New-York tribune., 1900-09-26
BRONX MADE UNHEALTHY.
LACK OF WATER CAUSES TYPHOID AND
MALARIA TO SPREAD.

Lack OF water. which has troubled many house
holds in The Bronx for weeks IS said to be caus-
tng more cases OF malaria and typhoid fever IN
fordham Heights. Marble Hill and Kingsbridge
Than the borough ever had at one time. Thirty
malaria patients now being treated daily at
The Fordhsm Hospital dispensary the forty beds
c: the institution filed. nearly all of them.
-S,h mslsrial and typhoid fever sufferers and
every day five patients have be transferred the
City Hospital because there is room for them
a. Fordham.
with this crowded condition OF the wards scarcity
Of water has been danger. Fer three weeks at
the hospital they have been able 70 draw water
only in the basement at night It would run for
about twenty minutes and then stop for two or
three hours They drew enough off in tubs to last
them through the day. but they could not get all
they needed few days ago they had to come
20 = bucket service from 3 spring in Fordham
Valley
pr white the house surgeon. and Miss Carrie
White, the supervising nurse. asked the Water
Supply Department for little relief a. least
g was not possible 20 make II complete but up TO
-yestsrday nothing was done On Monday the doc
GERS ana nurses had no water to give their patients
and were using vtchy ard milk instead They
would have been glad then to close the hospital,
physician OF the Institution said yesterday because
they were receiving more patients than they could
possibly care for. and there was not water enough
Cor them 70 drink But the charity officials. the
eoctor added, would probably have objected TO
such E course
the basement Of the hospital yesterday. and now
water goes 70 all the floors. But It is poor-dark
colored and heavy with sediment-and il has to he
boiled and reboiIed before the patients drink IT,
PUMP GIVES SOME RELIEF.
D. White spoke yesterday OF the unhealthy state
+he region about the hospital is in. saying:
The pump improves our condition but things
outside here are about the same. I never heard
% time when there was so much malaria IN thls
region Besides the low water and the odors which
come from nearly empty PIPES. the streets are al
rorn ID around here-another cause Of malaria
II Fordharn and other parts of The Bronx it is
estimated that the number Of houses that have
been derived of water for the last three weeks Is
as large as FIVE hundred. while those that are sup
Piled only night IS said TO be more than twice as
Dr. Whites theory OF the low pressure is that
T-,-or, as much water 70 Kingsbridga TO
Fordham. both being on the same mains; II is
hoped that the low pressure viii be avoided IN the
future One OF the chief dangers is the improper
flushing Of closets and sewers when the water
gives out, with inevitable epidemic OF typholo;
Al! along Jerome-aye. for mile or more IN tne
piles Of dirt and clay lie ten feet nigh on ooth soes
Of the road there is house after house which has
send relief to this part of the borough every day
Dr. Nash tho physician who looks after the
men have not suffered as much as others about
there. for he has been able 10 check the disease
malaria year, anyway the doctor explained
much sounne before. Another thing TO be noted is
that these big contracts. have brought many 1tal-
iens and other foreigners here, and they are get
ting acclimated.
MARBLE HILL AND KINGSBRIDGE SUFFER.
A committee Of citizens from Marble Hill and
Kingsbridge called Commissioner Dalton yester-
CAV and asked Il something could not be done 10
relieve their suffering from want Of water. The
committee was composed Of Charles F. Olpp, H. H.
Brown. D. c. Overbaugh, Jacob Levy. James E.
Gsynor and Richard Alexander. They complained
that now they are unable 10 get any water except
81 night and in some houses no water be had
- any time Of the day night. They presented
plans for pumping machinery which c. B. Hebble.
Of the sub-contrac Of the tunnel said could
he Installed in ten days and would give immediate
relief. The plans were gone over by Chief Engi-
reer Bir6saIl, and approved by him. He said that
temporary relief OF the district by means of pump
iEg feasible
7 would give half my salary for one year If
this thing could be rernedied, said Commissioner
Dalton. gr aIg,
.Nr: -Hebhle said his machinery would not cost
Come with me over to the City Hall. and we
viii Try 70 have & resolution authorizing the
put through the Council and Aldermen
said Commissioner Dalton.
The citizens went the City Hall and button
holed the Aldermen. and secured their promise to
authorize the contract.
Chief Engineer Birdsau said that the condition
Of the water supply IN Brooklyn was not i'm
proved. and he I'D know If anything could
Be done 70 improve II. Commissioner Dalton said
he worried almost TO death by the conditions,
hut the Department had done all II could and the
fault dio not lie with it.