The Brooklyn Daily Eagle from Brooklyn, New York • Page 1

THREE CENTS. BROOKLYN, SATURDAY, MAY 9, 1885. SIX PAGES. VOL. 46 NO.

128. A CITY SURVEY. Though the Sixteenth Ward has a larger area and more than twico as largo a population. It only got one fifth as much oleanlng done In It. The reader can mako many other interesting comparisons.

Of Brooklyn's 548 miles of streets, 370 are paved and 170 yet to bo paved thero aro 310 miles of sewers completed and 230 to be built. The work of paving and putting in sowers is going on rather Blowly. In 1883 only 7,782 foot of paving was done, and the miles of sower laid were only three and a small ractlOD. In 1884 there was an improvement over tho figures of 1883. paviug was 3.41 miles, and iyt miles of sowers woro laid.

A great deal of streot repairing was also dono by tho Department of City Worka last year, and fifty five ponds in snnken lots were filled In, either in whole or in part, in tho Seventh, Eighth, Twelfth, Fifteenth, Elghteouth, Twenty sedond and Twenty fourth wards, tho hoavlost work being dono In tho Twenty second Ward. The city charges tho lot owner nothing for filling iu his lot whfch fa vory nice for the lot owner. Tho city is Bnpposed to got back its monoy expended on filling iu by increased valuation of property. DEATH BATE BY WARDS. In conBidorlng tho death rate by wards it is necessary to take into account tho position of the publio charitable institutions and tho jails and hospitals aud so forth, as deaths in theso aro included iu the ward mortalities, and a comparison of ward doath rates, which left this fact out of consideration would bo vory misleading.

I.ast year the deaths in public Institutions numbered 1,072, divided as follows 0 3 3 r.n Wards. Firat Hd ond Ttiird Fourth VUih Siitti Sfi Eighth 'Jonta Klfivetith Tivolftli Thirteijijfch I'Vurtet'iitli Fiftt outli Sixteenth SCitMltttt'Ilttl Right Gent ft NinutdL nth Twentieth Twcnty tirst Twejity se'jond Tm nty tbird 'J'lvenry iifth Totals li). fUl 1 None 51 12 Nono 2(i2 1.037 3 Nona 14 Nono 121 None 4 None 1 Nnue 1.221 None 282 1,073 3 53 13' 13 34 193 13j l'J (iG4 13, 10, I (I 23. lfio 22. 27.ji 22 MS 25, 74 it 27, 0n3 15.994' U.

597' 20,7131 611,9451 14,110 31 fi 233 362 2H 2 fi07 617 512 320 7t)i) COO 501 380 720 10 7 i 57J 422 82G 605 1MH 3G3 430 15,000 and 20,000. Since we commenced the crusade upon them In 1878 wo have got rid of 10,000, and I have no doubt that 5,000 of these wore disposed of In 1883 and 1884. Or those remaining it is probable that 75 per cent, are brick vaults connectod with the sewers. We conld not interfore with this clasB of vaults until a weok or so ago, when an ordinance of tho Common Council gave us power to condemn and have them abolished if thoy wero detrimental to the publio health. They were legalized under the mistaken theory that they wore water tight aud would remain eo.

This was dono in 1874. Tho theory waB that all the waato water of the houses would be quite sufficient to flush the vaults and carry all their contents into tho sewers. An unforseen thing happened, how over. In order to keop their vaults oloan peoplo left their faucets turned on and the waste of water became enormous. Then the Board of City Works passed a resolution dobarring householders from using tho water for this purpose, and this resulted In in tho vaults having to rely lor cleansing only upon tho rain water from tho roof leader.

