New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-11-28
H4RD TIMES Al GOOSEVILLE.
THE HAMLET LOSES ITS CHEF INDUSTRY.

THE HAMLET LOSES ITS GRIEF lNDOsln''
RUIN AND THE woRKHoUsE EXPECTED TO Result
FROM THE Loss OF IT'S GOOsE-FARMs
lone mile ana a half due east from Hunters POINT "
the village of Goosevlle 1t is mentioned IN any
of the high priced gazetteers Of tine present day. ou'
ia unmistakably there as any curious amateur
geo .rapher cond discover he took the trouble anu
an East River ferryboat After landing at Hunter
Point if he travelled with his face toward Amaganse"
and the rising sun long enough he would ind UooSc-
vile he would find il 20 be respectablesized hamlet
containing probably 800 inhabitants when they are
all at home.
Gooseville is spread over large of go1lnd Inc
houses are clap boarded .hantes with great sheds ana
pigsties contiguous pcrohed upon numerous little hills
The primitive stoveppes, projecting through the rco
tell of the degree of civilization prpcsed beneath
them Rusty patches of tin keep the rau from beating
through the cracks on the inmates in stormy weather.
Hero and the pick and shovel OF the Long sand
Railroad Company have dug chasms In the hiisldes 80
close to the honses of Goosevile that there Is mint
nent danger of a moderate earthquake or iahds'ue
precptating shantes goat sheds and peses INTO Tue
vawning depths. There several streets IN uoOse
VILE which twist in and around the hills so that nearly
every inhabitant has a small highway leading up 10
his front door Just now this suburban hamlet neS
in the shadow of a great grief serious calamltfy
has befallen it which threatens Its existence ~
chief industry from which the village ueINcu iVe
nams and principal source of farming
has been from it by the Long lslan' ny boIu
of Health. Six weeks ago there were not less tnah
seventy five there each having in the neign
borhood of 100 geese it. These farms were regular
city lots, 25x100 feet, surrounded by hlgh-D9aru
fences Within these enclosures the geese were keP.
until they bee ime fat enough for market, winch
usually took about three months. Plenty OF wafer
and cracked corn kept before the geese AL the
back end Of the LOO or farm was IN all cases snet
that reached the entire twenty-five feet OF ot
and was twelve feet deep. These sheds iorheu d
shelter for the birds in rough weather lhey were
formed of rails laid forked posts for nests and clap
boards and pieces of TIN tor roofing AL the Top VI
the pitch the sheds six feet from the GROUND
slipping gently the board fence that formed the back
boundary of the farm. The shantg OF the farmer
blocked the front end OF the tarm.
Within hesc board walls the geese ted ana
sauawked to their hearts content and grew tat 3r Tue
city market The birds belonged mostly to Essex
Market Hebrews who brought them in on trains from
the West generally from Wisconsin where there are
extensive breeding farms When they reached New
York thew were poor and their breast bones sharp ar
a knife But a ninety days sojourn at Goose'lle
improved them wonderfully. Each goose-iarmer
received 80 month for looking after them. As there
we're seventv-fve hocks being cared for before the
Long Island CITY Health Board took official action
against them the revenue to Goosevile was sou
north from this source alone. Some OF the farmers
owned their own premises in the hamlet out tue
majority of them were poor lrlshmen who rented tnel
farms paving 10 month for them and depended
mainly on the geese that they could Get to Keep LOT
the -upport of their families. As a means OF nVen-
hood il had several excellent features for the geese
being penned in IL only necessary to see that they
had of water ana cracked corn 'oui"
he done bv the wife while the old man was az
liberty 70 shoulder his pick and make II day work
ing on the railroad or at any handy JOB that came
along. The geese more than paid his rent .,
And thin Haybrews was liberal wild Their money"
said one of the bereft goOse-tarmers TO lkbCNE
reporter who was making inquiries IN the village
. They fetched a lot o. silver inter the settlemint
Wbiu the wather foine the spalpeen ud hurrud
the geese on tn common and for thar they ud get
tinpence day extra aud sometimes they'd gin my
Biddy fat goose whn they Tux tn flock av ay to the
city 1t ale OF thin complainn as cud ut get any
geese to kspe. . r o.o
vile the only ones lost substantial income by
the action of the Health Board All the cracked corn
was pu released by Hebrews from grain dealers III Long
Island CITY and not less than $4,000 year IL lost
10 them IN consequence. They tnnk IKE tle farmers
that the complaint chiefly from those "ho were
NOT fortunate enough 10 get geese TO keep. The
rerorter talked with several OF those who had eDrn-
naned and they stoutly denied that any such selhsn
feeling prompted their aecn but sad that me sheil
from the dozens of fOcks OF geese was unOearaDe
while sleep al night not 70 be Thought oil on
accouut Of the hideous and inces-ant squawking.
The Board OF Health passed an ordinance month
90 d.cIaring that permit would be necessary here
after 10 keen geese If live l5nch she'll had
dropped into Goosevlle and burst it would not have
created more sensation than followed TINS edlct
There was rush for permits, but they we're ouly
granted to those who had isolated farms some
distance from the highway OF GooseyIlIe Nhers
now less than 1000. Their Hebrew owners went
over from the city in a hurry and cartel the 6rds
away Where they TOOK them the lnheoIanls OF o.
| Coosevile are a little misty about, but there is
authority for the statement that mysterious squawks
are often heard by belated pedestrians arising from
tbe subcellars OF Norfolk, EsseI Ludlow and other
streets of the New Jerusalem 'ss that part OF the
city is called. ,,,. A. 5000.
Rn tbeir departure a fatal blow to the prosper
10 az Cooeeyille A hard winter stares the poor
farmers in the face and the workhouse il familiar
spectre in many poor Hibernlan householdS. me
rcnorter was told of poor widow VINO mas areadE
become dependent upon the county tor support be-
cause she no longer has flock OF geese to care tor
several families who previously enabled to live
=; oomnarative comfort have had to give up cosey
cabins and live IN squatfers novels. 1t will be a
irving winter at Gooseyille.