The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-07-16
FILTHY THOROUGHFARES
Spots Wh.re Ash Carts Brooms and ScaVenger
Wagons Are in Demand.
THE DOWNTOWN PRECINCTS.
Suggested Plan for Keeping the
Cutters Clean.
SALT WATER RESERVOIRS.

The dreadful heat of yesterday added to the misery
of the poor those crowded city districts where the
public authorities have from time immemorial per-
mitted the accumulation of filth. The general dan
ger attending the condition OF the poor population
In crowded tenements whers cleanliness is the rare
exception. and where the air is always less
charged with the most poisonous gases is seldom
realized by the better classes until they suddenly
awakened to its Importance by tho approach Of pest
lence. 10 city SO large and rapidly growing
New York it is vital matter that those who in
disposed to be clearly should be compelled to be
at least in so far their manner of life affect
the health of their neighbors. These reaec-
tons occurred to Q HERALD reporter
he passed through the streets of the
Tenth and police precincts yesterday to
see If anything had been dore since Monday toward
remedying the nuisances which then existed. Some
few changes for the better observed but no
did he enter them in his note book than his
eye lighted upon denominations. which had
either been overlooked during the previous or
had been created since. While standing in Division
street watching the feeble movements Of an aged
street sweeper gentleman experienced in practical
science accosted him. and naturally the conversation
turned on the topic most appropriate to tho dog
days-the public health.
WHAT THE LEGISLATURE WILL HAVE TO DO.
''The Legislature" said he, "will eventually find
itself compelled to direct the expenditure of great
sum Of money to secure permanent system Of
cleansing and purifying the city-a system which
will independent Of the caprice neglect of the
poorer classes"
.'How can that end be attained?'
"In the simplest manner in the world The
pense will be great but not great the cost Of
the Croton Aqueduct and the benefit to be derived
will, ha 1asa irnp In fact will he In
great extent supplemental to the Croton system Of
water supply. The skill of the best engineers
would have to be enlisted in its develop
ment, but the grandest scale Of
conception it is perfectly practicable. What
mean is the laying Of immense mains from the
harbor and Sound the purest depths of the East
and North rivers to the submits of the principal
watersheds Manhattan Island. At each summit
let there be a powerful pumping engine ana q
voir the requisite size and level. From the
voir let smaller mains run to the summit of every
minor watershed, where there will be large n.y.
drants. such now used by the Fire Depart
ment. 1t is well known that salt water is better
purifier than fresh water, and that it will put out
FIRE more quickly. At midnight let the cutters be
flooded. The condition Of the sewers will also be
better after the streams OF salt from the gut
have passed through them and much of the foul
gas which arises into dwelling houses, causing
diphtheria and fevers. will be dissipated. For
tinguishing fires this supply q rster would be
| haustless.'
would not the expense be ggantieY'
1.-THE reservoirs could be placed that only two
or three would be required throughout the whole
city. and you know q single ydrant would suffice
for each watershed. You may rest assured the
streets will be thoroughly and fire.
quently cleaned they should be until the city's
proximity to the sea is thus utilized
UNTOUCHED NUIsANCEs.
From Division street. which is much out of re-
pair in places the reporter turned Lud
low street and found himself in the poorer Jewish
quarter While many of the full ash barrels. whose
presence complained of in yesterdays HERALD.
had been removed. there were many still remain
ing, an offence to the lungs and nostrils of all
passers by. To judge from appearances the inhab-
itants are almost Indifferent to these features OF
their neighborhood. In front of No. there
three children padding in Shiny pool which filled
were AS numerous rs gnats on the borders OF frog
pond.
Hester street had been swept q few hours before
the reporters visit. but showed evidence OF the
fact except attened heap of dirt here and there.
which seemed destined to be scattered the four
winds again. Where the broom had passed there
lett good deal more dust ana filth than II had
taken away. The cutters were very unolean
The ashmen had evidently made grand tour since
the reporter last around. Chrystie street
longer lined with array of barrels. but the gut
tiers strewn with more or less of garbage and
ashes which had been spilled between the curbstone
! and the cart wheel. In Orchard street there
many holes, which yesterday contained stagnant
water.
| visit was made to the station house No. 80 e.
bridge street for the purpose of learning why some
| the above mentioned nuisances HAD not been
| moved. Sergeant Granger. who was ut the desk,
declared superciliousy that no could give infor-
nation whatever about the care or condition Of the
| streets.
than the Tenth although there is still much to
| plain Of. East Eleventh, Twelfth and Thirteenth
streets very filthy. and for time little effort
seemed to have been made 10 better their condition
In front of Nos 1884 aud 337 East Eleventh street
there lies the putrd carcass of q cat. which was
flung there last Friday. Yesterday resident threw
it into ash barrel. hoping that it would be- re-
moved with the rest of the contents; but the ash
man refused the Office of undertaken and while put
ting the ashes his lett the corpse behind.
A woman who lives at No 334 said to the reporter
I'VE almost stihed last night by the stencil OF
that horrible thing. Ii impossible to sit at the
windows We poor people cant get even breath
prsrSrxcrrsa THE CUTTERS
As he proceeded his way the reporter met in
| the Seventeenth precinct encouraging signs of
activity ON the part of the Health bureau. A cart,
! with a great tank mounted upon it, was passing
through Eleventh street. driven by one man and at
tended by three others Attached to the of tho
tank we're flexible pipes furnished with faucets at
the ends, which were handled by two men who
walked along the cutters From the pipes n1wed
1t a solution of carbolic acid. Every gutter in
the poorer districts of the city is to be rnsed with
IL periodically, that the germs OF disease may be
destroyed last a. they ncuoated. Eight carts
are employed by the Health Bureau in this work
and each district has been assigned. Before tho
cutters disnected other carts visit the houses.
and under the direction of health officer closets
and sinks thoroughly rinscd with strong soln-
ticn of the acid.
FOURTH
The Fourth police precinct is bounded by Catha-
rine and Division streets the east, and embraces
Chatham to Worth street, and the latter to Broad
way 1t also includes the cast side of the last named
tho-oughfare to Chambers street, thence to Centre
and Chatham streets Park row, Broad ay and Full
ton street 10 the East River II embraces much Of
the territory formerly within the limits of ths old
Second and Sixth police precincts. Since wide streets
have been cut through the latter the march OF
business has invaded precincts where rookeries aud
filth formerly aboundcd. Yesterday n HERALD
porter made thorough tour OF the Fourth precinct
and its streets In the business districts
rule. the streets were found to be tolersbly we'll
swept and garbage boxes or barrels were In
sight; but the roadway needed sprnklng to prevent