The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-07-19
THE ClTY'S SHAME
Mounds of fostering Refuse Cucumber
ing PopulouS ThOroughfares.
INVITING A PESTILENCE.
Disgusting Smells Saluting the Wayfarer
tso"'.' in the Poor Districts
STENCH-LADEN ZEPHYRS.

In two things it is certain that New York can
surpass almost every other great city-the variety
and quality of its scents. AS in the Twentyaeventh
precinct. there in the Sixteenth and Twentieth
pest spots which have never been known within
recent memory to be otherwise than filthy. Most
Of these located between Seventh and Tenth
avenues. from Fourteenth to Forty-second street.
The description published in the HERALD
yesterday fully depicted their condition. SO
far as disgusting and foul spsctacles could
be reflected In words but reporter. after reviewing
them in order to discover whether the authorities
had taken notice of the exposition of their
neglect is again at loss for adequate expression of
his disagreeeble recoections. Nowhere could there
be discovered any marked change for the better and
in many places the reverse was true
Beginning with West Forty-second street. the
porter soon found within it ample reasons for oen-
sure. The pavement was strewn with heaps of dirt.
which We're swept together some days ago and are
again being scattered by the hoofs of every passing
horse and the wheels of hundreds Of vehicles. At
the corner Of Ninth avenue the hils of street
mutations. knee high, still stewing in the sum-
which luckily was not SO hot to them to
give forth the gases with which they pregnant
In front Of No. 1923 West street both the
gutter and curb Uttered with ashes and gar
bage, and the latter there overlooking pail
whence proceeded decidedly unsavory smell. The
six ash boxes before No. $40 had evidently been
moved and it may be said here that throughout this
part Of the city there seemed far less cause Of
complaint against the branch of the street
cleaning service which is charged with this
work than against the officials whose duty
1t is TO that the streets thoroughly swept.
The march Of the broom brigade is apparently much
slower there than In many Of the downtown wards.
In very few blocks there any traces perceptble
pf sta Tla ri of fha NINTH ave
pavement which lies west of the surface railroad,
and extending from Forty-second to Thirty fifth
street. is In an abominable state OF filth. In the
cutters the mixture of mud and garbage lies ut
least foot deep in many places. At the corner of
Fhirty-eighth street and Ninth the water is
damned up and stands in Shiny stagnation. AT the
southwest corner of Thirty-third street and Ninth
avenue where there is butchers shop. sickening
odor Of decaying fat and bones assails
the nostrils Of every passer. and pnrsues
him II he go in the direction Of the wind for two
blocks 1t excels in pungency and noisomeness all
other smells combined Investigation proved that
it proceeded from Of ofal. which is carefully
treasured up against the coming of the soap-fat
man. 1t Is worse nuisance than the proximity of
slaughter house. In Twenty-ninth street. west Of
Ninth avenue, there were heaps OF sweepings at
frequent intervals, and they had long ago become
ripe for removal The cutters, however, had been
deodorized with carbolic acid. and were in COM
paratively healthy condition although not entirely
free from water and mud.
4 sPAsMoDIc rwINGE OF VIRTUE
In Twenty seventh street the sweepers had ap-
parently been at work quite recently probably i'll
consequence of spasmodic twinge Of virtue on the
part Of the Street Cleaning Bureau. The manifesto
ton, however, was entirely sporadic. Heaps OF gar
bage dust and ashes crowded the cutters of Twenty
sixth street and there signs that IT had
known the benefcent oscillation of the broom. The
borders of the roadway in Twenty street had
evidently been scratched over in careless and feeble
manner and there a few small heaps in readi-
ness for removal. In Twenty second and Twentieth
Streets also there Were freshly gathered heaps put
been visible to the reporter. Before No. 159 Ninth
the gutter INSTRUCTED with reeking filth.
At the Of Nineteenth street big pile of
dirt. which should have been removed long ago.
Nineteenth street was somewhat less filthy than it
month ago. when it was previously inspected.
but it is many degrees removed from a state Of
cleanliness One of the Inhabitants said it had been
swept since zone day last week" and that the heaps
of dirt which were then collected still remained in
the cutters. On the north side, near Tenth avenue,
IL deep pool of stagnating filth.
Eighteenth street maintains its reputation for
'.Ir KEEPS THE STREET QUIET"
Near Tenth avenue deceased member of the
feline reposes upon the pavement, about yard
distant from the public hydrant. which is situated
has 1t remained there that the corpse now almost
q skeleton. million or two OF flies were buzzing
about H. ana one wnin OF tne smell which it emitted
muffin mister. said child of the neghbor-
hood; "that ere's nufin' ter what it used ter
Tree days ago 1t We're twict ez powerful. an Their
cop said 1t kept ther street quiet cause 1t made ther
people stay indoors. Cop said it were good thing.
On the east side of Tenth avenue. between Eirh-
teenth and Nineteenth streets the pavemcnts from
the curb to the middle of the roadway is loaded with
mud mixed with rotting straw, besides a good deal
of purifying animal matter. Seventeenth
street. according to one inhabtant. had not
been swept within two weeks According to
two days before. In either case 1t was in a bad
snough condition. In front of No. 432 o mound was
,endng forth sour and pungent SMELL and the
gutter before No. 42s and the adjacent houses was
foul with mud and slime. On the opposite side of
No 4i4 there was a large quantity O. dirty water.
Sixteenth street in condition similar to that of
seyenteenth street There were fetid pools in front
OF Nos. 4O3. 4O5. 4O7 and 400 Fifteenth street.
ON
The deplorable condition OF the west side Of the
city has already been exposed. Yesterday HERALD
reporter visited that part the east side OF the
city lying bstween Fourteenth and Forty-second
streets and from Fourth avenue to the East River.
That area comprises the Eighteenth and Twenty
i , precincts. and 10 point Of cleanli-
dividing line. the marrow strip including
Lexington and Fourth avenues inhabited
by the weather. people. being comparatively clean
But all below Third avenue. in this district. is in
state of confusion and uncleanliness. The new ee-
Waited road which is being put up, the street
dirt thrown out in excavating foundations for tho
railroad posts. The workmen not ALWAYS careful
where they throw the dirt, and much OF II falls
In the gutter, completely obstructing it, The water
then collects between these mounds, few decaying
vegetables are thrown in. the suns rays beat upon
them and the work of putrefaction goes on.
Another great cause OF the uncleanlincss in this
part OF the city is the unevcness of the pavement.
ln Third avenue. where there Is much heavy travel
the pavement is depressed In great many places,
leaving tor little pools of water to collect and
stagnate hits was found to DO the all the way
up Third avenue. The watering carts relieved this
difficulty somewhat by scattering the impure pools
and replacing them with fresh water; but this, in
little while became bad that IL displaced aud In
many places the air needed to be disinfected.
- RAIN COMMISSIONERS.
In several places the citizens Obliged to scatter
csrboc acid and chloride lime along the streets
to suppress the deadly efiuvia. The recent rains