The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-05-25

sixty-nye cents per cubic yard.
WHAT THE CONTRACT DEMANDS
The specifications or the contract are very plain
ana explicit. Section OF the specification pro-
vides that the filing is to be 'good loan, gravel
or sand,p and that 'coal ashes perfectly free
from all garbage or other impurities may be used
as ning up within one foot OF the whole height
OF the proposed nling,n and in section IL, "the
earth 6lrng In all casea snail be OF kind and
quality specified for embankment in section OF
these specincatIons.u This contract was entered
into by Jones a McQuaid, with Robert Pettigrew
and David Babcock as suretes In the sum OF
$50 900, and was competed, 1t would appear, TO
the satisfaction OF the Department or Public
Work. But how ? BY the use OF garbage which
cost the contractors two ana half cents per cubic
yard, delivered at the ground by the Police De-
partment.
THE PEST PROPERTY OWNERS.
The following name ed property owners are among
those benefited IN by this profitable operaton:-
Solomon Mehrbach, President OF the Second
Avenue Railroad; Sponord and Tfleston. Gebnard
Allen Hay, Edward Roberts, George J. Hamilton,
''The Peoples Gas Light Company" and the Rhine
lander estate. These are the few among many
who have had their lands filed in with the city
filth, and who at some future day will sell ''de-
sirable building lots suited TO people OF limited
means.n
The Engineer Bureau OF the Department OF Pub
lie Works denies that garbage any offensive
material has been used but states that Mills h
Ambrose now using filling for the lots at 106th
street which has been rejected by the Department
OF Public Works; but how can this be so The
nllin used Is collected from day to day in the
streets and back yards OF New York, and could
not have been offered before collected or rejected
before offered.
Mills Ambrose pay the Police Department
fifteen cents per CARLOAD for the nltn-a great ad-
vance on McQuaid's price. They have already
given cash Tor 172 cart loads, and owe the Depart
ment for LII. This latter quantity has been
supplied them since April 30-over 1000 carloads
OF dirty garbage III less than thirty days. Let Har
lem rejoice.
THE CONTRACTORS HASTE TOO LATE
The energy displayed by these enterprising con-
tractors Is immense. During yesterday horse
and man were driven TO the utmost OF their work
Ing capacity to cover up with thin layer OF fresh
earth, the nlthy garbage filing OF the past week
or so. The HERALD has inspired these people with
wholesome fear OF the consequences OF their
acts and their first ana natural impulse Is to hide
the norrd evidence or their breach OF the sanitary
laws OF New York.
THE BOARD OF HEALTH.
II was ascertained by q HERALD reporter yester-
day that the Board had taken the subject already
into consideration. and that decisive steps would
be determined upon BY the Board OF Health to-day
TO prevent the urtner propagation OF tue germs OF
disease and death ON these Oats. Failing to find
DR.. Chandler or DR.. Janeway, the reporter con-
versed with another important official in the
Health Department yesterday, who Is in position
to know the facts OF the case and the views enter
tanned by the Board. This gentleman limited even
that arrests might be made in consequen ce OF the
HERALD's disclosures, as the contractors VINO had
dumped garbage on the Harlem hats did SO in
violation ftAe plain provisions Of the law.
WHO rs TO BLAME7
The of1cial referred TO said that the Police De-
partment was not SO much TO blame as were the
contractors 10 whom the garbage was sold by
them. During the winter there was so little
garbage being almost entirely composed ofashes,
that the Board OF Health had permitted the dump
ing on the hats; but no such permission was
given for the spring, when .he refuse was natu-
rally of quite different character, being so
largely composed OF decayed animal and vegeta-
bic matter.
ais there any authority under which the Board
OF Police Is dumping the, garbage now on the Har-
lem natst" asked she writer.
II am in a position TO Know was the reply,
s'that no such permission has been granted BY the
Board OF Health for the last two months. The
contractors who dump the stun and the Board or
Police, who authorize them TO DO So are both vio-
lating the law"
VIEWS OF THE HEALTH BOARD.
'srhe Board OF Health, then, does not approve OF
the manner in which the nats are nlled upir
"on, there is no question In their minds as to the
improperly OF depositing this garbage there,
although II Is questionable whether the malaria
and other diseases supposed TO have been caused
by the noisome exhalatlons OF these marshes
would not continue In those districts without it.
You there always has been q great deal OF dis
ease in those swamp districts Of the city,"
tDo fhtnE hat no I'm Ia nrA ma IaI
for filing up purposesW
II think t6is is an open question. I think It
might become good soil, JUST even nightsoll be-
comes earth in due course OF timeu
nave no complaints about the stencil and
malarial effects been made to the Board ~
'None to speak or The only complaint that
was ever made about IL two months ago.
pest beds.' as the HERALD justly calls them, and
found so small percentage OF garbage in the
ashes that be did not deem the practice very del-
eterious 70 health, more especially as the ashes
would be sure 70 act as dlsinfectant upon the
garbage
AN OLD SORE.
HAS there been no investigation since thenW
mo, with tue exception OF the daily rounds
made by the regular sanitary inspector Of that
district, DR.. vlehle. You remember, by the way,
that TINS matter OF dumping the city's refuse on
great trouble, and that the Health Board had TO
prosecute Charlfck before he would stop dumping
there: the dlmculty Is by no means new one.n
sWhat Is the proper course for the Health Board
to pursue II the Police commissioners do not obey
its Dehest ~
for arrestIng ANYBODY found dumping garbage on
those premises although the police might eveA
make arrests Tor this offence without warrants.
However, do not anticipate any resistance OF the
Police Commissioners. THINK they will defer TO
the decision OF the Board oil Health, whatever
that MAY ben
SO much for the Board OF Health. Dr. Day the
sanitary superintendent went up to the hats yes
terday morning TO satisfy himself formally OF the
condition OF things IN those delightful regions He
viii report on the subject TO the Board, VINO Will
then act without any further delay.
COMMISSIONER DIsBECKER's VIEWS.
The Police Commissioner VINO Is at the head OF
our street. Cleaning Department, Mr.. Disbecker
was also questioned on the subject Mr.. Disbecker
had just returned rom Albany, where he had, no
doubt devoted much time and thought
10 the subject OF street cleaning and
the dumping on the Harlem hats Albany
being an excellent field for such studies. Mr.. Dis
becker, however, assumed a defiant attitude. He
said that the Board OF Health had given no order
70 stop dumping there; ergo, II any one was to
blame that commission, and not the great and
coed Police Board, was 20 blame. Furthermore,
he denied that she deposits we're garbage, except