New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-04-17
PREPARING FOR CHOLERA.
WHAT THE BOARD OF HEALTH is DOING.
srArExENr OF PRESIDENT sHALER-coNDrrioN of
THE STREETS.

pol;csmeu OF the Sanitary Squad have been pusy
for several DAYS in the Hebrew quarter east on ING
Sawcrv making systematic inspections similar 10
fhose whch they recently completed III the I. IN
ragpickers hsbitatons. The iacs Zoo oo R%lIard to
The Board Of Health regarding the ~
nmisancr of keeping fowls in cellars or rooms od
tenemens aytsr are oyercrowded and they would
he filthy enough If only human pch-s W. 80 "a
to live in them but geese ducks an rs san btepei
there according to Jewish rites daily me praeiae9
OF keeping live fowls in the houses mas
for years in the face Of tue sanitary reguiatIohs
forhiddmp IL Sanitary inspectors have made
complaints when they found cellars hlthy 10 a
shocking degree and taous ,hs se al have been
issued Int rs O rule the cellars were found luIi vi
fowls within a week after they had been cieane .
a dsinclnation on the part of the Board Oh heaitn
70 inierfcre with religious customs has accounted
for the lack OF severity in dealing VIII inc h
offenders Ii was believed that if many OF the
Hebrews we're arrested for Keeping fowls they
would raise cry of relation persecution claiming
that they could not eat fowls unless 'hey "oio
killed according to the rules oil the sect -
In view of a possible cholera epidemic however
the Health Commissioners nave eoncIuueo .nas
they must take some means OF preNehline p,'o'TT
that is we'll known to he dangerous TO the CITY, 10
that end computation of the extent OF the practice
IS being made. Major Billiard will recommend ,hst
the sanitary regulations against Keeping lows al
dwelling houses he enforced TO the point OF MAKING
arrests and that warning to that erect DC gwen
Ne viii also suggest that the Hebrews be permitted
to est ablish market for poultry uhuer tne SURF
vision of an inspector, where all the low heedea
by the large community can DO kept anu Sia"s"'
erel as they are needed. m ,
In conversation with q TRIBUNE reporter regard
ing the work of the Health Department IN prepare.
ton for the expected advent Oh choieIa, 1Ios'on'
Shaler said yesterday IT,.
aslembers of the department. have been untiring
i'm their efforts get the city IN as good condltoh
as possible before the beginning oil warm weather.
Much of the work already accomplished Is not
known e the public Seeans s haW Si uee OF
The work of the inspectors has been about double
since last fall and several OF the men nave proken
down under the strain. 1t Is not generaily kloWn
how many steps we have to take to cleanse the
Augean stables of a great CITY, There mas been
gradual removal OF dangerous vaults and otner
iiuisances in the teuement-house districts during
The winter. A constant stream OF orders has nowed
from the offices of the Board. directing owners on
houses to put them in clearly condition Inc
Task of systematic house-to house Inspection mas
been laid upon the already overworked inspectors;
and measures have been taken to keep the dumping
places clean during the summer improvements IN
the slau gter-hous have been arranged ana steps
have been taken TO keep the offensive trades WITHIN
proper limits. While we welcomed the assistance
OF private ASSOCIATIONS IN such works. we were e al
undertook the task, and we dld not permit tne re-
forms to stop while could either help or direct
the movement. There has not been a meeting OF
the Board of Health since last fall at which some
subject connected with the preparation OF the city
for possible cholera epidemic has not Deen con-
with the Department of Street Cleaning, the Polce
Department and the Department OF Public Works,
common end Commissioner Coleman aud the
Board of Police will cooperate in keeping the
,nr rags from ash barrels and carrying them into
tenement houses will be stopped entirely after May
l. People will also be prevented from throwing
garbage and sops into the streets. Circulars nave
been prepared, urging inmates OF all houses 10 Gre
mate garbage and waste mater ais IN their Kitchen
stoves Steps will be taken to prevent the keeping
OF live fowls in the cellars of tenementhouses, but
we may have to point out some plan by when t1e
Hebrews the east side of the city can have fowls
Hal To fhaIr rAl
lentless war will be waged against the manuiact-
urers of adulteratsd foods and medicines, and
against tradesmen who try TO sell unwnoieSone
meats milk or fruit An exhaustive inspection of
the Croten waters he'd has resulted IN our sending
deroas 10 Tue not the p"wer to deal With
II must be understood by every person familiar
with the subject that most OF our WoLk OF pLepata
We cannot deal with the cholera until u actually
comes. We have made ample preparation III tne
matter of disnfection by establishing machinery IN
last Sixteenth-st. which will supply the best liquid
dsinfecting material as fast as water nows from
Croton water pipe we have ready SIX a'st dt
the street CUTTERS. ln an emergency we cOulo
supply disiniectlng material free to poor people;
Our new hospital in East SiXteenih-st is hnlshed
and could be used for the treatment OF cholera
patients at anv time but such patents could not be
moved far and extra hospital facilities VIII be
needed tn the of a cho era outbreak inquiries
have been made concerning places whlch WI De
available il needed. We have fund OF $3O,OoO
when can be used promptly to secure sue nosptaI
accommodations and & pay Tor extra medical assist
ance If cholera makes its appearance in the city
the Health Department will he conspicuous III deal
ing with 1t" %
Inquiry was made at the Street Cleaning Depart
ment yesterday to what action was being taken 10
keep the streets clean view of the approach OF the
cholera The streets we're never 30 clean as at
present" said the Deputy Commissioner. 1--WE
have extra appropriation of SlooooO To De used
III of need. We have not yet used any oil 1t,
but expect To do so" -,
Superintendent Greene, referring to the same sub
ject said ave have extra carts and larger force
81 men than usual at work on the streets believe
the streets are thoroughly cltaned OF course we
at greater expense anu VIII nave 10 Iraw GA Tue
extra Appropriation. The Police Department
promises to extend us every aid possible III that is
done there will be no trOune- The ordinances are
strict They prohibit the throwing OF any reinse |
on the public streels-the sweeping from buildings
or anything that kind IL the police Will enforce
those ordinances there need be no GROUND OF COM
plant on on the of dirty streets. The street
car corporations have done good deaj toward |
dirtying the streets by sprnkling sand on Their
tracks They would dc this as we had |
swept street. There is no authority for their
doing anything of the kind and we propose To stop
them"
HOW BROOKLYS STREETS ARE KEPT CLEAN.
The streeteeanng contractor of Brooklyn has |
been busy since In TRIBUNE called attention to |
the cond ;tIou of the streets early IN the month
fulton-st. and the nam thorOushfares show the re
Broayway, New-york. Gangs Of men are at work
all the city, night and day, aud by the LIST OF
May the contractor has promised TO have every
street cleaned or the winters accumulation of hth.
The apprehension OF cholera has spurred the
au .horties their efforts and Mayor Low said yes
terday that he dii not think that Brooklyn had ever
been in better sanitary condition at this time of
the year, aud that 10 had never been better pre-
pared to meet epidemic.
brooklyn is not wealthy city as some
Others he remarked TO TaiBUNE reporter. bat |
have determnd to use all the means that we have
20 prepare for any danger from the pestIlenee. We
have been making our arrangements since the first
warning came eight months ago, and am pretty
we'll pleased with the progress In most respects.
The funds are not very plentiful, and Do special
effo hQs IN n de- tn