The New York herald., 1876-07-16
How the Health Of Fifty Thousand
People Is Endangered.
PESTILENT VAP ORS
The East River Fat Rendering Establishments,
slaughter Houses and Petroleum Works.
WHERE IS THE BOARD OF HEALTH? I?

The hot summer Season. which brings fresh country
breezes exercise and health 10 many city people, also
brings 10 the less fortunate inhabitants who unable
to leave their occupations increase OF discomfort
and danger. rhe extreme which drains
strength and cramps ov energies also intensAes
many evils which far less Objectionable in other
seasons In such a the present. when the
system demands It's utmost strength 10 endure and
repcl It bchooves us to precautionary and
sanitary measures. The large increase in the death
rate OF the present year might be avoidod to
tent at least by the most simple efforts the part Of
the sanitary authorities. The people who suffer most
from neglect the part of the authorities those
who are least able 10 hclp themselves they reside in
the lower wards where they ut the mercy OF few
men of wealth, and bring influences to bear f6r
their own relief Some upper wards there are, TOO
whcro the evils exist and wherc citizens of tho
more well-todo class similarly made to suffer
From those there naturally arises greater resistance
however little good may be pishcd thereby BY
the citizens of the Nineteenth ward, along tho East
River. for long time past numerous complaints have
been made of the impure vapors that arise from various
establishments along tho river sde Only a day
since the HERALD received a communication from
OF East Forty street. whose ndignans
protest strongly describes the public sentiment that
section.
In view OF numerous complaints made HERALD re-
!
fairs The result has been 10 suostantatc tho CON-
plants. Along the banks OF the East River, from
Fortyhrd to Forty-nlnh street, are a collection OF
long established slaughter houses fat rendering estab
lshments, the like. This portion OF
city appears to have been made the receptacle OF all
the impurities Of the East side. Between Forty sixth
and Forty-sevcnth streets large manure
yard is situated, adding its efuvium the
rest. And If these were not enough
there stands a large petroleum factory upon
the opposite bank OF the river whose vapors sc tho
citizens Of the Nineteenth ward and MI the from
bank bank with impurty. These various establish
meats are of course, necessity; but 1t Is not all
necessary that they should in this particular and
central locality. Or since they placed there, it is
certainly necessary that every precaution should be
render them little disagrceable and njuri
ons possible A broezc from an eas'crly direction
varying from northerly to southcry watts these
nthy odors from Thrticth to Sixeth street. and as
far back sometimes Fourth avenue. Those in the
immediate locality of the works suffer when the
atmosphere heavy and drives the stencil directly
down upon them AT thus point, too majority OF tho
people live in tenement houses, admitting but poor
ventilation even could the purest OF air be obtained.
Dwclers IN private houses upon Beekman Hill receive
their full share Of attention from the noxious exhaa
tons In fact, throughout this thickly populated
gon the stencil is generally bad, often intoleraDlc.
SUFFERING COMMUNITY.
| From all sides ia the district mentioned the HERALD
| reporter received but one opinion. SO long
had they borne with evil that there appeared to be
settled conviction that efforts could do away with
IT, For years past petitions have been made TO the
city authorities for relief but still their demands have
! been unanswered. Once, III 1862 we'll remembered
individual by the Of Eckel aroused the neigh
horhood by his fat rendering establishment that public
halI and rqau 4 thotE Ect.
found u means OF consuming the vapors in his furnace
But q nee attempts have been powcrloss TO
enforce the same precautions upon Others. AS II is
| now, the causes OF complaint arc numerous that
the citizens hardly know in which direction to move
first What with the slaughter houses the fat render
ing and bone boiling Establishments, the manure yard
| and the petroleum wOrks-any one of which would DO
sufficiently oncnsive-the public havo become para
lived and helpless The few measures that have been
have not been carried olt and the weak mandates
OF the health authorities have been completely dis
regarded. Nearly all with whom the writer conyersed
had particular bodily almept 10
plain oi which was attributable in a great measure
10 these nuisances Among children especially Inc i'll
effects were seen To be thrown into the heat tho
broilng during the day. and cribbed up closely
confined room at night much hardy con
stitutions and ccrtainy far much for little chill
dren. For the past fortnight the stencil has been
especially unhealthy. The results have already been
dlsastrous and children throughout the hborhood
are III with nausea and brain complaints Some OF the
tenement houses arc sight sufficient to repcl any
Deaths are aarmingly frequent In this quarter. and
there bc but ono opinion that the want OF pure air
| Is one OF the principal causes thereof
INDIVIDUAL SENTIMENT.
Ono man who lives upon Foriy.Gfth street, near
First avenue BY tho iouI district nsdered the
| petroleum works at Hunters POM we're obnox
ous general rulc than the fat rendering establish
rnents. ON "Wednesday evening last the stcncn came
from across so the n. sveT n ana ,nn continued suen
the streets into their houses where the close
fastened windows and doors Afforded but little procc
II spares neither air nor water and, when tho
tide the East River is covered with ctrolcum
when eectuay prevents the only other rcci afforded
10 the hood-a cool bath the river The Tat
|
though we'll informed engineers had told hin that he
stencil from those might be abatcd small expense.
some Of them he thought did abatc at times, while
had no regard whatever for tho feelings of The
community.
was obliged close the doors OF his shop, The
terrible stencil would ruin MS meat The butcher said
that repdcrcrs used to take the oal which they
gather from the slaughter houses to Black Rock lie
thought that most OF tho fat boiled in the evening,
and To quote his own language, when the tat some
times burns the bottom then you may run fast
you can; a horse would die OF it," About two weeks
ago he complained that his stomach refused food for
four days on account awful stencil. and he was
obliged to drink strong brandy TO keep alive during
"i'm strong man, - said he "but can't sand II
always, and the children IN he tenement house ncxt
door are OK all tho time" Sometimes, he said, the
lat was nvc six days old when boiled anu thcn the
cdor was sickeniDs IN the extreme. few days SINCE
man was removing the oGal at between and seven
o'clock IN the morning at the time when people the
! neighDorhood were rising. Wben demonstrated with
and told that should be removed IA the night time.
| he became impudent and said he would take II away
| whenever he pleased Many families, inclading his
| own were unable TO eat their breakfasts IN conse-
| ouencc Quite number Of the men who lived there
apouis with their families were oycd IN the boiling
anu ugbtcr establishments, and AFRAID TO
! plain account OF the danger they would incur tf
/ losing Their situations.
The HERALD reporter interviewed o! the propre-
! tors ct large brewery IN Forty seventh street Ito
| concdcd wuh the opinons before expressed, and
though be SAID he did wish Interfere WIN any
ncphbor dong legitimate business, yet the evil
pIancd OF great 10 20 endured, and where 20
| maay lcope we're suffering 1t certainly ought TO be
abatcd n possible.
owx7R.
The reporters informant related that he bad been
told, though he could Ear ,ruo II was. that
one OF The OF fat rendering house occupied
dwelling upon Bcckman Hill and that during The sum
fn,r weather he moved with his family The
! try, complaining that tie stencil much TOR
ihciu The brewer also cepsrrcd the mann cnicht o..
the yard, IN Forty sixth street. Only year or