New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-08-23
SMELLS OF BARREN ISLAND
VARIED AND CONCENTRATED sTENCHEs.
sTEwIxo DEAD HORSES. COWS. DOGS AND CATS
TOILET SOAP AND GLOVES.


from the deck OF puffy little steamer Edith Peek that
a. betye-n the island and Canars first inclined TO
think that Il has been msnamed In fact 1t looks seen
q, tho distance IKE prosperous AMI thrifty city IN
miniature with clustering factories above which tao
bac, smoke hovegs In thick clouds. While behind the
buildings groves OF ancient looking cedars, with wne
dwelling houses and stretch OF ridge covered with
the coarse green Of leave the impression
p,on thu observer that IL anything but barren. The
can OF the steamer full OF the history OF the island
and between his tobacco and his profanity wmch no
elects IN equal parts hempresses upon MS passenger
the importance OF the island and presents unanswerabio
satstcs relative TO growth In wealth aud population
There are four fish factories and horse factory
small store and pioneers OF civilization. two rum
sho.s Fifty families live the island In houses aud
barracks among the cedar groves while the four
fab factories keep busy force OF twelve steamers eu
uloyng over 100 In the menhaden fishing. These
and many other facts of Barren Islanders the
captain poured into the ear OF TRIBUNE reporter VINO
visited tue island ono day last week But the pleasing
Importance OF the leland lost the reporter when
the little steamer slid into gust OF wind fresh from the
factories and laden with undesirable odors beside
which the famous seventy stonces OF Cologne must have
been as wood vioets are to assafGtida
what smell Is that ." asked the reporter.
LsOhl When you get used to that you can't smell II at
ALL reuied the captain That's tho way It's With
can't toll which smell you smell. lbut thore Is smells
there know dostor Of the Board OF Health who
visits the island every week told he had diagnose
the smells there twenty separate aud
distinct smells which can DO snlsed clear day.
There's smells Of dead horses, dead dogs dead cats.
pork scrap isenhaden. distinctions aud lot
smells of the acids used in. making the ,phosphacs the
mines OF which can't remember right or"
on nearer view tho island looked less inviting whe
the wind freshoued aud heavily laden with
offensive Over ali tho sckening odor OF bnrned
es and Just before the vessel reached the battered anh
II H.
factory one Inclined TO think that after all It
the most dreary and unnvl,ng spot he had
The houses back IN the cedar trees rusty old bar
racks the sea- grass Is coarse and grows only In patches
the beach is long, fiat and muddy and the general
appearance Of the island Is that OF utter ugllness and
wretche dness Along the dilapidated wharves half
boat to take her away and three or four children
PLAYING about the whST Sss %eSo ae only things 20
beach four rambling. weathcr-beaten COLLECTIONS o.
the menhaden fleet il converted into fertilizers of
aud horse factory where the DIAL and dead animals
These all face Rockaway Beach. aud when tho
wind blows from the northeast the many smells are
waited across Canarsie Bay and into the o. the
dweIlers at that resort The horse factory ia partc
ular has excited the indignation OF the innkeeper along
the beach, who swear that It ia running their business
that It is a menace to good health and they demand s
abatement rs q nuisance. Those who go down 70 the
not get full benefit OF tho horse factory" which Is
only Ia full blast at night At dusk every day the
miscellaneous cargo OF dead horses. sheep dogs
cats and snal Tie average receipts dead at
Barren Island about thirty day, while 500 dogs
week ara taken down.
Patrick hogan the foreman Of the horse factory" sat
smoking at fl forbldling entrance when the reporie
reached there after landing aud walking long way
the beach. for the horse factory" Is Isolated frog tho
others and the Edith Peck does not land there half
rotten porpoise was tied by rope 10 tho wherf and
added hs stencil 10 the malodorous atmosphere. Mr.
