The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-06-22
NEwTOwN CREEK NUISANCES.

THE BOARD OF HEALTH wARRING UPON THE
STANDARD AMMONIA COMPANY.
The Board Of Health OF Long Island City, spurred
to sense OF duty. apparently by the ofi-repeated
complaints vile stencncs arising from fersizer
man ufactories ana other offensive estapiish mems
WITHIN tho city limits. have commenced proceedings
with view IL their suppression They have doubtless
been melted 10 this action In some measure ny the
example set carly tho spring by some residents Of
Dutch Kills, who made compliant to the District At
torncy or Queens county and had number OF
nuisances In hs shape OF fat boiling establishments
pisger,ss, Gc in that neighborhood abated through
tho action OF tho courts-some moro parties
bcnx Indicted and several OF tho offensive establish
men.s heipg summary demolished by tho Sheriff aud
q posse Tho Board have turned their attention
toward the manifold nusances OF Newtown Crock
ana begun upon of the alleged nuisances
OF that storicd stream Two or three years ago
tho Standard Ammonia Company, having establish
men,s in Boston and Cincinnati, built a factory on
the creek near the loot OF East avenue and short
distance IRON tho Long Island Railroad depot After
the factory had got fairly in operation complaints
made against It on account OF the odors alleged
TO eManae II, ana the Board oil Health ordered
work stopped The order wa complied with. but the
company having subsequently, put ~ improved ma
chiucry, which they represented would entirely OBJ
viate tho trouble complained 0i. was given
70 work again, und the manufacture has since
continued Meantime tho stenches Of the neighbor-
hood have in nowise abalcd and is alleged by
some people that the worst OF all comes from the am
monia works, while The proprlctors OF that concern
aliege equal positiveness that no offensive smell
comes from their works, but tnat the Pc
culIar odors complained OF are from the
garbage dumping grounds fat BOILING estab
ish neuls and oil rchneries further up tho creek,
and principally The Kings county side, the msior-
tune OF the ammonia WORKS beng that they are Ia
direct range when the wind blows from that quarter,
and thus get the discredit
INVESTIGATION BEGUN
Forced by persistent complaints against tho am
mona works The Board OF Health have commenced
or they shall be permanently suppressed, and TWO
or three hearings have been had Messrs Tracy,
Oimsled L. Tracy, OF Now York, and Solomon b.
NoUe OF Long Island CITY, appear for tho company.
while ex-Judge Pearse and Corporation Counsel Bur
nett appear Tor the Health Board and the people.
Considerable testimony both sides has been taken,
and or hearings will probably determine
the matter. plumber oil wit ne secs profess TO nave
traced Inc offensive odors directly 10 the works,
while others, aad nolaoly tnoge doing business
In immediate neignbornood, nave no CON-
plant 10 make. DAVID w. Marsh, OF Cleveland,
ONO president Of the company, explained In detail
method OF manufacture and was certain with the
I'm appliances they had there could be no just
cause compliant Mr.. Asa W. Wilkinson, assistant
chemist OF the College OF New York. stakcd his pro-
nai reputation that nothing could escape from
Inc works Ia the shape OF noxous or offensive Odors
believed all the senches complained OF came
from other sources. There was other testimony In
favor the works almost equally strong, while the
allegations against them were quite numerous. ana
some oi them very positive. me proprct0rs de-
tho movement against them ~ = pieco OIL un-
warranted persecution.