New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-08-18
1 PEEL SE-WiDE EDEN.

Rkrrs Island blossoms rs the rose. The old
sandbank up in the East River has turned to
tropic garden. Where the stray watermelon
rnd washed ashore and rotted the hardy squash
and the tender tomato vines now nun riot and
bear fruit. twining about each others stems.
Whether the inspector and reporters who tel!
this tale have been reading Of Jack ami the
bcanstalk or mixed up the pages of seeds
mans catalogue with the account of their new
Eden we do not know. II is Just possible that
there may be few tin cans still lying about
Ekers Island for Il new Eve 10 stub her toes
on Ncghbors over In Morrisana say that when
the wind blows right the odors waited to them
are other than the perfumes Of Persia. But,
however that may be- the explorers of the garden
account for It's Arcadian condition by theory
Of evolution which might reasonably be thought
TO produce far more beautiful spot than any
Newly Yorker ever before thought Rkers Island
10 be.
Ii appears that the city authorities lately SEN
fenced Rikcr's Island to the humble duty Of re-
ceiying the garbage which It's more pretentous
ncighbor. Manhattan Island. refused TO keep
So the low sandy shores OF Riker's Island were
piled deep with refuse, and 1t was covered over
with earth, and NcwYork congratulated itself
Rlkcrs was doomed to be filled in and piled
high and covered up, and, after being long
enough dslnfcctcd, turned into building site
for lunatic asylum. But the dirt which the
NEWCOMERS rejected has become the ground
work Of Il new life for Rikcrs. Instead OF
being ANONYMOUSLY smothcred under bricks as
fit only to furnish dry standing-room for build
ngs in the midst of the waters 1t proves lts right
TO exist under the free air Of heaven by sending
down TO those who dcspitefully used It a
bagful OF tomatoes, melons, cucumbers, squash
and other things Of which the botanists Of the
Health Board know not the names. 1t Is Il Won
derful place, this new paradise In the East
River. But its regeneration, were ii less perfect
and complete than the glowing descriptions pre-
scented to the authorities would lead one TO
fancy, even II the squashes rival not those from
Jersey and the lawns be not such rs maids would
select to hunt for four-leaf covers Is only an
other instance OF the value of the refuse which
Mayor Strong wants the city to save. Wise peo-
pie elsewhere already understand this perfectly
we'll Many thrifty Jerseymans garden bears
fruit the better and earlier for the refuse he
burlcs in 1t. But New-York has been above such
things The subject was not savory one, how
ever beautiful the results Of dealing with it in
tclligently might be- and so 1t was left to take
care Of itself II Is now about time that the
hal bits of pioneer days, when Il virgin soil needed
no repcnishing and the desire to get rid Of refuse
was greater than any need for its use, should
give way to an enlightened and economical dis
position Of socalled waste matter, which Is not
waste at ALL but matter In the process of re-crca
ton
Some charltably disposed persons have been
with great success helping poor people In this
city to make n living by furnishing vacant lands
10 them In condition for cultivation, and some OF
these laborcrs have found 1t 50 profitable that
they intend to become permanent cutivators OF
the soil Why should not New-York use the
refuse which now goes to waste for tho enrich. !