New-York tribune., 1878-05-25
,,rp corRCE OF Foul ODORs.

- uoc-PFNs, BENEATH WHICH ARE THE
t-,,,uv ACCUuULATIoNs OF FIFTEEN YEARS
,,,,ov SHUT oFF-No YENTILAToRs-A CASE
n, Tpp HEALTH BOARD SHOULD INvEsTI-
GATE. r.;t,
viii you allow one of large class OF
- h0se home and place OF business are lOcated
clI'n' .s,cbborhood of FOrteth-st and North River
ne'. sant THOMAS b. Musgrave through the columns
y, vour paper for the poiu ''aHu no n"' 60 - 'e
o r,dding Eew-YOTk OF the foul plague spots,
"oiA - nolleJ into being, nurtured and kept alive
,he influence OF large corporations and indiyd-
ol interests combined.
lis perfect marvel TO any one acquainted Win the
,hhorbood mentioned (whO has not moneyed inter
-. tn The maintenance Of these nnisanCes) that the
1o.,,b commissioners, whose business 1t is TO visit
hoo establishments not only ON the west, but also on
~ sost side OF the city, should be at loss 20 de-
ino - whence come the foul and death-dealing
-. which must as the hot days approach,
,,,ead themselves the entire city. l notice In
sary all the newspaper reports that the barge known
% the Algonquin is about the only nuisance of the kind
ored on the West Side. This Is beyond explanation.
while eoncuring the opinion that the Algonquin
,n,ance and should be removed, still claim that any
0orsop who will take the trouble to examine must
tbo n the one least Objectionable. Theaumal matter
manufactured upon the barge day into fertilizer
hsnged from death-dcang substance into giving
fertilizer which tact is not true in regard 10 the estab
shmeuts used for the slaughterng OF hogs sheep and
cattle. The filth which must of necessity accumulate
pde and around these buildings is added to day after
nav a. II ripens into the most lOathsome decay But
,Msis not ALL Located near these slaughterng houses,
are sheds for yarding hogs in which kept each week
several thousand live hogs they are delivered from
the cars These sheds constructed over deep gully,
making ground floor and second story in both OF which
hogs were formerly yarded.
As years have passed. the lower floor, through the
accumulation OF filth under it, has become untenanta-
bic even for hogs and from sheer necessity has been
abandoned. the company using at present the upper
floor only the building of these yards there have
been erected between them and the river large sauSh
ering houses the foundations Of which have completely
slut in and confined under the hogyards all accdmula
tons decaying matter which has found its way Gown
into the basin sink under the sheds for period of
more than fifteen years The upper floor as used now,
is only in part under cover thus allowing any ram that
NAV fall to aid in carrying additions, week by week
and by year. Of deeaylng matter INTO TINS
below, until there exists to-day over quarter OF Dock
tbis sink OF death. measuring IN ueptn rom OIo "a ~
four And yet while minor nuisances are conveyed
by the officials in charge with great flourish OF rumpes
beyond the limits Of the city, and are commanded
under heavy penalty OF law, not TO return,
this is allowed to remain undistrbed And why IT. Is
asked. Simply that large corporation may reap us
yardage revenue from an enormous number OF nogs NOE
or two veatlstOrs originally constructed to conduct
the stencil from the lower floor through the floor now &C.
cuped have been closed and for other reason than
that customers whose business is 10 pass through these
yards may shielded in part from the euva passing
from below.
Not of the Board OF Health would dare even to-
day, much less in midsummer to unsea this vault ana
And yet, with the intense heat Of July and August to
cause every form OF disease from TINS fou ar ana al
that ii is impossible 10 determine whence come the foul
smells so long complained OF.
The whole question resolves itself into this Shall
few individuals be allowed to fasten upon this city these
foul sinks of disease and DEATH while the health, com
fort and happiness of citizens made by those whose
business 1t Is for them matters OF secondary con-
sideratiOn. CITIZEN.
Nep- York May IL, 1873.