This supply proved insufficient and iu seasons of drouth vaults got bad, their contents accumulated, tho bricks became saturated and moisture from thorn penetrated the surrounding soil. Still thoy wero legal, and wo only had power to order that thoy bo cleanod and disinfected. This did not romody tho ovil and accordingly tho city suffered from it. The new ordinance of the Common Council gives us power to condemn vaults which wero heretofore legal, aud it will be a misdemeanor to lnam taiu them after such condemnation." How many wells aro there yet within the oity limits asked tho writor. Only ono, sltuatod on the corner pf Carlton avenue nnd Fulton streots.

In 1882, whon wo started a crusade against tiieao wells, thero were 31G in public use. Thoy wero impure and unwholesome. Tho wator of tho ono remaining has been annlysed often, but nothing im puro can bo found In it. Thero aro no privato wells, to my knowledge, within tho city oxcept tho drivon wells or manufacturing establishments, against which thero is 110 objection. I boliove there in no city in tho world whioh has puror wator than Brooklyn.

Tho places of tho public wells ought to bo supplied by drinking fouutuins in the streots, howovor. I saw a suggestion in an English journal rccontly which I think ought to bo carried out hero with good results. It is to the effect that many men out of work might make a decont livellnood and sorvo a useful purpose to tho public by establishing thomselves on sidewalks with littlo tables and glassoj aud water coolers, from which thoy could disponso ice wator to tho thirsty pedestrians for such gratuities aB tho lattor chose to give th3iu. Wh it aro id sanitary conditions?" "Collars wet and marshy, plumbing defective owing to open joints, leaking pipes or absence of traps, loak ing roofs, yards choked up with refuse, vaults overflowingall these or any of them are liable to breed sickness." How, then, do you account for tho health of the Italian and shanty populations, whore these conditions prevail to a very marked degree?" "I don't believe they are as healthy aa thoso who live under bottor conditions. The truth of sanitnry theories has been too often attested to bo overthrown.

Tho Italians wo have hero are naturally a robust people, nnd among them tho male and adult elements predominate, and it is a well known fact that mortality chiefly cccurs among vory young children. Then they live out in tho opon air a groat deal, both men aud women. I'll guarantee that if you oxamino this subject thoroughly you will find that tho Italian and shanty populations have a higher death rato than tho pooplo of the First Ward, say. Here, now, is a tablo showing tho death rato by wards In 1875 and 1870. You will see that tho wards where the best sanitary conditions provailod farad tho beat.

The average death rate for tho wholo city was 2o.77 por ono thousand of the population In 1875. In that year the Twenty third Ward stood at tho head, with the lowest death rate. Tho First Ward took socond place, and the other wards followed in this order: Twentieth, Sovonth, Fourth, Twenty firth, Twenty second, Fifteenth, Ninth, Thlrteouth, Eleven th, Nineteenth, Seventeenth, Fourteenth, Tenth, Twenty first, Third, Twelfth, Eighth, Twenty fourth, Eighteenth, Second, Sixth, Sixteenth. Thus you see the most overcrowded ward, the Sixteenth, suffered tho most, and aftor It came tho Sncond and Sixth, both having crowded tenement populations. Tho Twelfth Ward also was low down on the list.

In 1870 the First Ward stood at tho head with tho lowest death rato, aud after it camo in order the Twentieth, Seventh, Nineteenth, Twenty sacond, Twenty fit th, Twenty third, Thirteenth, Seventeenth, Fifteenth, Third, Elevonth, Sixth, Fourteenth, Twouty nrst, Fifth, Sixteenth, Tenth, Second, Ninth, Eighteenth, Eighth, Twelfth, Twenty fourth and Fourth." "It seems to mo that that comparison shows great fluctuation. The Twenty third Ward, for instance, loses ground very greatly and tho Fifth, Sixth, Sixteenth and Socond coiue away up. Does not that provo your comparison unreliable?" "No. Yon will boo that the best locations as a rule retain their lead iu hoalthiuoas and the overcrowded wards a3 a rule are near tho bottom. If you take the showings of a term of years you will find that sanitary theories aro supported by results." 'Does the Board of Health need any new powora or are there any bars to Its thorough efflcioucy "The Tonomont law ia dofectivo.

