The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-07-22
THE HARLEM NUISANCE.

THE STENCIL SOMEWHAT LEssENED-BRoKEN
THIRD AVENUE SEWERS FACTORS OF DIS
EASE
The residents OF Harlem are not yet freed rom
the pestlential odors OF the fats. TIE bread
stretch OF waste land lying along Third avenue,
between Ninety-sightn and 1O4tn streets, aud
which little while ago was Interspersed with
pools OF stagnant water mantled with hlshy scum.
is covered with rich, fresh earth, which, II 10
does not wholly overcome the smells, still, to q
very great degree, lessons their strength ana
renders life along Second and Third avenues much
more enjoy able than before.
A HERALD.reporter visited the mats yesterday
anG made a complete survey OF them. The sersa-
tion of the pedestrian walking over the ground is
exceedingly peculiar. The newly dumped earth
has been DRIED to Il crisp by the sun, and, TO the
eye, seems solid and 1rm but the foot II yields
at the slightest pressure, and the feeling produced
by this SINKING Is pretty UGH same as one has
when walking over a field OF floating ice 1t Is q
fact that previous TO the covering OF the fats with
pure soil the gases arising from the water ana
filth actually
CHANGED THE COLOR or THE HOUSES
In the locality, aud rendered them all perfectly
black so 1t is tnat the same gases, creeping up to
the surface through the newly deposited soil, has
changed It's color too; hence the earth is green In
some parts, yellow in others and here and there
OF crimson tint.
Inspector Klnkle has charge OF the filing in OF
the fats, and in conversation with the HERALD
reporter yesterday stated 1--WE are doing all we
can. For long time back we have employed
from seventy to seventy-nve teams daily to maui
| fresh earth mere, ana every team brought from
twelve to thirteen loads during each DAY. so you
see an immense amount OF earth mas been de-
posted, and with very good effect. The result
aimed at, however is not yet acco plIshed nor
can it be for some time TO come. II you will walk
over the wall bordering upon Third avenue
zoe
DRAINING THE FLATS
Passing over the uncertain, treacherous ground
In tine direction Indicated by .he inspector, tue
reporter saw about forty laborers, who, under
the direction OF Messrs. Jones aud McQuaae, were
digging deep nd wide ditch, when, as soon
followed out, is 70 be llned with thick PLANK aud
covered over with heavy stone. The stencil here,
informed tue reporter that ne had sunk an iron
bar IN tue eartn TO The depth of lorty feet, and
even then failed TO find solld ground. "rne whole
place Is nothing out greasy, shiny muck" said ne.
land 1t IS no easy Joo to suodue the gases natur-
is TO be connected as soon as possible with the
sewer on Ninety eighth street. and Is calculated
TO slowly drain the nats or the stagnant
water which Is SO disgusting to the senses OF those
who pass III the cars. Tho HERALD reporter, while
endeavoring to discover whence the stale aud
stagnant water came notced that in a ereat
measure IL ooZed out from the hgh stone wall
running sons third avenue l,, me stencn ..
somewhat strange that II should come rom be.
| tween the stones.
IMPERFECT SEWERS.
Only one rational conclusion can DC drawn rom
/ this TACT, and IL Is that the sewers under THIRD
avenue are either broken or very imperfect, and
that all tine slime, filth and stencil OF neghborlng
sinks ana closets arc daily and hourly running
! down upon the Harlem mats. The reporter spoke
| TO Inspector Kinkle in regard TO TINS, ana The
Inspector said thar there was no DOUBT but
that the sewers OF the avenue were very much
out OF order, and that their repair would
greatly improve the condition OF the nats. The
reporter subsequently learned That DR.. Day, wish
other physicians connected with the Board or
Health, recently visited the locality, and, alter
going over tue ground, came to the conclusion
matt would DO Impossible 10 prevent pools OF
stagnant water from appearing upon the hats un-
less tne Third avenue sewers were repaired.
THE CHANGB.
All that has MP to this moment been accom-
plished can be learned from the above. The new
earth has done much good, and the drain now
being dug Will do much more toward conveying
OF the foul water. To effect ANYTHING like q per-
feet and satisfactory result, however. the resi-
dents say that
now scattered Is necessary and three tunes the
number Of bitches. Tue number OF men working
also Is entirely too small for so great an
emergency, aud unless increased the people or
Harlem must suffer from etendnes all summer,
and ma winter coming upon them with tneir
great nulsancs only partially abated. The re-
porter is informed that unless these gases ara
more completely smut down by additional Juan
titles oil good soil IL Will be hut httlo wnle be-
/ fore the nealthful elements or the earth already
there will be entirely consumed, and then the
plague spot viii be a. pad as ever.
A SUNKEN LOT.
The worst sunkcn lot in all Harlem has ~ Jet
been entirely unuoticed. IL is located at the
ner Of lO6th street aud second avenue, and runs all
the way across 10 the othcr avenue. IL IL wholly
covered with water so green, so Shiny. so foul
that no one can behold 10 save with disgust Flies,
mOsauiroes and all sorts OF annoying Insects hover
over IT, and lt is principally from it that the peo-
pie are so troubled with mosquitoes DC, that
they are compelled to keep their windows con-
stantly closed. Thus far this lot has not been
touched. 1t IS far more obnoxious TO the nostrs
and disgusting 20 the eye tnan the area upon
which the wOrkmea are now engaged. IL should
be attended " at once.
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