New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-06-17
POISONOUS GAS IN THE AQUEDUCr
sIONFRS' VIEW


sIOvrRs' VIEWS.
The poisoning of work men by foul air in Shaft
No. % Oi the new aquct net IS 10 he made subject
tm Investigation by We nea.tn boa ,nrt 9 tGn
death OF William Ryan and James Fitzgerald yes
terday. ne directed Dr. CYRUS Edison To make an
examination of the shaft and 10 report whether the
contractors have complied with sections and . OF
the SANITARY Code which read:
Secttop THAT person shall carelcssly or nesli
gently do contribute to the doing of az act
or hing dangerous to the lie oi detrimental To the
heat o. any human beng; nor -Ia any person kho"
imsiy o. advise or cDntDne 70 Inc uOe o. any suc
thing mot actually authorized ny iawl' except WIN
jus abc Wotives, and Tor adequate rtaSOnsi hoi snd
any person omit to dc ANY act OF tAr any ecui'n
re son yrOicr prevent or remove Danger OF
detlment To tao NE or health o, any human pcnS,
,,oio 9.-rhat every contractor III these ordinances
referred To, and every person WHO has contracted "i
OF these thrg-, III re7ieN OF "Mch tnese oil'ge
crutan ~ visions or fesuati,h. snail c"nIy Win
uon 81 duN rrgnc OF ""u ~ r, % any
y lance With any o. SAID ordinances
II M. sad that no complaint about bad air in
the Shafts OF the AQucduct had peen sent to the
Sanitary Bureau and that the officials were not
aware If neglect on the part OF the contractors
nrcyios to The publication of the facts Yesterday.
Dr. d,un wa busy looking after the street pea eIs
who sell uurpe irults 10 children on me LaNt - e
o. town and he decided not 10 begin the eXanilnd-
ton of the aquetuct shafts within the CITY limits
until today. 10
mission were asked Yesterday whether the bOdri
would take any action concerning the iOu AR IN
the tunnels. Commissioner Rdgway SAID that
this was matter winch would be lSohed after ny
The Committee Construction. The question Of
proper ventilation at TIE shafts aud tunnels had
been discussed good many times ~ the com
mitiee and careful examination had been made
along he line of the aque uct is to the quarters OF
the men. vent at'on. food etc. The committee
would make "A report on tins and other matter,
soou. speaking lndlvIduaiiy, however. Ee couId
say that n his visits to the shafts and tunnels he
had found the ventilation a good a. could b" eN-
uected Some If the headings were driven III 1000
nd I'll Y NJ 4
the tunnel of smoke and gases alter blast. Inc
condition OF the atmosphere would have IA great
deal 10 TO with cleaulpg the tuuncls. \ damp
lowering atmosphere would cause the smoke and
gases to lingcr in the tunrcl for a longer time
than on a bright clear day. lhe case reported IN
the morning papers was an except ond one, he
thought. Had the men been properly treated, he
believed they wonld have recovered.
Nothne was done concerning the matter yeSter-
day 10y the Aqucduct BOaId
HOW W. r. VERMILYE LOST his PROPERTY
W. Romeyn Vcrmilye. OF Colonel Nermllye
once the head Of the banking firm OF Nermiiye ~
Tuesday to John l.. Miller whose Office is III the
same building with the bankers. Mr.. Ncrmllye
formerly was IA clerk IN his fathers Office. but when
Colonel NeTmIlye died ten years ago and left
81 800 900 to be divided between two children,
son ana a OaughieT, ROmeyn took his share, which
was nearly 81 600 600 ana retired from business
lie continued To live in his fathers homestead in
EngewOod, \. j., which had been left HIM. W lthln
ten years his fortune has disappeared. Inc
amount OF . 600 anu assets consisting chiefly of
real estate. estimated at 100000. The assignee
sdys that II depends entirely on how the real estate
Will sell at forced sale as to whether or not the
debts i'll be paid III full Mr. Nern.ilyes oblgi-
tons are largely personal debts for merchandise
ana borrowed money. 1t is not clearly understood
how he managed to spend so much money III so
abort time lie explains his losses by saving that
ne specuiatcd steadily and disastrousy and made
bad Investments II is believed ttat he has been
greatly imposed upon. -
Tie bondsnen for the assignee are William
Walter Phelps anG Livingston \. Miller. each OF
whom justified in $4,000. Mr.. Nernliyc is now
about lifts years Old He is quarternast' r on the
stan of Colonel Seward OF the 9th Regiment. and
was once Commodore of the Atlantic Yacht Cub.
He now the soOp yacht Ariadnc. Ills chief
property OF value Is the house he lives H. 1t -
tne mansion and no encumbrances are on It, His
sister is Mrs Brnkerhoh. her husband beng
member of the firm OF Brinkerhof, Turner Co.
Her part of her fathers estate is not only unim-
paired but Las LARGELY increased. 1t IA supposed
that she will buy iii the family residence. Her
own Immediately adjolns it. Mr. NermlIye has a
wife, but 10 children. lie has not been IN any
regular business since his fathers death coninlDg
his time TO Waii-st. In addition In his own home
he owns TWO country houses. many fine paintings
sad much valuable siivcrware
PROPOSING TO FILL UP THE HARLEM.
Alderman Mooney at the meeting of the Board
yesterday offered resolution that the proper
sui hOrIties he requested 10 tunnel the Harlem
River instead Of bridging it, He declared that
ahorc the banks of the llver were almost on level
with the stream II would be better 10 tunnel il than
build TWO long grades or approaches 10 the brin &C.
Mir. O'Neil thought il would simplify matters to
fll in the stream. Throw down the high banks and
I'll in the swamps and low lands and the stream
itself" he SAID. He wanted to know who sent in
this request Who were back Of il
: Mr. csvaDaeh-I rise to a point OF order.
PRESIDENT Mooney ate your point CT order. -,
q b:ufs uaughter)
dr. Cavanagh continued at length opposing the