Wo should havo power to regulate tho numbor of occupants aud the air space allotted to each iu touement houses. I am codifying all the laws relating to this subject." "Do you consider a sluglo hydrant in a back yard BufDciont to supply the needs of say fifty families?" "No, I do not. Whoro that Is the case the peoplo can hardly bo expected to keep clean." "Havo you any tenement house consus?" "Not since 1878. noro it is TKNEMEKT HOUSES IS 1UIOOKLYS AXD THEIB POPULATION, JANUAHY 1, 1888. knowledge.

He has only heard of it in the form of rumor. Brooklyn peoplo eat a great doal of maccaronl mads by local Italians, but of this thoy need have no fear. There are only two factories In this Ono la sltuatod on Front street and tho other on Water, both between Main and Fulton. The premises aro clean, machinery and dies are unimpeachable in purity, and the flour Is tho best in tho market. These can be Inspected at any time.

The proportion of women to men In the Italian colony is now three to four. Qirls marry at thirteen aud get quickly agod. Husbands are usually good to thoir wives and children. Fights about women aro iofre qucnt, and tho marriage relation, though entered into moro a matter of bargain, is pretty rigidly observed. These pooplo are Catholics.

They reject the Pope, though they allegiance to the church of which he le tho head. Garibaldi is their idol and they spoak well also of Victor Emmanuel and King Humbert. No priest visits them, and thoy never attend mass or show a desire for religious services except in caso of tho dying or dead. Evidence that they havo religious fcollng is found in the fact that almost all their rooms coutain one or moro vory cheap prints of tho 11 Madonna and Child," tho Archangel Michael Triumphing Over Satan," St. John tho Baptist," etc.

Bad as is the conditiou of tho tenements in which they livo it might be worse, for when tho writer visited the samo places ovor a year ago a frescoing made by oight Inches of solid rags hnng from the ceiling of every room, where thoy had been placed to dry and passages and stairways were choked with kitchen rofuse and garbage of all kinds, over which all who entered must walk. About two weeks ago an Italian inapector was hired by the Board of Health and through tho tenomonts of this colony with Officer Thlmig. Tho inspector found plonty to report, and cartloads of dirt to remove, but tho tank was Herculean and the forco employed far too small for Its accomplishment. The families who weroliviog iu cellars woro compelled to movo above ground. Threo or four seizures of bones wore mado and a fow vaults and cellars wero cleaned and disinfected.

A physician said it was tho Board of Health's uaual Spring demonstration, intenlod to al'ay public foeling in regard to dirtiness. Now that tho spurt is over tho cellar dwoller i will return, tho vaults will be ohoked to overflowing and yards and passages aud room all over will resume thoir former unspeakably dirty condition. None of these tonements except the ono last mentioned, upon Front street near Fulton, have firo escapes. If a firo broko out at night among thorn tho loss of lifo would be appalling. Tho genoral health of the Italian colonists is good.

An allopathic physician said, speculatively, that perhaps the homeopathic doctrine that liko cure liko would account for this. They eat their broad dry, with plonty of vegetables and littlo moit. They wash a meal down with plenty of beor and avoid tea or coffee, ospo cially tho latter, which they dticlara is very hurtful. They seldom send for a physician unless thera 1j somothing serious the mattnr, aud this also is pointed to as a cause of longevity by tho uukind. Dirty surroundings may be healthy enough for tham becauso born aud brought up amid them, on tho same principle that some men can drink fifty glasses of beor' per day and keep it up for years, without being apparently tho least bit tho worse for it.

If tho choiera should como overy Italian colony would be a reservoir for cholera gonna aa every roaming Italian would bo an itinerant cholera dispensary. Surroundings and personal habits of the peola aro precisely such as cholera microbes aro said to delight in. Tho only practical remedy Brooklyn has for the evils produced by her Italian colontsts, in tho opinion of thoso who have given attention to tho subject, is to drive them outside the city liinitB. This could bo secured by constantly prosecuting all landlords who harbor them. MORE NUISANCES.

