The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-07-10
PRESENT DANGER OF PLAGUE
Views of Professor Chandler and
Fitz John Porter.
THE FLATS YESTERDAY.
Veneering the Reeking Mass with
an Inch Of Earth.

Works to fill in the sunken lots In Harlem created
. widespread feeling OF Indignation yesterday in
the city. II there be peril TO the health OF the peo
pie from any quarter it Is assuredly from this.
Hall dozen ships lying at the Battery.
and fresh from plague-infected ports would
not be more perilous than the existence under
The Drolirg July sun OF the score or more OF
Bunken areas OF territory in Harlem filed with
the flthlest slime that was ever allowed 10 ac-
eumulate under the nostrils OF q civilized COM
munity. Only those who live In Harlem or who
have occasion 20 pass through that afflicted region
oil Manhattan Island can Adequately appreciate
the danger to which not alone Harlem is sub-
lected, but the entire city south OF il. For
months past the air in the upper quarter OF the
Island mas been heavy with the loathsome
Vapors arising rom the putrtd pools that extend
Tor blocks along the line OF Second, Third and
Fourth avenues. Combined with the smell from
the nlling stun that the ingenious Dlsbecker
Invented and now seeks patent for, there never
was, since she destruction OF Jerusalem, such
foul pollution oil the air or heaven.
PLAIN COURSE FOR THE ALDERMEN.
Corporation Counsel Dealeld Smith had his
opinion asked for by the honorable Board OF Al
aermen as TO the power OF said Board TO pass GER
lain proposed ordinances tor the filing of the
Harlem lots. Counsel replied that under the law
the Common Council was authorized to pass such
ordinances as 1t might from time to time deem
necessary for filing up and regulating any grounds
within the city OF New York that may be "sunken,
damp or unwnoesome,n or which the Common
Council might deem proper to I'LL up or regulate.
The laws governing this subject, ne further said,
were now in full force, and he saw no reason 70
aoUbt that the Common Council could at once 90
ahead and order the work to be performed, while
, valid assessment for the expense OF such filling
Fan be laid upon the lots benefited Nothing could
DO palmer than this. II the Aldermen knew the
iuty tney owed TO tae citizens Of New YORK at
crisis ike the present they would have sunk their
PALTRY DIFFERENCES,
and voted unanimously to let the Commissioner
OF Pubic Works proceed Immediately with the
work. But 1t seems the republican members who
have been recently in contempt found it lmpossi-
bic to return Ia good humor to the discharge Of
the public business and rather than vote for
proper and timely resolution offered by a demo-
Erat resolved 10 let the vital interests Of the whole
community go by the board, even though the pen
atty OF pestilence them OF their infatuated
and most uDjust1aole conduct.
WASTE OF TINE.
The project OF filing these Harlem lots mas now
been before the Board for over three weeks, and
four ordinances, all bearing on the various quar-.
ters Of Hariem where the nuisances exist, were
drawn up at different times. The Board OF Healtn
was unable to exact. 1t was clearly the task the
Beard OF Aldermen should Immediately push TO
successful conclusion. They nave failed 10 40 IL.
and that element In the body that offered the oD-
Btructlon and defeated wise and salutary
measure must be held 10 o rigid account
ability. As will be seen by one OF the
interviews appended the reason advanced by
one republican Alderman Tor The course he took
was technical proprlety In one way and political
suspicion in another. He wanted to act up TO the
letter Of the charter and have the work done by
contract, as If the
SPECTRE OF PLAGUE
would wait upon technicalities; and he was also
AFRAID the democrats might win little capital by
being nrst IN the field WITH the proposition, and
that they might take advantage Of the option given
Commissioner Porter and crowd the job with un-
sold numbers Of laboring voters.
It clear to the commonest mind that the Com
missioner II fettered by the resolution this vIrtu
Gus Alderman demanded-namsly, that the work
should be done by contract ana the job adver.
ssed, as the la requires, thirty days ahead, the
nlling OF tue Harlem lots would not begin until the
summer was over. Now Is the time IL should be
done, for now the danger exists. Next month
tAugusu Is even more trying part OF the summer
than tue present should the city escape pestil-
ence II Will have no thanks to give the Aldermen.
ON THE FLATS
between First and second avenues and reaching
nom Nlnety-third to 1929 street, Herald re-
porter yesterday 10un0 some twenty-five men and
ave or SIX wagons at work spreading thin layer
OF earth over the mass oil fetd, fostering fifth with
Wnlch the low ground has been nlled. On
walking from Second avenue over TO the place
where the men were engaged, which was nearer
70 Third avenue, the reporter had an opportunity
or examining the work already performed and
discovering whether the thln layer Of
earth which had been laid ON had done
anything toward smotherng the offensive ana
unvnoesome smell me ground had the
appearance OF q bog or marsh which had been
partially drained and then covered over with
an waking and the ground underneath had
springy, spongy feeling, that conveyed the i'm
preston OF walking on quagmire. The smell,
TOO, was only hal smothered, and every time the
foot sunk little deeper than usual 1lthI, SICK
the smell sent forth from dead cat or dog, when
stirred after being allowed to become almost de-
composed. The depth OF the earth covering winch
kept the SUMS rays from playing directly upon
the fl ny mass beneath was NOS more than three
or lonr lncnes, ana as dm MIS- Uny snahen on
the depth. The passage OF the wagons and the
rampng OF the men who are working upon It,
AIDED by an occasional shower OF ram, VIII soon
reduce the thickness OF the layer OF earth and to
great extent mix It with the foul stun underneath,
20 that this covering is only mere temporary
Bxpedlent 10 save appearances Tor the present
and lessen the smell. From sanitary point or
view It's effects must be trfing and Insignificant.
heavy shower Of rain or continuous Wet
weather would leave almost no trace OF the COW
srtng behind, and Is is
TOO THIN
30 serve any purpose even that OF making the
public believe that there Is any real desire TO APP
RtE au NnCtbudi Iehleuy w buo
gerous nuisance. Judging by the appearance OF
the people VINO live in the shantes along the
Second avenue border OF these nats the injected
air OF the locality must produce q deeterious
enect on the human system. Even the children
who are to be found rompng around, though a9-
Darentiy strong lack the rudy color OF those who
are further removed from tue Bestlierous region,
ana an absence OF that boisterous spirit which be-
speaks the healthy child may be noticed at the
hrst look. They are pale, dirty ana squalid look
Ing, and the bare feet OF many OF them have q
coating Of mud whose odor is not OF the most
pleasant kind. Even the hens, ducks and geese
kept by tue poor people who dwell in these shan
Ties have an unhealthy, starved look, and one
cannot help thinking that the eggs brought into
the city rom this eQion Of Nth aga garbage
not be OF the most wholesome kind nor OF the
most inviting flavor.
On arriving at the spot where the men were
~slTNnS tAe smeil became positively Sickening.