New-York tribune., 1900-04-01
BURIED IN POTTER'S FIELD


AT THE CITY CEMETERY, HARIS ISLAND
Among the boats that may be seen the East
River any day is small craft bearing the name
Fidelity People to whom the various vessels are
ONLY slightly known see nothing peculiar about
the boat because she is like hundreds of little
vessels on the East and North rivers used for
conveying freight and passengers between points
where the larger vessels do not make landings
But 10 the river men and to the people who
spend their time near the east waterfront the
little boat is known 'the deadboat
She belongs to the city, has crew of four
deckhandS, besides mate. an engineer and
fireman, and is commanded by Captain Edward
McEVoy. This boat makes the tour of the city
institutions Oh the East River daily and collects
the bodies of the dead and takes them to the
Morgue Randalrs Island, Wards Island, Black
wells Island and the Harlem Hospital all con-
tribute to the grewsome cargo which Is landed
every evening at the Morgue, where the bodies
of the homeless and the friendless are also taken
I'VE have dull and busy seasons" said Captain
McEvoy, but usually count on about
two a day from Randalrs Island, about three a
day from Wards Island, and Blackwells Island
gives us about ten day. The North Brother
Island dead are taken care of by the Health De
partment; the Harlem Hospital, at One-hundred-
and-twentieth-st, is good for about three day
THE FIDELITY's CARGO.
All the bodies as they come aboard are han
died by the deckhands and are piled on the after
deck, covered with tarpaulins, and when the
Fidelity steams down the river with her load for
the Morgue passengers passing vessels would
never suspect the character of her cargo
Twice week in the winter months and three
times a week during the warm season the Fldel-
ity makes q trip to Hart's Island where the
bodies from the Morgue which have not been
claimed or identified are buried in Potter's Field,
or, it is officially known. the City Cemetery
IT'S all the same after you are dead, sald
a who had made the trip but if you want
to know the advantage of passing away among
friends make trip TO Harts Island on bury
Ing day"
The boats load which varies in size from
thirty to one hundred boxes. stands on the dock
and in the Railways of the Morgue ready to be
taken away early in the morning. Every box
is furnished with card which contains the
name, age, sex, of death, etc. of the sub
ject, or. where the name is unknown. a number
corresponding with the one on the Morgue rec
ords, by which everything that is known to
the body may be ascertaned. The marks on the
box also show whether the person was a Cath
Ollie or a Protestant when that fact may be
ascertained
How many We got to-day" the deckhand
asked one of the Morgue helpers who assist |
the regular attendants for their board and what
they can pick up from undertakers in the way |
of tips for helping with the claimed bodies.
"Oh. it's small day Ten big and twenty |
little ones That meant that there were
ten large coffns and twenty-seven collins with
Childrens bodies to be taken away. The cargo
taken on board with less and ceremony |
than would have been devoted to a like number
of boxes in the hands of a transportation con-
marked Handle with care the boat !
moved away from the dock, which Uttered |
with old and broken collins and the trip to Pot |
ters Field began.
AT HART'S ISLAND.
The distance to Harts Island is about fifteen |
miles past the City Hospital, Pententary, |
Almshouse, Maternity Hospital, Insane Asy- |
lum, House of Refuge Idiots Asylum, Infants |
Hospital North Brother Island and about six
miles beyond Fort Schuyler Throgs Neck |
and WiIets Point. At the landing there were |
several officials in the uniform Of the Depart |
ment of Correction and three men in convict's |
stripes
Didn't expect you to-day" of the officers |
called in greeting to the captain, you had such
big load yesterday"
The boat was made fast and the bodies which |
had been transported by the Charities Depart
ment, were transferred to the custody of the |
Department Of Correction The three convicts |
loaded the boxes into wagon, and it started |
its first trip to a trench about hundred |
yards from the landing.