The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-04-13
THE NEW ABATToIR.

MEETING OF THE ALpERMANIC COMMITTEE ON
HEALTH YEsTERDAY-THE PRoTEsTANTs
AGAINST THE FIFrY-NrNTH STREET ABATToIR
HAVE A HEARING.
The Adermanic Committee on Health-Messrs.
uole Blessing and Morris met yesterday. TO
TO give hearing TO all parties opposed TO in
lavor OF the establishment OF abattoir at the
loot OF Fity-nlnth street, North River. Mr.. Bless.
Ing, in the absence OF the Chairman, presided.
Mr.. Delafsld, lawyer, who represented the IN
terests OF the Roosevelt Hospital, was the first
speaker. He said abattors were In every sense
nuisances; and he read the protest sent TO the
Board OF Health by the medical BOARD OF the hos
pital when that board had under consideration
health ordinance prohibiting the slaughter
Ing OF cattle within the city limits,
except in one vast aDattolr. This protest,
dated 10th OF March, 1874, commended that
the establishment OF an abattoir IN Flity-nintn
street would be dangerous 10 the public health.
The business OF gut cleaning, TAT boiling, &C.,
omitted terrible odors into the atmosphere, which
spread all over the city. lt was contended. said
the speaker, that an aoattoir could be erected
which. by scientific appliances, would not be
nuisance. He doubted this. In all the great
European cities aoattoirs were placed on the out.
skirts, remote from dwelling places. Under q
monarchica form OF government they could be
regulated by arbitrary regulations regardless OF
any law, but in this country that was impossible.
Mr.. Delaneld asserted that among medical men
there was but one opinion as to abattolrs, and
that opinion was dead against them. He cited
authorities as proofs or this assertion, among
others the opinion OF Professor Harrshorn, who
commended that with all the appliances OF science
IL was impossible TO establish abattoir
that would not be a nuisance and detriment to
public health. Another proof cited was that
given by the American Health Association, or
Philadelphia, In an elaborate opinion which
sorted that abattoirs should always be built
tidewater and far away from any city. de de-
aounced the exception made by the Board Of
Health in their ordinance as to Fftyninfh street.
rne locality was SO near the Park aud so inviting
10 persons who anxious to erect elegant
residences that the exception was, all things con-
ndered, very Ill advised one. He quoted from
NJ. Bevan, OF Chicago TO show that the death
rate from thirty-seven modc diseases was always
the result OF the establishment OF abattolrs
a populated neighborhood. Mr.. Delafed
;ontended that II this was TACT an
lDattor in Fifty-ninth street would be very dam
aging to patients in the hospital, who were strlv-
ing to recover from serious illness; and yet, he
SAID, the Chicago abattolr was supposed TO be the
most perfect one ever erected. lie closed his re-
marks by declaring that some legislation ought 10
20 devised to prevent the estabsnm mt OF abat-
oirs within the city limits OF New YORK. Sixty
ave millions or dollars had been expended to
beautlly that portion OF the CITY west above For
TEN street, winch expense had beeu borne In
aoout equal proportions by the city ana the cit
zens Enormous assessments had been patiently
Dorne " tue real estate owners WIN the con.
1dence that IN time 10 come they would get
supreme vauen for their property. II
an aoattolr was 10 pe estaDllsned IN the negnDor-
10 question OF Alderman Blessing, Mr.. Delafeld
satd tnat he could not give decided opinion as
TO whether or not the abattoir at the loot OF West
Inirty-lourtn street was nuisance. IL was unoer
the charge OF an eminent chemist, and, besides:
ia n n
Fiity-nintn street. II lt was nuisance It was al
ready in existence. what the Flfty-nintn street
people desired was that fresh nuisance should
not be established.
Rev. Aired Young, pastor OF the Church OF ST.
Paul the Apostle, in Fifty ninth street, was the
next speaker. lie called attention TO the fact
that the Board OF Healtns license to the Thirty
ruary and tnat IN that establishment there was 10
be carried on, II the Board OF Health could be IN
ing, grinding oI bones. &C. Through several SUM
mers when the rendering boat was on the river
third story OF the residence the Fathers mad to
be kept closed; and II looked very mucn now that
II under the same license gwen tue Tnirty-fourtn
street establishment the work OF rendering,
az having an abattoir on Fifty-nlnth street.
He alluded to the TACT that the Fathers were TO
build on kliIy-n.ntn street seminary ana tnat IL
would oe exceedingly dangerous 70 the health OF
the students II there was an abattor IT. the Vi
5000 persons at the cnurcn 1900 OF whom were
children, and when the new church would be
feauV he believed the attendance WOulQ De lullY
10000. lie read protest Of the pewholders o. ST.
Paul's anu property holders living IN the neigh
oornood against the establishment OF the abat-
toir, ana IN winch 1t was that the buildings
that were 10 De erected by the Fathers
would cost about 100000, and that
the property owned was WORTH about
$250.000. He called attention 10 the great
loss that would be entalled by tue property hold
oers, looking at the matter purely IN a pecuniaTy
point Of view. II the aoaitoir was allowed. He
SAID that aoout 5000 persons had already. Judging
from the banks delivered Tor signature, petitloned
the Board OF Heath against the granting OF per-
Pro essor Chandler, OF the Board OF Health,
stated tnat ne did not appear by authority OF the
Health board, but as simple spectator. de said
IN the city. lie contended that the con-
centrating OF the slaughter business into
The Two or three abattolrs would ENABLE the
health inspectors TO make an examination
Of the animals before they were slaughtered,
which was an lmpOssbiity under tue present sys-
TEN. IL was quite easy, he said, TO decide when
an animal was alive whether NJ was healthy or
not; when IL was killed aud the meat cut up It
was not always possible TO tell whether the
question for The Health Board 10 decide was
whether the public health would De endangered
by tue establishment OF the aoattoir IN Fifty
10 whether parties who had specialized
n lots In Flity-nlnth street or elsewhere were 70
De losers by the establishment OF an aDattor M |
he neighDorhood II toe rich would not live
aear an aoattoir the poor would, and their In.
terests would have to 90 looked alter by the Board
as well as the interests OF the rtcn. lie declined
10 give an opinion as TO wnetner an auattolr could
be built 80 as not TO be nuisance, as that was
tue cues Ion tue Health Board were now con- /
steering.
Professor Jonn W Draper. Jr., who Is connected
with the rhIrty-ourth street ADattoir Company,
explained at some length the proposed Workings
OF the aDattoir In Ihriy-iourtn street, for which
permit has already been granted. and argued TO
sho " that IL would be in no manner q nuisance.
Inc committee wiz meet again to-day at three
p. AZ.