The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-04-05
WHENCE CONES The STENCIL?
inquiry BY Z Herald Committee as 10 Hun
teFs Point 0doS.
ACTION OF lNCENSED CITIZENS.


OF New York have been pervaded by the most foul and
pcstilental gases emanaiing from points over which
our Board OF Health have been unable 10 execute tho
slightest control well known to every reader OF the
HERALD That from the black and disma. petroleum
fneries and superphosphate manufactures Of Buntcr's
Point there waited daily and hourly the eastery
winds the germs OF those diseases which Of late years
have SO marvellously increased our death list
is fact which, as the sequel will show
has now been at.estcd 10 by the most wealthy
and respected residents up town. Each year these
odors and gases have Increased In vileness until last
they have become 50 uncomfortable that the people
have been compelled 70 form aad do something
TO insure their speedy removal Tho only recourse
left them is by some special act Of legislation, and
hence those who reside upon the side Of the city,
between Fourteenth street and Central Park. acting
IN unison, have framed she following bil which WAS
introduced In Assembly BY Mr. Peabody.
TIE BILL
The following Is the bili:
The people Of tie stale Of Me- York. reprsssd = S>aH saa
sIcrOS i-Whsnsysr tho Board Of Health OF any acor
shall declare that from ey reason q any pursuit. mat.
Ter Or situate Without the limits ., .Seh city
drainage ventilation Of the same connected there
health Of ia.S,su.s Of such city or viii be poiuos q
affecting the same Or tLs iaa.Si,snis shsrss shall %
hs duty IF such gSasd q 20 .ts sppss
County Court county wherein prsuit,
msnnactory Is stnsts, Is carried Tor relief IN the
Upon such .pps.s,on .A. coar. Once, whom
is.vi, osAssxi,. tho :.Ss'.a,,si truth Of
IONS bodies ssrpors.e owning Or carrying on such
he buildings or premises used in such business. matter or
s sn as p.s s % !.
qua may also r. ssSa the
may order the summary abatement Of the m.s.srs so com
pas Other *. .s ss II :. h sps. TO D. just
body demanding requesting
place where the has
and the business matter or pursuit 81 which has been de
hab.nts and in OF refusal neglect comply with
.
SIC, 1 ih,s 40. shall take siiss. N msdi.isIy.
After the bill had passed It's second reading II was
referred to the Committee on Public Health, which
yesterday assembled in tho reading room OF the Grand
Union Hotel. located the Of Fourth avenue
and Forty second street.
THE MEETING
was well attended by experts in law chemistry and
hygiene. DIR. Russell presided.
Upon the opening OF tho meeting Dr. Russell said -
We have sought this meeting with the view OF secur-
Ing, II possible, the opinions OF those directly inter-
estcd concerning the merits the dement's Of the bill
Any one present is at liberty 10 speak, Tor, of the
many communications scnt In already, wo have been
unable to ascertain the exact cause OF those doors
against which large number or tho best OF
New York complain. We hoped that in an mtlage
oil this kind our minds might become amarizcd with
the details OF the question: and that by meeting men
entertaining different views on this same Aubjsct
might return the bill TO tho Assembly with more nt-
ting comments Therefore, l call upon any to
arise and state his OPINION
A PROM cRkRNr0iNr
Mr. T. +. Rowland then took the floor and said:-
Year amer year the frghtfuI smells with which we
md fault have become more and more offensive. The
time has come =! last when We can bear them no
strange, but in the hottest months OF summer have
been many and many time compelled 10 close my
tly ksan I'm llama
petroleum. Tho fumes which proceed from Pralts oil
works Will make one actually vomi. In the summer
time when the reancres running 1t is absolutely
impossible tor or Tor my family ~ sit on the piazza
or door STEP for with the petroleum smell u an odor
OF suiphurc acid that Is too powerful 10 be endured
Mr. HOES RKMARxs.
Mr. Hoes who resides Forty ninth street, said:-
hood simply dreadful II the odor Of kerosene,
mingled with that OF dead animals Al night Il has
sometimes SO porvaded tho rooms OF my house that
have been compelled 10 get out of bed and close my
windows During an easterly or southeasserly wind
and damp atmosphere We can scarcely breathe
AoRs COMPLAINTS
r. H Rice, OF Fiiticth street. sald:-Some time ago
resded The Of Thirty ninth and Park
and other localities across ihe r,vor directly opposite
my house. were 80 foul that 10 get away from thcm
smells came IRON. ] went out, examined all
the holes by but found at last that Hunters
Point was the place from which they emanated. You
ask TO tell you what these smells resemble.
not; they indescrbable Should you reside up
town during the dog days you would not put such
but who ask It's passage wish to take no mean ad-
vantage Ii u docs pass and we complain to the
courts compliant will DO or avail II, upon
animation IL Is learned that the manufactures not
nusances, but conducted IN clearly fashion. We
40 not want tho propretors OF these WORKS 70 resign
their business or oven remove their works, tor these
offensive odors know, can be subducd without much
trouble and ~ very irliing expense.
scnuirz's SosrRIIS.
As as Mr.. Rice had concluded Mr. Schultz an
member Of the old Metropolitan Board OF Health,
arose and spoke xs follows:-"lt Is my misfortune TO
live Murray Ill., where my nostrils constantly
offended by the disagrecabe odor Of petroleum. The
gentleman who preceded made good remark. He
SAID that not necessary the manuinc-
tories, nor Is IT, am somewhat of an expert, and
was q member Of the Board knew . gentleman who
owned y varnish making establishment, which
to all the neiyhborhood He completely cleansed
his place OF u In single month. could give hun
drcds OF similar examples but when tried to disin-
iect the Hunters Point rennercs iacd had
has been killed by the tunes OF petroleum, but
am sure that sick child confined In . house. the win
sine odors, would be hsstencd 10 It's grave. know
drove yourg horse around The place over the
once, and he sufIocatcd and tell down"
DIFFICULTIES
Mr.. I. c. Smith, OF Grcsnpo'ns, sad:-"rhc main
objection raised TO tho bill tnatn brings two different
Health Boards conflict hut our Health Board are
indifferent and will do nothing when complain TO
them only lew years ago VIC asked them TO remove
shc abominablc places along Ncwtown creek and they
refused But few OF US appealed to the law and
nnay succeeded in our purpose, but u cost some OF
coed from a hundred poin,s-from Bushwick creek,
IRON Newtown creek, and from the suphuretted hydro
gen produced by the supcrphosphatc workA
PROFESSOR CHASDLsR'S VIEWS
Professor Chandler, President OF the New York
soard OF Health, then called upon, expert 70
give his opinion. The following IS its purport:-
There doubt that the petroleum works Of Hun
ters Point and other ausauccs adjacent thAs locality
are dong great injury to The people OF Now York The
complaints made by the Board OF Health very nu-
merous, but We are not able abatc them either OF
ourselves or by advising lh the Board Of Health IN
brooklyn We have tired the latter course, we were
kindly received, but the nuisance sal. continued IN
the refining OF petroleum sulphuric acid used 10
cleanse the oil The kerosene put into huge tank
Is then vigorously stirred and this acid collects the
impurities IN the OIL anu precpisAses them.
THIS substance - called sudge acid IL
Is very foul, and from the
rsnneries and used In tho manufacturing OF super.
phosphate. Tho stencil arising from very pecu.
liar There 10 poruon OF island that not more
or less affected by ~ came here to-day, however
more particularly 10 state. as an expert and who