After leaving tho Italian quarter tho writer and hia companion walked over to Furnian street aud paused In front of an alloyway which opennd up a littlo we3t of Doughty street. 41 Here Is a famous tramps' lodging house, said tho guide. Right undor tho nose or tho Hoighis, you eee." Advancing one hundred foot np tho alloy, past stablea which opened out on every side, tho visitors came to a number of low pheds, built against tho sharp, perpendicular line of tho Heights. The ground was filthy and hoapo3 with rofuse, and a very foul odor ascondod to tbo back windows of the mansions ou Columbia street. Rather too early in the season for the tramps yet only two of them here you see," continued tho writer's compauion.

If you camo to this place ou a Summer night you would find them bore by the score. I have frequently seen as mauy as sovouty slopping here. Most of them are all round thieves as well as tramps, but river thieves prevail." Tho stores on tho river front woro found to bo thoroughly clean and in excellent sanitary condition, but tho gratings let into tho sidewalks In frout of them give out a sickening, unhealthy amill at low tide, caused by tho docayiug vegotablo mattar left by tho wnt upon tho stoues ou which tho storehouses rest. Tho gratings are necessary ventilators, or at least they aro alleged to be. The negro quarters in Hart's alley wore found in excellent shape, generally speaking.

Dodd'a tables, on Nassau etcoot, noar Washington, will bear The row of threo story wooden tenements at the cor or of Hudson avenue and York street need especial and immediate looking after. Their cIoboIs are in a filthy condition and their back yards and interiors highly dangerous from a sanitary point of view. Mrs. Voorhifsia the owner. To mention overy placo in tho First Sauitary District which needs looking aftor would take too long and occupy too much space.

Thoso only which appear to ba the most flagrant are spoken of specifically, but it may bo well to say generally that Tollman street, which ia much improvod of late, will bear still moro improvement; that Prospec' street ia also susceptible of improvement, aud that there are houses which need a good deal of watching on Navy street and Hudson avenuo, especially tho row of frame houses ou the corner of Navy and Sands streets. Though most of theso have sewer connections, their vaults aro old aud tho bricks which compoeo them have rotted. The cellar population which existed in tho. first sanitary district has beon partly cleared out. Tho condition of tho sLreGt? in the first district, especially along Navy street and Iliidnou avenue and the water front, is bad.

Garbage and refuse chuke the gutters and decaying animal aud vegetablo matter lies till it rota to nothing. Ono or two of tho streots havo just recoived a very perfunctory cleaning, tho first and only ono they are likely to got this year. They havn boon covered up with garbage again and aro nearly in us bod a elate as over. Another alleged nuisauec of the First Sanitary District is the slaughter house region of Hudson avenue. This comprises eight or nine slaughtering establishments situated on Hudson avenuo below Concord street.

Tho prnpriotors say that thoy are all clean and in excellent condition. At certain periods of each week, however, when tho proprietors are boiling offal or ronderim? fat tho odor that fills the air is so bad that it prevents those working in neighboring factories from continuing their labor, aud a good dral of the unusually large amount of sick no bj Iu tho nolghborlng tenements can be traced, so attending physicians declare, to conditions producod by the slaughter houses. Men aud womon who livo In these neighboring tenomonts say that they cannot eat their meals with any relish and cannot sleep at night because of tho odor. fever to sovoral playmatee, and if a few more physicians fall to make reports, thero will bo an opldomio of Bcarlot foyer at Public School No, 15. We havo a splendid system," said Sanitary Inspector Crulkshanlt, and tho only difficulty In regard to it is that doctors will not report all thoir cases of contagious diseases to us.

