The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-04-03
THE EAST RIVER STENCIL.

1T IS PROVED TO DE TIE PHOSPHATE MANU-
FACTORIES AT HUNTERS POINT
A great many complaints have recently boon made
by persons residing in the portion OF this CITY,
between Union Square aud Central Park, concerning
the unwhocsomo and snoxious odors which arc car
ricd over tho river by the oastcry winds from the
neighbornood OF Hunters Point These disagreeable
and unhealthy perfumes SO noticeable in the
winter season. but during the mouths many Of
the most wealthy and respectable people who 1.-Two mp
town state that they are ~ times simply ntolcrable.
aud that, in their opnion they carry with them the
germs vi many diseases which among children par
tculary fatal Il we'll known that between Grccnpont
and Hunters Point, L. L., aro located many Of tho
largest aud petroleum renncres In this
country and owing to the fact that tho odors Of which
the people on tho cas-, side justly complain vor
strongly OF Kerosene the managers OF these rencres
constantly called 10 for conducting their
business in u manner injurious TO public health.
With the Wow Of ascortaining the extent to which
these establishments accountable Tor the nuisance
HERALD reporter visited Long Island yesterday
made thorough Investigation OF their actual
d.ton II IL. or course, impossible TO refine Kerosene
and wholly subdue its natural odor but the reporter
WINS surprised TO find the odor slight as II
men.s, he couio not how tho managers could pos
Silly conduct their business III more
clcanly way, and for tho moment no WAS pug
xled 10 understand from what locality those
disgusting smells proceeded which are always
prevalent up town when the wind is from the east
shncnts SAID the superintendent OF one OF the re-
nneries. ssis tho acid with which cleanse pero-
sum and perfectly useless 70 US after il has
done liz work We do not permit Il 10 remain upon our
premises But we do not. some say, empty IL into
the river, inasmuch a. II has steady sale and brings
Bu alter IL has gathered TO itself all the impurities
Of your oil what can Il be used iory' asked the
"Wsll,n responded the superintendent. at il EN-.
poyed as disiniectant, and cutters to some extent
into the manufacture OF superphosphatcs
While this conversation gong cart
driven into the yard, Tue odor OF Which was dread
fully foul that both The superintendent aud me re-
large amount Of this acd which contained In large
glass carboys, drove down tho street The reporter
followed It 10 the nanufactory OF Mr. +. Frank Coo to
ASCERTAIN what became Oft When quite long distance
from this locality the source OF those pescntia gases
that make such upon tho health and comfort OF
the eastern portion Of New York became very evident
FOUL PLACE
The establishment Is located along the river front ut
Hunters Point and Is very extensive II Is here that
icrtiiizcrs and superphosphates manufactured No
impedcd the entrance OF tho writer nor did any
accompany him through tho place; hence he had
opportunity TO take his time ana draw hts
conclusions from what he Haw. The wagon drive
terng the yard court about which grouped tho
rough wooden sheds where the phosphatcs pre-
parcd Is formed vi thick planks, which, owing 70 the
pools dirty and dscolorcd water that surround them
either SIDE, resemble rough ponoon bridge
y morass The large yard was filled from one end TO
the other with immonso wooden casks which, because
OF tho 0dors that proceeded from them, the
writer inlagtnos arc used for Carrying the rotten
animal matter that enters largely into the
preparation oil all phosphates and icrlilixcrs A
drcry dcsoate place has been seldom seem rubb sh
piled up everywhere, every heap dong its share
rendering the atmosphere Tor miles around unhealthy
aud impure. Tho little knobs OF ground which here
and there disccrnable above the water were dis
culored with u greenIsh black liquid resembling tho
useless compound which Mr.. Dlsbccker employed last
summer 10 disiniect the Harlem flats The pungent
OF Kerosene very marked, and II was evident
that tho dead aud adutcrated acid Obtained from
neghborng rchncrics had been very irecy scattered
around The nearer the writer approached the sheds
the moro oppressive became the atmosphere whilo
when within them,
TIKI oDoR WAS ACCOUNTABLE
and could hardly be endured. There, underneath
n system OF wood work. old and diapidatcd and
nled with cracks and crevices, the currents VI air
year in and yoar out. pass heaps Of supcrphos
pilates, carrying their stencil all over the island and
ali the eastern districts OF New York. The people
up town deceived when they imagine that the dis
strongly OF petroleum Is pulled out OF the smoke
stacks OF Grecnpoint, Tor concealed beneath that
pungcnt 0dor ol crude oil also tho pest
lental doors which proceed from the stale nsh aud
animal matter without which these Fertilizers cannot
be made Every cart that TO and comes from this
establishment drgusts aud angcrs the people Of
the horoughfarcs through which passes and every
cmcnts which enter the phosphates does share
10 bci0ul the air The writer, while passing through
the place. did not meet single attachc OF tho cstab
lshincnt whose presence he could endure even long
enough TO ask question, while II is wonder TO him
how the sole individual he met IN tho private olice
hard by can manage to remain in room unwhole-
some and close. The odor TO have pcrvaded
exuuc the stencil, and one must travel many blocks