the
filling in Of vacant lots in Harlem which he had
himself previously purchased. In one year in this
way, 1t Is said, Brown made $1,O00,0OO and the
neighborhood was correspond1ngly improved
When the street cleaning contract was abolished
the filling In Of the Harlem mats and vacant lots
was farmed out to private contractors. The
vacant lots IN the vicinity Of Fourth avenue and
10Sth street were let out to be fled in by Ambrose
Mills, and the "nats'' between First and Second
avenues. from Tooth street to Ninety sixth street.
district and ex-Harlem Court House Commissioner)
and Jones. 1t appears that the two former
contractors have been filing in the vacant lots
in the neighborhood of Fourth avenue and Tooth
| street with ordinary street dirt purchased from
| the Police Commissioners, and removed from the
streets by the latters horses and CARTS 1t seems,
| however, that Messrs McQuade Jones, after
having succeeded in procuring their contract,
purchased the old graveyard In First street. and,
| with the material taken from this piece OF
CONsECxATED GROUND,
proceeded to I'LL in the nat lots The work pro.
gressed without any interruption for some time;
| Inhabitants OF the neighbOrnood that the adjotn-
| ting "hats'' were being filled In with
THE DUST OF THE KNICKERBOCKERs.
The prospect OF lively shaking among the dry
bones OF these venerable gentry on stormy nights
when the winds howl over the nats is not the most
inviting to persons OF o nervous temperament, and
accordingly the neighborhood got It's back up. At
first it cOntented itself with grumbling at the con-
ats to test the truth Of the story OF the graveyard
dust being used as foundation for rows Of Eng
increduIous among the visitors their doubts were ere
| set at rest Human bones were freely exhibited
IN Ss wnrs %
freely admitted the truth Of the story and did not
attempt to deny that they had frequently come
across
which had been transferred rom the FIRST street
|
ever, only eliminated when large pile had been
made OF the FRAGMENTS Of collins and set IRE to one
inS In the vicinity then took % the matter earnestly
| in hand. call Tor an Indignation meeting was
issued. and Q number Of persons were asked for
| signatures to protest against the further con.
which were very freely gwen. It was decided to
ask MT. George D. Bayaud, an importer, OF No. 90
New street. who owns good deal OF property in
the neighborhood, to preside at public meeting
A HERALD reporter called on this gentleman yes
| terday afternoon. He said he had visited the
Police Justice @ Mcouade and 'Ia Mr jones, and he
had been told by one OF the overseers OF the work
that the men very frequently In filling came across
/ find
LEG BONES AND ARM BONES
and other remains which were evidently those OF
human beings Other gentlemen whom he knew
in the neighborhOod had seen the remains them
selves and were very indignant about the matter.
He then said that IL was true that quite auan-
tity OF old collins had been burned on
the neignDorhood had become very much ince5sed.
| He had been called on to attend q public indigna-
against the further filing in Of the mats with ma.
terial taken from consecrated ground. He had
ne ns Of ne II he o M
gentleman VINO called on him IN reference to the
matter that he would be unable 10 attend, by rea-
| son Of the pressure OF business engagements In
Mr.. Bayaud stated that the Objectionable
hats from tooth street TO Ninety. sixth. or
thereabouts. He had been told the material had
been taken from the old First street graveyard
which Messrs. McQuade Jones, the Contractors
had purchased when they got the filing contract
THIS GRAVEYARD
| Is now being excavated s0r building purposes
and the material dug out is transferred in carts
to Harlem.
REPORTER-Mr. Bayaud, what Is the state Of pub
Lie feeling In reference to this matter in HaremS
Mr.. BAYAUD-Most people have a. strong relg-
ious scruple against 1t and consider it
A sACRILEGIOUS OUTRAGE
! have felt strongly in the matter, because ]
feared that Ii the hot weather should set IN sud-
denly upon us the transfer OF this material from
public graveyard to q crowded neighborhood and
the burning OF heaps OF coffin fragments may be
lar from serving the health OF the netghborhO0d.
1t appears that some gentlemen living in Har-
| lem are determined to carry out the project OF
holding an Indignation meeting.
NEW POLITICAL PARTY.
CHICAGO, May 9, 1874.