I got my notifications in regard to contagious dlBoases early in the morning and make my rounds. After eeolng sanitary regulations carried out and giving printed directions concerning fumigation and oaro of infected arttolos and bo forth I fill out the blanks on a printed card, with tho name and number of othor children still attending echool from the eanio house. I send this to tho school immediately, and thoso children nro kopt away till thoy cau bring a certificate from me to say that they can safely be readmitted." "Mca Dr. Crnlkahank said, "Is not reported at all usually, whereas It ia vory contagious and frequently leads to complications." Many other sanitary inspectors complained of this Bame inattention and diaobodlenco of sanitary rules by physicians. THE STREETS.

It Is with doop fooling that tho writor approaches tho subject of streets. Brooklyn has many tilings to be ashamed of, but tho shamo of hor streets eclipses alL With vory fow exceptions upon tho Heights and Hill, in addition to the main thoroughfares, Fulton streot, Court street aud Flatbush and Atlantic avenues they aro simply execrable. C'ortalnly no city of Europe, oxcept it be in Turkey, and just as certainly no city in America has thoroughfares so dirty, 30 rough and bad to look upon, walk upon, or drive upon. A ride over tho cobblestones here is equal to a month in the pon itentiary aud a walk on tho sldowalK on a windy day to a term in purgatory. Tho old cobblestones not only lame horses, break the wheels off vehicles and jolt tho breath out of drivers, but thoy help to retain dirt.

Tho patent street sweeper is not used on cobblestones because tho brush cannot got down into tho rural vales which lio between tho stones. In some places the square granite block is happ'Sy superseding' this nuisance. Talking about the patont street swoopor it may ho well to remark that the habits of this useful arLtcle aro ni. curious in somo respects. It associates itself usually with a watering cart aud tho two sauntor through the streets swoeping and watering evidently with the vory best Intentions, but cortainly with very poor Somo of tho actions of the worthy couple aro actually i.ilotic.

Generally tho brush will get tho le.danu iro down somo street about 7 o'clock in tlio morning throwing up a terrible cloud of dust and dirt all over tiio unfortunate workiugmeu and women who throng tho sidewalk. When the brush has gone past tho witoi ing cart will come spluttoring along behind totally winded and hopeless of over catching up to and getting ahnad of tho brtr.b. All this is very amusing to tho gentleman who drivos tho brush, but it is hard on the gentleman who drivos the watoring cart through the dust. It may, perhaps, also bo con. pider.

a little hard upon tho men aud women on tho Bidowalk. Tho watering cart and brush do not venture out lato at night when thoy would bo most useful and ornamental. Possibly thoir luug3 aro weak and tho night air hurts them. Brooklyn has a tenement house population of fully It is increasing very fait, and its quality is getting down to that of tho Now York hIuius. Thero are ways in which tenement houses can be kept in do cont order.

Thoy must havo janitors, tho garhago and ash wagons must come to them regularly and they must have frequent inspection. A careful janitor booh' makes clean touant Tho people in tenement houses want to be clean as a rule, but thoy can't get the chance. The larger the worse nuisance it becomes unless a janitor is employed in it. The roason lies not in a desire for filthy surrounding or even in callousness' to them, for tho vast majority of our tenement dwoll ers nro respectable poor pooplo, but in tbo lack of conscientiousness found in vhat may bo a small minority. For instance, 11, and the rest of the alphabet may nl! to keep their apartments bright and clean with tho exception of and who aro lazy an 1 careless.

Nov. and 7, being lazy and careless, naturally seek the easiest way of disposing of anything which they havo no use or room for. Instead of putting thoir in the bjrrols tot in tho back yard for tho purpose, they will throw them iu a heap iu the dark corner of the passago fronting C's door. Thoy will empty their refuse into D's pall when he is away, or will throw it Into tho sink with tho dishwater. They will go about unkempt, red nosed, vo ciforous aud unclean, giving tho house a bad name, and will 00011 reduce their apartments and all they contain to malodorous nuisances.

