Year: 1869

Call on the Board Of Health-Laxity Of the


Omccrs-Incrensc Of the Nuisance.


Have we a Board OF Health among usS Is that
collection Of "DOctores Medicing" joined to whom
q number OF politicians, who all together style
themselves ''board Of health" really suchs Are
they making endeavors preserve the public healthS
DO they, In fact, fulfil their dutiess Are they
board Of health, such as the law contemplates and
the city needsS


These questions are often asked the answer Is
general one IN the negative. At first the so called
Board Of Health made big run on tenement houses
but they subsidized in short time; they then took
rally slaughter houses, and with short success
they rested again. But oil the while very pest hole
was being Systematically organized-jf this term be
allowed--oD Tenth avenue and Fifty-fourth street,
but the sof-dtsdnt "Health Board" took no notice
Of IL.


some weeks ago the HERALD called the attention
OF the authorities to this very nest OF disease and
epidemic. The account OF the HERALD described
heavy rain where the gushing waters washed
OF the dirt and mud and cleaned the ruts and
cutters. The Health Board have probably counted
upon continuance OF the rainy weather. and rely
ing upon Jupiter Pluvius do the work for when
they have been appointed, they very comfortably sat
by and waited. But wait they did too long.


The commissioner OF the HERALD was there again
yesterday and found the nuisance increased. WHAT
Immediately after the heavy rains was creek Is
now slough OF stagnant and foul water, emitting q
stencil as ntolerabe as that evaporated from long
closed sink just opened The surface Is full OF bub.
bles like water just beginning to boil, and eacn
bubble bursting has its peculiar odor rising as they
do from the OF different animals and from
the throats OF many supaqueous vermin OF such as
have but little hope for life In pure water.


Moreover the Belt Railroad Company are using
the dry spots OF the block for general horse cleaning
The company keep horses there from day TO day
TO have them cleaned, and allow the horses to cean
themselves, not only to the annoyance OF the entire
neighborhood, but increasing the already unbearabe


The now Of the murky fuid, black and nauseous,
continues IL runs down Fifty-fourth street to.
wards Eleventh avenue, and there IL Is damned up
by the heaps OF earth thrown across the street by
tae contractor who Is going through the motions"
and offensive substance Is formed Oh a vacant
lot night opposite Eleventh avenue on the
lar In Its sickenng nature, on the otner corner;
and in the excavated portion OF the east fourth part
OF the street there Is another pond OF the same
material the exhaations OF which are breeding dis.
ease around the whole neighborhood.


The tenement houses In the street are suffering
from this condition OF the surrounding lots. Tne
stance. The rear yards are full OF 1t and no
effort OF the inmates to keep It out has
as Jet been successful. Disease and death
are increasing. There are more children sick
in consequence OF the miasma produced by
the stencil and the sinking ponds than anywhere
else In the city among the same number Of inhabi.
extends already across Tenth avenue. and the
sckly atmosphere fed by TINS very pestiferous spot
threatens to come farther and spread over the whole
city. There are o number OF children new lying
sick with typhus In the neighborhood; child OF
Mr.. Taylor died with 1t only few days ago. scve-
raj grown people are down under the treatment OF
physicians and IL would be no wonder " the entire
population OF the neighborhood were prostrated
with typhoid fever; for such atmosphere to breath
~ enough to make any one sick and to XIII half OF


Yet where is the Board OF Healths should not
the next Grand Jury lndct them for maIcasancc in
oilce'