Began politely showed the visitor through tho factory
aud declared that he bad not smelled any dsagreoable
doors for the entire fifteen that he had worked In
ornamente1 with handsome gray musiache aud
goatee. and TO his pcrty abdomen proofs Of his
ton that Barren Island tho hcalthiost place IN the
world Here's our dsnfectant," said Foreman Began,
stirring " SsS S qqd aa s naga tar ti bali S Sd
building with it three times day don't know what It
In tho main room OF tho factory on the ground floor
eleven large iron tanks shaped Hike sugar Loaf with
openings IN tho tops. down from tho second hoor
and the first things to attract tue attention When
the Two Brother Ties up alOngldo az nsnua the cargo
hoscd up the second nOor. The piles Of horses
cove dogs eto. are speedily pnllcd over. assorted
skinned and cat Into InhrtcrA Tho legs OF the hoFscs
are not sEinned Ie rest OF the dsmembered cifoasos
Intending the ertris aud heads. ara iamme down into
Is tightly fastened over the circular oPhlingA Tho
hardened employees work over the purifying mas with
Clouds OF bloasd Gies ttened on the dead hesh hover
aroand ihem constantly After tho tanks arr berno.ii
their nnssrorY esntents lett 20 cook for four
hours AT te end VI That time Little doors In the bottom
OF the tanks opened and their c0nieHiS steamed BY
thi- me 90 simnering pulp, are raked ont With hoo
aud placed IN what resembles n nagnihed cider press.
Tbs hour OF tho night when. II the wind Il blowing
from the andwnrh the residents and guests OF Reos"vay
Sssa a a % sssy Sssa at ap s'S
10 justice tho atrocOns ana revolving sell5 that
OF the ner6bor,ood REX. viii IL, and sea birds on the
wing wheel their airy niEht aud skim swiftly away ia
search OF purer region. utlenng weird aud upearthy
iasls 9nceasnsiy from dark to daybfcaT and seeriay
witha As fast as the eleven tanks are eupied they
1lled aEan. until tho cargo Of tue Tive Brothers
woga never DC resogI.ea IN the siTeetc.r stables OF
familiar The great presses worked by steam
are busy throughout the night pressing the cooked
Of dark red colDr that - on into galvanized iron
receptacle Tho pulp when ihoDughly squeezed placed
In revolving shell and ia rnod drying IL turns until
It becomes fine .nnn coorei powder when II y rui up
iron cans is snbjected 10 second process is put
In cloths aud pressed by steam again producing OIL OF
after the pressure is put into barrels branded stearne"
DO you mean TO ell me- 9nered the reporter Of the
sold " Washington Market butchers cooking butter
Il don't know what they do with II after II leaves
making soap"
Toilet soap =" suggested the reporter.
Perhaps" said the foreman.
In room hanging racks drying Tho skins of
The horse: shln, Tnese arc sold to the glue factories
erawled over the skins In one cornor lay big pile OF
makers Of harness snss kniis handles. pocket sSu6s
CO. 10 roop on the top OF the factory, covered with
were h great number OF fiat tin pans holding whitsh
clear u that resembed Inoasses. Vas said TO oil
bieseGed temperature OF 1909 is kept mp by steam
and tho suo ~ given chance likewise shine down
through the glass roof until the oil undor these tropical
conditions turns from rusty red compile yinn tO pure
The visitor remarked tho resemblance 10 syrup.
Yes" said Mr. Began. 10 might 10 0dutsFated with
"a litto New Orleans sugar house Vermont maple
syrup and pass cr nonssc. IN tho wntor. whom buck
wheat cakes In soasSn; but mind don't how
this ia dono don't know whn; they do with after IL
leaves In those barrels you lying wharf
labelled lard Oil.
Every nook and Granny IN the rambling old factory
explored, walking damp floors lodging slimy posts
and climbing up greasy and Oeasincus igha OF steps.
Huge bias piled up with OF stun about the color
aud consistency OF snuh pointed out horse |
flesh" bins bin with darker coored screenings |
contained pork scraps. All OF this dried and puvenzea
esh after being mixed with acids Il put sacks and sod
20 the Long Island farmers fertilizor si5 ton
There many hogsheadt OF hoofs OF horses and
that we're waiting TO he cooked TO pulp aud con-