Year: 1868


DEAR SIR: AS the Board of Health has under
consideration the subject Of locating the Slaughter
Houses In this city, the Citizens Association respectfully
begs leave TO offer few suggestions thereon, peled
thereto by the great Importance Of the question ana Dy
an earnest desire to every interest In the community
carefully considered and fully protected. t'0


The whole subject must be fully investigated with
reference not only the present interests by which 1t IS
surrounded but also with reference to the great interests
which viii be created by the rapid and unparalleled
growth of New-YOrk. Are we building too much upon
the future when We say that the progress OF this city in
the past plainly indicates the development OF city
whose magnitude will as far surpass all other great
centers Of population the extent OF territory and the
elements Of wealth lying behind surpass those lying be-
hind other great ces We to provide for the health
and comfort Of mionsand all the industries carried on
upon Manhattan Island must ultimately be carefully
regulated and supervised in reference to the welfare OF
our entire population.


The whole subject OF food supplies is OF such vital I'M
porance to the health and well being OF people that
the Board OF Health will find itself compelled at no dis
tan day TO up the question in its entire length ana
breadth.


Tho intelligent and respectable butchers who control the
great bulk of the capital and business will find it greatly
TO their advantage carefully review the whole field OF
their business operations and TO enter into broad and
comprehensive arrangements to conduct their highly Inn
pOrtant calling in harmony with tho great changes hat
have taken place and which will continue to take place
from year to year. in city. The Commissioners who
we're appointed by the State to lay out our island re-
marked lslIin their report that it was probable in
half century that New-York would have population
OF four hundred thousand souls. The Commissioners
views at that time were, perhaps no more below the
actual development Of city than the views OF
many persons at the present day, upon the subject OF
the future development Of New-York With the facts
now before us for guide 1t would be only temporary
Nd nzfv and


ent for the butchers 10 locate their slaughter houses
much below the banks OF Harlem River The growth
OF population and the rapid Capitalization OF commercial
would again be pressng for their no
moval they not located wisely aud in harmony with
the great interests Of the community The calling OF the
butchers Is alike honorable and indispensable other
cangs and long the business is managed In har
mony with tho most important interests OF the eommu
nifty the butchers will be respected and their business
will prosper.


1t must be admitted by all that the time has when
radical changes must be made. temporEing, make
shift policy will only end In dissatisfaction. prolonged
trouble and annoyance the butchers and the pub
lic


Considerable ingenuity would be required TO select
a spot below Harlem where population exists to be
affected by the evils Of saughterhouses. The Assoca


ton has learned with surprise that suggestions have
made your Board for the selection OF sites In the
vicinity of Fortiethst the East and the North Rv
ers These proposed sites In the heart Of city,
the thickly populated homes Of the poor and the
mansions OF the rich


The driving of cattle through the streets 10 abattors
FOrtethst would be quite Objectionable it has
BEEN whether approaching from the north the south,
the cattle would through several miles OF
populous streets and the danger would then be aug
mented from the circumstance that from every
cattle droyes would converge here The nuisance
will be most felt in the streets and avenues viz
those best paved and where there are no tracks


The value OF the best property will thus be greatly de-
preciated II the butchers located low down town
they will feel all must feel that 1t Is but temporary
and that thoy will shortly have to again increas
ing population and increasing mortality in their neigh
borhood forces them away. They WILL therefore, be
willing TO make any permanent investments OF capital
for improvements which will benefit the public health
Everything about the premises will be mae-shfts-sueh
as are now found in many Of our slaughterhouses


In addition to the annoyance and nuisance occasoned
by the slaughter houses themselves by their surround
ings and by the driving OF cattle through the neghbor
hood, there would bo another annoyance, every
ing the tearing and rafting OF nearly 5000 butcher
each river coming 10 and going from the saugh
ter houses to distribute the meat every part Of the
city .I. .
The Association would again impress upon the Board
that its whole efforts should tend 10 the establishment OF
the slaughter houses in such locality that the
future populations Of all districts Of city will be
spared tho infections above mentioned. The best loca
ton ia 10 be found in the low lands of Harlem the
River, In the neighborhood Of one-hundred-and-
sxth-st


Here an abattoir has already been erected which
could be speedily arranged TO suit tho whole slaughter
ing business ..
In such location there would be little driving through
the strees because transportation Of cattle could DO
effected by the water.


The butchers by using refrigerating upon the
Second ave- Railroad and rergerating barges upon the
river could distribute their beef throughout the city
establish convenient depots where the small dealers
could DO supplied "


The dculty OF distributing the beef after 1t is pre-
pared for market very much less than that attending
its distribution through saughter-hOuses scattered
throughout the island


OF course the Board OF Health is aware that while the
saughtering OF animals is necessarily less Oen
yet the chief injury TO the health OF the community
comes much from the saughtering itself as from
the collateral branches Of the trade carried the
vicinity OF the augherhouses such fat melting the
cleaning OF enrais and the general distribution OF the
onal, &c, I'd, ODD ...... .. 4...... ........


by removing the saughtering to locality sufficiently
crowded centers OF population, at the same time
Of the trade
trusts that the butchers approaching the snbecs In an
enlarged and enlightened spirit win cheerflly go for
ward TO make the changes demanded by the and
fueur6 wants OF the community. 1ll
Respectfully submitted 10 the Board or Health, by d
rection OF the Executive Committee OF the Citizens
citation OF New-York RICHARD M HENRY, Secretary.


=


About q month ago an Irish family pitched
tent In the woods short distance from GrOto Centre
Conn., and have lived there ever since The head Of the