The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-02-19
THE FREAKS On FROST.
Ten Thousand Buildings
Without Water.
A HARVEST FOR PLUMBERS.
Suggestions from a Practical
Civil Engineer.
THE ICE IN THE HARBOR.
Sound and River Navigation
A HARVEST FOR PLUMBERS.
THE ICE IN THE HARBOR.
Sound and River Navigation
Greatly Inpeded.

Greatly Inpeded.
The thermometer continues far below the frcez-
ing point, and the trouble about frozen water
pipes and useless street hydranrs knows no sbate-
ment. Indeed, the difficulty attending the supply
of water so necessary to personal comfort and
cleanliness 10 increasing, despite the earnest en-
deavors OF owners, tenants and plumbers. the
TACT Is that never in the history of this city has
there been known so many dwelling houses to be
deprived OF water by the severe cold weather as
now. There Is hardly dwelling or public build
ing in the city where more or less Inconvenience
has not been felt by the freezing OF the pipes.
The hotels have been greatly embarrassed, while
saloon keepers state that not only are they de-
prlved OF water, but their beer tanks, soda foun-
tans and even barrels OF liquor had to succumb to
the cold. Thousands OF dollars worth of vege-
tables nave been destroyed by the lrost through
out the city, and particularly among the stock OF
the wholesale dealers, as they have had no means
OF heating their buildings.
TENEMENT HOUSES.
1t Is difcult to describe the great suffering tnat
the occupants or tenement houses are daily CON-
PEELED to endure Tor the want or water. Along
avenues and ID, as well as on the cross streets,
in the Eleventh and seventeenth wards, scarcely
a tenement house could be found yesterday where
the water mas not been iroZen while in all OF them
where the water 10 running 1t does not reacn the
second story. Men. women and children can be
seen running here and there with pals bringing
water from MIGRANTS fortunately not closed.
Along East Houston street four buildings were
found, containing eighty-fve families and con-
slsting Of nearly 800 persons. In these barrack.
like dwellings, not q particle of water have the
tenants been able to procure from any OF the
hYdrants for over two weeks The agent re-
fuses to have them thawed out, giving as
reason. ike Dean Swift's man servant,
that they will only freeze up again. and
It would be foolish expenditure Of money. Some
OF the occupants have TO go as far as three and
four blocks for water required in the common ex-
igenctes OF life.
visit to some of the rear yards and aeyways
leading to the Barracks" in what Is known as
"Africa" in Thompson street, near Spring; "Cur.
ries row." in West Houston street., Rag Plcxer's
row, on avenue @, and many other places In the
city OF similar description revealed the fact that
they we're filed with and ashes to the depth OF
three and four feet, the water the outdoor n.y.
drants nave been allowed TO run continually, until
the whole yards and alleyways became delueed
and the whole mass frozen solid.
THE HOTELS
have also been greatly Inconvenience by the
constantly engaged watching the pipes to prevent
them from freezing, yet, with all these precau-
ton the water mas frequently been frozen on
gas pipes has also been a great annoyance, and
some OF the hotel proprietors find 1t hard work
to keep decent light IA their respective houses;
Central, Filth Avenue, Everett House and others
the propretors have secured SUFFICIENT supply.
that their fire MIGRANTS are in good work
Ing order. so that in case OF nre
The ne IL se
every noor, with fifty ieet Of hose to every n.y.
drant 50 that they can at moments notice
bring stream to bear upon any one point in the
building. The servants are all drilled, and should
fire take place certain number OF walters
station themselves on the several floors to guard
the rooms, while the rest 90 to various stations so
move Il rom 'a the Sud2s The GanS Central ~
and Fifth Avenue hotels have also had their fire
plugs examined and their dummy engines ready,
hotel. The propre;ors OF the Westminster
Hotel, the Grand Central Hotel, the St. James,
Brunswick and Everett houses have taken similar
precautions to see that their fire hydrants AMI
fire extingushers are all In complete order. There
Is one excellent feature found IN many OF these
large hotels, which Is that they have AL SO large
supply VI hose that they can be OF good service
at O fire anywhere within one block OF them.
THE FERRY COMPANIES
have taken great precautions to keep all the n.y.
drants about the several Terry houses open, IN
ORD that they will be able 10 be OF some service
in case OF fire. The Fulton Ferry Com
pany have had their hose overhauied and
put into good condition, as has also the Jersey
City, Hoboken and Staten Island ferries. There
Is hardly hydrant, to be found along the piers,
or on West or south street, which Is not frozen
up The superintendent OF the HODOken Jerry has
placed on duty double watch at The Barclay and
Christopher street ferries, while the heavy fires
are kept up to warm the Jerry houses that no
danger can accrue from the same.
AMONG THE PLUMBERS.
The private residences up town seem to suffer
greatly Tor the want OF water and cas-. Along
Filth avenue, Madison avenue and the cross
streets, especally Oh Park avenue and Murray
Hill, the plumbers are constantly at work over.
cold spell has been u harvest to the plumbers
and gas filters, and they cannot get men
enough 10 do the work given them. One firm In
Amity street sta es that during the last ten days
they have not had less than one hundred calls day
to repair water and gas pipes, and on two Occa-
SiOns their orders reached 100 day. Another
firm on Sixth avenue has forty men at work,
while another on Third avenue Is working sixty
ing up OF so MANY pipes to the miserable material
used ana the mode OF pu ting pipes through build
ings and their connection with the street. They
state that architects as general thing do not
consider the Importance Of having pipes we'll Sc
cured IN a building treating the subject with ln-
DIN ,rence. While the owners or builders seek to
have the work done at the lowest possible rates
1t IS al impossiblty for plumber to put In first
class material or do the work In a w0rkmanike
manner at the prices paid.
The following tatle will give some idea OF the
eject that the cold weather has had on private
and pubic buildings the figures were obtained
by visits TO over 100 plumbers throughout the city
The plumoers reported the number OF places that
needed their services during the past week as
iolOws:-
Warda Wdrda
2................. iD iS..................... 2s3
S.........'........... ~ 4.................. 1W
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. l76 l5................... GIL