The New York herald., 1877-01-21
THE SONG OF THE DIRT.


DUMP, DUMP, DUMP THE SNOW ON THE PIERS
WITH A Squirt, POISONING FISH FOR THE
POOR MANS DISH AND FILLING THE DOCKS
WITH DIRT.
The people OF New York we'll pleased TO see the
action Of the city authorities In removing the snow
and Ath from thoroughfares II is no pleasant
occupation, that OF wadng knee deep In slush when
II Is necessary to from block TO another.
Right welcome therefore, is the sight Of horses carts
and men, with pickaxe, shovel and broom, hard at
work retiring the dirt-where? Complaints have
from dumped into other places where It
proves an annoyance almost as great rs that reme
died.
A HERALD reporter called upon Mr.. John H. Lynch,
sh Fulton lsh Market and lessee Of parts oil
piers % and 23 East River This gentleman told the fol-
lowing story have stood this nuisance and Outrage
as long possible. AT last my good nature 10 ex-
haus lease parts OF these piers and good price
for such privilege have been annoyed for the last two
three years by the Department of Street Cleaning
using these piers US the dumping ground of NTH,
ashes, &c. This year It has been worse than before
Last week. night alter night have the CARTS flied with
this snow dirt come and emptied II on my piers
ON my part to the department unloading tho dirt of
these piers II would compel the TO to the
end the pier Tho Jumps OF ice and mud would there
be taken up by tho water and dissolved. We're The
ebb dehetng out the rubbish would be carried along
the river and thence, by Buttermk Channel, out TO
sea- II drop stick at the end OF Of those picrs
It WILL II not otherwise hindered, make straight out
But these cartmen are compelled TO dump AZ cbb
tide but come at all hours and times. and down goes
thatr nnda an lca 4
there floats awayY The department not only Will
not consult tho changes IN the tide, but they allow
these TO be emptied on my dock ana In the water
each side OF It.
The reporter accompanied Mr.. Lynch 10 pier %,
whicn he lound covered with frozen mud, which had
evidently been dumped there without the least cere-
mony. At the end OF tho pier the tide was rushing
seAward, and each side OF II, where the water was
still, dirt lay thick on the snow and Ice There"
continued Mr. Lynch, pointing 10 number OF boxes
IN the water, us where we keep quantities Of our nsh
The other night OF these was sunk by the
matter thrown In II, and had TO raise II again. DO
the people Of this city know that the fish they eat are
living IN this polluted waterY and would II be q Won
dor # sickness follow such contemplate con-
duct on the part our o1icials9 keep my pier IN
good order, aud obliged have leet OF water
In the slip at low tide. The department nil the trst
with hthto the depth Of eight inches and the latter
Is their dumping ground"
Mr.. Miller, also fish dealer. said that what MT.
Lynch said was strictly true.
BLACK BALL Complaints.
MIR, Lamscn, OF the Marshall Black Ball line OF
packets, told reporter that what MIR. Lynde had
stated was perfectly Their vessels had, time aud
the authorities. Often would one OF the line como In
light, and almost free OF freight, und when she had
He considered the dumping Of the dirt Injurious to
commerce. anu wrongful imposition on the lessees
Of the pors At one slip they had been driven from
the Of the place by the accumulation OF mud, and
once when OF their line wished TO enter, she was
compelled TO await the outcoming OF another vessel
before she could get in, as the DIRT thrown thcre had
lett but narrow channel which only one ship could
enter Al time.
BLUNT opINIoXa
Mr.
capital spirits, and announced himself OF the
distinguished members Of the Fishmongers' Associa-
ton. He drted into various subjects In the course
oil which he asserted that the present poor manage
of due to the taken Of 1t by Two
distinguished gentlemen-Twced and Tiiden-togcther
with democratic Legislature. Two classes OF people
he held in c0ntcmpt-the reporter and tile lawyer
both of whom stood with him as earthly imps and
devils; the one always misrcporting interviews and
the other up to trcks that are vain and peculiar He
had no control over the mater IN question, but
deemed IL violation and flagrant abuse The officials
In charge had right to dump the refuse where they
did,
should soon abate such Nuisance / consider any one
who would so MI our slips and river with this mud
would be capable of dong anything equally malicious,
such as talking his mother-inaw 10 DEATH received
q letter from Mr. Wales day or two ago. and he IN
formed me we had no authority In the matter IL IL
mooted question who really has control over this
matter but do not consider ut present that nave"
Me- $. H. Wales, President OF the Dock Department,
said tho facts were tlcse:-"rhe Commissioners OF
Police, who have this in charge, sent down to
TO know II they might, with their lcssecs permis-
SION, the piers leased Dy those gentlemen kecOX.
nizng that the present was an exceptional one,
such winter rs the present not having been expe.
renccd In years before, tho Dock Department allow cd
the Police to ask tho essees OF several
private piers Tor the OF their property"
ssrhis department. said Mr. Wales, ''dOes not COM
pei 10 give up his pier Tor any such uses We
ask, and he has right to refuse II he wishes Fur
thermore make special condition that tue snow
shall be unoadcd only at the ends OF the pers but by
no means the piers either side Of them. We
have received many complaints on this same matter.
Hence are receiving condemnation on both sides.
The people clamor for the removal of the snow, and
the lessees indignant because we dump our loads
OFF their piers. 1t IS twoedgcd sword, sure to cut
Whenever way you use IT, and tho problem now grow
to do with the street ccaningsY' We are un-
able TO SEND out, they unfit 10 stand tue
test. Something must be done with the snow,
now, where to we to carry tY Mr.. Lynch
should apply TO the superintendent of Police or to
Captain Gunner who has this street cleaning business
under his direct supervision, and he would quickly OBJ
tam redress II Is, without doubt, an outrage on Mr.
Lynch to have his property damaged but II ID within
his power have this dumping stopped.
PHILOSOPHY.
''Man is ever ready to shit trouble from his own
shou lders the backs Of Others and II party Is
encum oered with dead horse the like, min the
least Troublesome and quirest plan Is TO throw said
animal IN the river, and then all further annoyance is
past him, at least The people, ever suspicious OF
public officers. are quite willing to blame them Tor
negligence, not seeing how well and faithfully thoso
officials work or with what Inconvenience they are
surrounded"
OUR oBsrRUcTED STREETS.
To THE EDITOR HERALD
The point that the HERALD makes editoriay to.d day
In stt ,ha Of puh ,