The New York herald., 1875-11-20
BROOKLYN'S PLAGUE SPOT.
Malaria and Death in the Air
Of Prospect Park.
Report Of the Committee on
Hygiene.

- y -AAAC.
when the fact becomes known that tee life or every
man woman and child IN the city OF Brooklyn is en-
dangered by the Prospect Park lake II is TO be hoped
that speedy action viii be taken to the danger
The fact that Prospect Park s a plague spot and,
frou the undrained and stagnant waters Of ITS lake,
maarious fever diphtheria pneumonia and bronchitis
are engendered
A HERALD reporter was sent yesterday ont TO the
Park With instructions carefully inquire into the
grave charges already made Mayor Hunter by citi
xens aud found them more than confirmed. The I'M
provements the Park from the opening OF the tTst
Toad the digging Of the serpentlne ditch, called
Ocean Lake have been series Of scandaious ounders
The 6rst noticeable object after entering tho Park,
near the lake, is the giant we'll On entering The well
house the writer found Mammoth Worthington pump
An operation. This pump was placed there IN 1870,
after the great well finished on descending the
circular stairway around the sides Of the suberrancan
structure the pool OF crystal water examined and
Hound TO be OF excellent quality yet ascertained
1hat the amount OF water gradually but surely de
rreasing. The structure is lily constructed. one side
of Is out Of plumb nearly twelve inches from the
bottom 10 the top and any violent concusson such
nj explosion In the neghborhood, would end ID the
gun of the whole work Tho we'll is claimed to be
eighty feet depth and hity feet in diameter but
II is also claimed that by actual measurement i
D. oaly seventy feet deep. Query-Dld the city pay
for an eighty wenY Il understood that the
gine can pump the reservoir 40 900 gallons OF
water per hour Dealing with this matter further the
writer discovered that this well is causng a
WATER yLArBusH
and the inhabitants have 70 endure this, well to
BE- stricken with fever from the Park swamp miscaled
n lake. on the lake itself the HERALD reporter found
4hat Il positively single outlet the is
ktagnaut and iull Of decayng vegetable matter and
worse than an the lake cesspool and receptacle
Tor all The drainage q the cottages and closets IN the
Park Meeting intelligent citizen the spot the
reporter asked the meaning OF this terrible condition
OF affairs and received The following reply
"The HERALD shall know the truth as far as / know
H. J. s r stanahan, the present chef Of The Park
Commission. responsible for much Of this evil and
Mayor Hunter knows all about il for citizens have
warned him. Robert Erskne him letter about
year ago giving all the facts The Mayor for
him and said be thought 1t desirable the matter
Eest II would only excite the people and do good
When have little delicate children come here to
gan health and strength sail their tiny boats
my heart has bled when / knew they sucking
sn deadly malaria which was poisoning their
Blood, and would develop into the various fevers Incl
Ment to Brooklyn as the changed. why,
sir the water green and turbid some parts Of
1he lake in jane, July and August that the go out
IN their boats early in the morning and skim the water
Rnd beat II mp with their and paddles. Theodore
Elton once told me the place
4 MIST.
p brother Of Chandos Fulton nearly lost his life by
komng here; McCloskey, the theatrical writer now
hnd two little children belonging the engineer here
pave died ! am convinced, by disease contracted in
The reporter nterrupting, inquired II his informant
nad remedy. Certainly, wa the response. MAKE
y SAT- water ake Ihls can easily be done by forcing
water into this ditch from the ocean and the outlet
D. found IN the same way. This the only thing to
save the people OF Brooklyn The city has miles
Di water front and hardly any facilities for pubic bath
Gng This place could then be a sanitaruTn-a swim
nlng schooi-for women and children; but would sug-
kest also thai a IS be built in FIatbush
bvenue, there might be outlet for This water that
Dsay and cleanse The sewer a. the same time"
| IL also ascertained that the Pres dent OF the
Medical Society OF the State Of New York recommended
bn February last that standing committee on hy-
gene, consisting Of seven members, should place them
keiyes II correspondence With the county societies
The following were the medical gentlemen selected -
"A n Bell, of Brooklyn; 5. o. yanderpoel Health
Eyracuse II. w. Dean, Of Rochester; John ordronaux
p Rosyn, l. l. Stephen smith and G. r. Agnew, Of
hew York
An extract from the report Of the Kings County Com
rEus Az APPALLING STORY.
= For -four weeks giving date the mortality from
diseases largely due 70 defective drainage IN city Of
Brooklyn was 7sl OF this number consumption and
ecrouIa killed IL Group dphtherIa anu auinzy 76;
pneumonia pleurisy aud bronchitis So; remitIent and
entermittent ievers Il; typhoid fever To- erysipelas
diarrhual diseases, Z cerebro-spna meningitis l.
Half 0f these, Than 100 would not have died
put for defective drainage The of marsh lands in
khls county be conveniently measured by
emies than One single line OF III measured by
khe coast from Spring Creek the north side of the
hown o. New Lots to Fort Hamilton is about forty
hnos long and viii average not less than miles
Wlde, comprehendlng OF over 100 900 acres
Dn Fatbush Ripley Lake. and four smaller ponds
communicating comprehend about Gao acres Of
htagnant water and this the receptacle
Hor the sewage Of the county Institutions
The artificial ponds made by the progress
Eepiaces Of the water drainage around and exc out
eisease aud death " all Who reside In the neghbor
Bood and are the foundation Of unhealthy dwelling
places for many years 70 come
Z This irightiul testimony comes from men who know
20 Wei OF what they report The death lists are ra
bidly swelling
4 The HERALD writer after visiting the PARK and
Eenteman ccrroborsed the story or his ill-heath III
3ave, he said, "been suffering from naarious fever
kADd am Just now recovering satisfied the disease
ewas contracted At Prospect Park / look upou lie
Bake there q plague spot
Mayor Hunter was sought but could not be found at
Ys snice II u believed be desr0us III reform la the
Hark abuses but u checsmated generally ~ The Board
tof Aldermen, who obey the oehests of sBoss3
mclaughlin.
( Another thing not generally known r. regard q the
Hark lake is ths: The water IL turned h rom the
Fistbush Avenue Reservoir during the summer when
bhe great well Is low and thus fam ne s created
D. Brooklyn order that the drives he PARK nav
be wstered All this comes Of the terrible condon III
ahe lake. II ID to be hoped the Brooklyn people may
NJ length be aroused 10 their danger.
nor Y YpTNTTfy EATp