The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-10-01
BARREN ISLANDS PEOPLE.
a HAPPY lot IN SPITE OF SMELLS
AND THEIR ISOLATION


Greater Now York and Few of Them
Have Any Desire to Move-The Varied
Odors-Modern improvements of Late.
Fogs may shroud Barren Island. but any nose
half mile TO tho leeward OF that remote corner
Of Greater New York, when stiff breeze blows,
can smell II out. There are many other things
besides Its smell which contribute TO make Barren
Island, II not desirable as place Of residence.
at least interesting to those who affect the curious
in sociology and who can successfully overcome
the clamorous opposition Of O nose outraged.
To begin with. IL Is a dreary stretch lying far
out in Jamaica Bay and accessible only TO ad
venturors not especially provided with private
means Of transportation by a tugboat which
tosses between Canarsio and Barren island four
or Ave times day. The boat puts of from point
to point at intervals uncertain that IL would seem
az II the passenger and freight service il renders
were cont rolled by the within OF the bluff and stolid
weather beaten salt who IN in command Nor
does the tugboat set forth with that impetuosty
usually characteristic OF these fussy little game
cocks of the harbors and bays. 1t consumes
an entire hour In making the trip.
Barren Island is inhabited by about $50 men.
women and children. twice as many dogs, several
hundred pigs, chickens and ducks without num-
Der, and few dispihted-looking cows and horses
The islanders, remote and isolated and engaged in
unusual employments, subscribe TO all manner
OF queer domestic conventions and are distin-
guished from the commonplace majority Of resi-
donts within the boundaries of Greater New York
by many peculiar traits On the tugboat putting
of from Canarsio you usually meet one or two
islanders returning from visits TO friends In Brook
Ign or New York. although such excursions
so rare that they take on the aspect Of events or
epochs and are discussed accordingly. Still
A.. .,i,.a. tlxn,.
relish OF the metropolitan Joys in which they have
participated during the brief holiday. appear
content to return to dreary. stormbeatcn Barren
Island and take UP the melancholy routine OF
Barren Islands daily life.
Like IT," repeated ono young woman, as the
lettering tug ploughed and rolled In the waters
Of Jamaica Bay on It's way 10 the island; well.
yes, now that I come TO think about II, may
say do l have Just been up to the big city. and
l had grand time. and friends want mo TO 1.-Two
up there and promise to get my husband lovely
Job; but don't know don't think would
care TO live anywhere else, and I'm sure my hus-
band wouldn't"
Don't tho bad--1 should say peculiar-smells
annoy your"
Lord no." was her quick and vehement
ply. I'VE never notice them. except after wo've
been across the bay for day or SO and when
factories on the island do strike you as a trife
ornery. but after while that all passes away and
you go on same as before hardly knowing that
such thing as q bad smell exists here Children
who were born and raised on Barren Island never
know anything about the smells at all until they
60 away on the tug and come back. Often when
back from their first visit the odors surprise
them and they appear TO DO awfuly astonished
to find things as they really are in this respect.
Isn't that funny? We have lots Of old people
who have spent their whole lives on the island
and who have brought up families there. You
would think that their sons and daughters when
they grew up would want 10 get away go up
TO the city where there is lots Of money to be made
and such grand times to be had: but they don't
Most Of 'em get married young and settle right
down, as happy as you please on tho island.
It's a right hard life, though" she pursued, In q
meditative strain. and no one escapes working
or gets very rich; but for oil that, don't think
you will find an entirely unhappy person on Bar
rem Island Sometimes ono Of our young men
will go over TO Canarse. or brooklyn. even
New York, and marry girl and bring her down
on the island TO live. and until the girl gets &C.
quainted all around and used TO our ways why
II goes pretty hard with her and she is lonesome
and gets the blues But after while, II she Is
half a girl she begins to Al in with us; and some
times she wouldn't leave the island for anything
Wore pretty near Barren Island now. Don't
you smell the factories' My! amt they rank
to-day"
Rank" they are invariably and all comment is
superhuous. Each OF the four fertilizer factories
pollutes the atmosphere with It's own particular
and generous assortment OF odors, and the blend
OF all. encountered at close range by the visitor.
is amazing. With few exceptions the entire male
l,ln ~,
tho factories. only one Of which is spoken Of as
a fertilizer factory. Two OF the others called
horse" factories. owing to the nature of the raw
material which is there used. Tho fourth Is
known as the garbage factory and Is tho largest
OF them all The season Of this factory greatest
industry is now closing. During the winter very
little is doing. but in the summer the garbage
from New York and Brooklyn kitchens is brought
10 the island In great quantities When the weather
becomes cold. this supply OF refuse declines and
only half the regular force is employed. The
garbage is boiled for hours In immense watts and
then submitted to great pressure From this
refuse is obtained beautiful. clear OIL from which
soaps are made. The solid matter remaining is
ground into fertilizer The products OF the horse
factories are also oil and fertilizer. together with
hair and hide. which are removed before the ami
mails are cut up for boiling. Every morning the
York and Brooklyn arrive at Barren Island and
are promptly relieved Of their skins They are
then quartered, cut into small pieces and boiled
The fertilizer factory il is termed in contradis
tnction TO the garbage and horse factory, is known
also as the acid factory, because an acid produced
which enters into the composition of the fertilizer
No animals are used there, but mineral substances
take their place. They are chemically treated
and the material is brought 10 tho island in i'm
menss quantities, There is less odor from this
factory than from the others. The men who work
there speak as il their employments belonged TO
higher planes than those Of the employe 4 in the
garbage and horse factories. In fact they acquire
a sort of social precedence from their connection
with the acid factory
Formerly there was fifth factory, whose odors
were IN way inferior or less punEcnt than those
now disseminated in the air by the remaining
four This was fish factory. One shed and
the drying floor still remain and, although tho
purifying winds have exercised all possible benefit
Tor the last two years, the smell is still unmistak
able. Wren this factory was abandoned, one OF
the islanders erected fence around his yard with
some Of the waste lumber The Board OF Health,
however. compelled him 10 burn the boards.
Barren lslard has no regular, wel-dcflncd thor
| oughfores. The houses arc merely scattered here
| and there, apparently at the sweet will OF the
builders. Their erection was undoubtedly wholly
| u matter OF convenience. The inhabitants live
on the east the west side of the island or near