The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-06-10

tendance at II werc Drs Chandler ana Jaueway :,
OF the New York Health Board and the Boards OF
Long Island City and brooklyn.
AT THE MEETING
Dr. Chandler stated in brief terms the facts Of the
nuisance to the people OF tins city, and SAID he
had determined by examination that the
stencil came from the petroleum establishments
Ia Long Island CITY, This stand was backed
by tie Brooklyn MEMBERS who said that at times
when the wind was in the proper direction
the stencil was Wafted all over Brooklyn.
causinr Inc most sickeninp Sensation and that
the ouor was not ony unpleasant, Dnt unhealthy.
The Long Island city doctors agreed that certain
amouHt Of stencn was produced by these petro-
leum refneries. OF wnlcn there were q number ut
Hunters Point. Measures had already been taken
by the Board 10 see II the nuisance coulu not be
OF which are run by very rich corporations,
hid special charters when prohibited any utter
ference with ;hem, and the Board IN view of this,
was really helpless. Tie cause or the nuisance
was that certain acids were used TO refine tue
crude oil more speedily that IL could Otherwise
be. DR.. Chandler thought that the common law
concerning nuisances would
OVERRIDE THE CHARTERS
OF these private companies, because the public
health stands above the interest OF any chartered
corporation.
nuisance was not alone at Long Island City, but
that good deal OF II existed IN Brooklyn tseil-
notably Williamsburg and Greenpolnt-and that
possibly large portion OF the stencil came from
there. On this point there was some dinerence or
opinion, but the Long Island CITY doctors thought
that the matter should be Investigated thoroughly.
Thcy sad that as Jar as the manner OF refining the
petroleum was concerned rehne les could be Ia
uuccd TO make some sacrifice OF method for the
sake Of the pubic health.
Dr. Chandler said there was an easy way of
doing this, by making the manufacturers use
drums which would exhaust the gas generated
by the employment OF The acid on the petro-
Alter some further conversation IL was de-
termined that the doctors should visit the re-
nneries.
THE VISIT or THE COMMISSIONERS.
The several doctors alter tn5 meeting, TOOK
carriages and proceeded to Williamsburg, pass-
Ing through the tnorougnfares wherein these fac
tories are ST. uated. III was "A bad day Tor the ST.
as. beng saturday. almost an lhe places were
Stll many OF the rcnneries were visited, and no
smell OF particularly nasrant character was Oh.
served. Ihe men VINO remained 10 the yards said
that at times the smell Wa very offensive ana
that they could hardly bear IL; but when the
works were still tle smell Immediately dlsap-
peared vansningln the air. Inc visit In no wise
altered the opinions which nad been expressed III
the meeung. The commissioners did not proceed
TO the refneries at Greenpont and Hunters
Point. though these are The most important. Tor
the reason that tho hour WAS too late.
WHAT DIR. CHANDLER SAYS.
Yesterday tue HERALD reporter called on DR..
Chandler the President oil the Board Of tiealth OF
this city, In relarlon TO this petroleum Nuisance.
lie SAID that II was, no doubt, very bad. and
stop 1T. 1t had become u very decided nuisance
"But the Brooklyn doctors pretend these estab-
lshments are protected oy SPECIAL cnarters."
'tPrlyate charters nave nothing to 90 with It, be-
cause they cannot be opposed IN any way TO the
puollc veal. They are only operative SO long as
nuIsances. And TINS the re1nerleS over tue river
are, SO ar as | am able 10 judge. AZ have no
doubt IN my own minu these smells come from
them. know from my own experience That the
smell imprea mates the whole atmosphere upto wn
ana causes great deal OF trouble aud annoyance.
The smell Is exceedingly offensive and Is produced
by the use OF vltriolc acid on the petroleum.
.But Is there Anything decidedly unhealthy In
this smell w
Il 40 not know that there is in the smell Itself.
buI in the effects OF the smell. Thus. on warm
nights, when ventilation IS necessary, people are
obliged TO close taeIf WINDOWS In consequence OF
the smell, ana this 10 Injurious, and brings the
/ affair into
THE CATEGORY OF NUISANcEs.
The point AS TO our right 10 stop nuisance even
when caused by u chartered nstitution has been
fully shown IN the case OF the New York Gasllgnt
COMPANY where We held That their method OF
manufacture produced nuisance; and wnen we
at length reacneu Albany me Court oil Appeals de-
cided that unless tue company manufact urea gas
by the Dest known methods tney were com ting
a nuisance, ana VIC won the case. HavIu1 shown
what we can do against 50 powerful q corpora
ton 1t VIII not oe haru, should judge, to make
tine pc lroleum men also employ tue best known
methods TO 40 their rednlng. All the smell could
be avoided by their using very SIMPLE and coul-
paratlvely cheap attachment known a drum,
which would consume all tue ill-smelling gas en-
gendered Dy the 'Agltatcr.' II ID this instrument
winch causes the smeli.n
"whaL o. you intend to do In the matter y,
"Wel, the doctors OF the other Boards have
promised TO 90 all they can to cause the smell to
disappear, ana, 1 nave no doubt. they Will do
their uest. IL they faii We shall proceed against
A TOUR OF INSPECTION
HERALD reporter went over TO Hunters Point
to see now the matters worked. On the other
side OF the Jerry the smell Of the oils plainly
perceptlble ana The factories were all at work.
Yet IL IS stronger III New York than near the
factories, ana on Monday ana last night the smell
in streets above Fourteenth and extending IRON
the East River to Fourth avenue was very oppres-
stve ana disagreeaBte. Further west tnan TINS
the smell did not seem to procesd 1t is a
smell as emanates In 0m the smoke OF petroleum
lamp, but mucn more dsagreeaole.