The New York herald., 1876-07-20
THE HEAT.
CONTINUED SUFFERING OF THE POPULATION OF
NEW YoRK-INsIpE THE TENEMENTs-EFFECT
OF THE TERRIBLE HEAT ON THE HORSES.

NEW YoRK-INsIDE THE TENEMENTs-EFFECT
OF THE TERRIBLE HEAT ON THE HORSES.
The antiquarian Of 1916 who takes up copy OF the
NEW YORK HERALD OF July To- 1876, and the preceding
week and scans its pages a curiosity will perhaps
wonder why the press OF the time reflected so much
impatience on the part Of the population with inev-
table atmospheric conditions Possibly by that time
the Gulf Stream may, by some freak have shaped its
toward the Cape OF Good Hope and the wonder
ing archaologist may be blowing warmth iato his
fingers he reads in July, 1876. The inconceiv-
ablo record OF our present temperature. He
viii poss bly, speculate whether the Thermometers used
that somewhat remote date were Ike those
OF his own day. and reliable. Whatever he may think,
the people Of this city fully satisfied of thing,
that however many millions OF years the combustion
OF the suns mass has been going :herc is still lots
OF fire In him. The heat is simply getting provoking,
and lecturers the al-creativc power OF the solar
ray do exceedingly well that attractive but
torrid subject In mid winter Meanwhile flesh,
mop ourselves, grin and bear the heat best
Below VII. however. be found details which lend
anything but jocular complexion to the subject, and
which have an exceedingly grave side TO thom
IN THE TENEMENT DISTRICTS.
The suffering among the dcnizcns OF tho tenement
houses was greater than be described in mere
words. For days past tho cutters in these districts
have been choked with filth of every description and
the vegetable refuse the ash barrels exposed to the
blazing sun, has decayed from day to day almost as
soon as placed on tho sidewalks The stencil from
these combined causes has been nauseatiug Tor the
past two weeks and although the rain OF last Tuesday
evening did good service riddng the cutters OF much
Of this accumulated nlth, tho thousand and Smells
each than the other, which waited through
the streets the slight breeze that during the
afternoon, made the atmosphere, burning il
nth ~ hoo T,o A. 4 tho
wretched inmates OF the cnemcnts OF the ill-fayored
neghborhoods wns deplorablc for terrible was the
heat in the open streets and nauseating the
odors from the cutters the air pure the worst
block compared with tho atno sphere indoors
A HERALD reporter who made tour during the
hottest period OF the day through some OF the most
thckly populated sections OF the East side, especially
the Fourth and Sixth wards and the lower portion
and was furnished with evidences OF the fatal
OF the heat shat were truly appalling The stoops
and Railways OF the ienements we're crowded with
and children, all seeking relief from the sufo-
eating atmosphere within doors Even though the
breeze was frcightcd with stcnchcs to them 1t was
apparently q source OF comfort Tho little children
who old enough to walk played together IN
stess. unchldlke way, and most Of them looked pao
and The most ptablc sight TO a stranger IN the
tenement districts was the babies. BY far the
jory OF the women, who were hudd!ed tho
door steps where tho sun did not strike, were
half cad and had little children in their
But few Of them looked well many appeared
halt dying and some oil tho mothers wcra emaciaed
and carcworn that 1t mado ones heart bleed to
them. As the reporter was passing through East
Fifth street. avenue d. his attention attracted
to fat checked little babe that lay half asleep
its mothers lap, she being young woman apparently
not twenty, holowcycd and pale. Tho child
he stopped at the s,oop smiled gccuy. 1t was
the first real wclllook!ng child he had met with, and
he asked the mother ~ how she had KEEP. the child 60
nights with II on the wharf God Is my Judge was
the reply ''Wc at least breathe there" The poor
woman's looks did not belle her words, for she ap-
pcared like who had not closed her eyes In sleep
for wcek Of nights. The reporter knocked
at the door OF u back room on tho fourth
story of n house in Orchard street, aud, receiv-
ing answer opened 1t and entered Four little chill
dren-the eldest oil whom was apparently about six
seated the floor munchng crusts Oi bread They
were naked as tho day they were born. In corner
lny woman in rags, SICK unto death. She had lost
tw children she said, the hot weather began.
The atmosphere IN tho room was inoerablc and ono
OF tho neghbors making Appearance with pitcher
Of water for the sick woman the reporter left. This
ono OF many not less narrowing.
1t would indeed, be impossible to give anything like
aithu description OF tho misery and suffer ng the hot
weather has brought upon the tenement house casses
In going from the East River through Fifth street to
avenue tho reporter met on the street and coming
down the avenues seven funerals all OF children Truly
death is reaping rich harvest among tho little
and Gods poor" usual, are those who the
greatest sufferers.
MORTALITY IN THE HORSE CAR STABLES
Yesterday HERALD reporter investigated tho effects
Third limo, being the largest OF tho panics
first claimed notice. Tue managers have directed tho
drivers during the last few days spare the stock in
every way possible This is without any reference to
time whatever. The stables clean and we'll vent-
lated the horses living both upstairs and down, seeming
to be generally In good health O course, this limo
employs nearly 600 horses in Its business, there
numbers in the hospital always, but during this heated
the aggregate those under treatment has been
largely swellcd Ii could be ascertaned from the
how many horses had actually died belonging
to the company but stable boy said aoout thirty or
forty"
The next line investigated that of tho Second
Avenue Railroad Company, whose depot Is at !, 1876
Second The horses this line OF cars are Of
a poorer quality th,n those OF the Third Avenue
line, have suffered 1t is believed terribly with the
heat OF the last few days Their route, too, is in the
main, through and very badly paved,
thus making hard work for the poor animals. There
has been mortality among the horses these stables
OF about l50 The hospital Is tull OF sick horses.
The Fou III avenue line has lost but few horses dur
ing the summer The route is good one the stables
at the of Thirty street and Fourth
are cool. clean and healthy and the management OF
the establishment rs everywhere admirable. The route
from the Post Once TO the Grand Central depot and
thence Central Park Is long but the horses
changed frequently. The dverEng lines 10 Chambers
street and Thirty street ferries under the
same management In conversation with the drivers
and conductors the writer's Information of but small
mortality among the horses IN these stables
hrmcd
The Broadway line, as well tho Sixth avenue
line, has suffered but little by horses dis
abcd BY the heat Tho former company have
relays OF animals At the corner OF University
place and Eighth street. whore the horses arc watered
WELL both the up and downward trips but there
is seldom occasion when is necessary to change
them, they OF superior stamina and stand tho
work very we'll The stables at Fiiieth street and
adapted for the comfort OF the animals There is
change OF here tho up trip proceeding tho
Park
The Blocker street line has suffered considerably
horses since the hot weather set in The stock this
road however had been allowed to run down under tho
old direction and yet fully up to the standard Of
most OF the other city lines
The hack horses generally in good condition, and
have suffered but little
The horses OF licensed venders have becn lost in
numbers during tho last fortnight OF course
they are generally cheap stock, costing from
$50 to SIS and easily replaced. The
horses drawing lager beer wagons have suffered
but httlc. as their arc very careful OF them,
making their drivers proceed on their business at
slow gait, keeping bounets over their heads or wet
sponges them. The horses attached TO ice carts
have suffered very much their loads have generally
been excessive and their work unLsually hard Ex-
press horses being os a superior quality and having
good caro- have up ths stood tho heat we'll and
u Is 10 be hoped those who own tbs hne class OF sn-