and and the RV.frarera from tho bad habits of and will be creatly incensed for a time with each othor, and, not knowing whom to blame, they wilt bo very likely to havo harsh words and from reiTiminationa proceed to active retaliation. Max Adhr tolls a story of an unpleasant neighbor wh; ha 1 an unpleasant dog to which ho took a vory decided dislike. Tho dog died suddenly. Tho neighbor threw it ovor tho fenco into Max's back yard, the Utter throw It back, the neighbor returned it, bo did Max, and all the evening thoy played tenuis with that dog. When next day came Max had to go to work aud hired a man to work at throwing that dog over tho fouce, while the neighbor who was out of employment flayed at homo and did his own throwing This kind of thing continued for several days till tho dog was worn down to a handful of hair, when a sparrow stolo it, or something of the kind happonod.

Scioutiflc gontlBinon who have Investigated Mr. A.Her'a Btory find reasons for bolloving that it is not strictly true, but that does not interfere with its usefulness as an illustration. It fits tho caBe iu which occupants of a touement find themselves when retaliation com. monces, only that with thorn matters are just twonty slx times moro complicated. Each suspects his or her next door neighbor of doing as somo ono else has done to him.

Tho fault in all theso cases doos not lie iu the people thcmnolveB but in thoir overcrowded condition. Officials and wealthy peopln geuorally hive a vory comfortable theory concoraing people who live amid dirty surroundings. They say, Oh, thoso peoplo liko dirt ami you couldn't cuax them away from it." This theory is a good one for those who hold it. It reconciles tho official conscience to tho neglect of streets upon which the vory poor live, and it reconciles tho wealthy lo their sollishness in demanding from tho city attention so excessive that someone must bj denied if their requests aro to bo granted. If tho gontleuien and ladies holding this very comfortable theory of tho affection of their poorer follow citizous for dirt will stop to examine tho matter thoy will find that thoy have been guilty of Blander.

They will find that tho saying "dirt cheap" moaus somothing. Dirt is cheaper in a big city than cloanllness. This may be news to the theorists but it Ib true, liooins which cost ton dollars a month iu a bright, clean tonomont guardel by a janitor will cost only five dollar) a mantli if tho rooms and neighborhood are suDAcioutly bad. Thore aro but fow ladles who omploy a washwoman who is a widow with children who don't know that that woman supports and clothes herself aud children on three dollars a weok. Thoy often wonder languidly how it can be dono, but seldom take auy pains to find out.

It is done by getting living expenses down to a starvation point, living in a corner of a squalid collar or garret and denying one's self ail but what Is absolutely necessary to support life or cover the body. This connection or squalor and cheapness makes the touement house problem a vory complicated one to deal with. Tho moment the character of a house iB improved, the moment it becomos cleaner or healthier or bettor looking, the value of that property rises and tho rent rises with It, and as the rent rises it squeezes out tho vory poor, however roapectable and fond of good surroundings they may be. Tho question of wbethor or no tho Btroots on which tho poor livo should be cleaned as frequently as thosn on which tho rich rcBlda ia merely a question of the lives of tho poor men's children aro as valuable aa thoso of the rich men. llany doctors, among thoin sovoral of tho sanitary inspectors, have told the writer that cholera infantum ia producod almost if not quito entirely by inalodors from tho streots and tho poison which the dust of an unclean street contains.

Ouo proof of tliis, if proof of an undisputed fact ia needed, is that children taken away to tho seaside re vivo almost immediately iu tho fresh, pure air, but relapse again as quickly when brought homo. Now this being bo, it ought to follow that tho streots ou whieh tho poor livo should bo cifteue3t cleaned, bocaiue tho children of tho tenements play on the Btreets altogether, while those of tho rich do not. Tim result is that cholera infantum creates fearful havoc among tho former, while it lays its hand vory lightly upon the scions of tho wealthy. Humph," said a vory pleasant and good looking gentleman at tlio City Hull, speaking to tho writor and looking after the retiring form of a middio agod lady, who had come to complain of the state of Navy street, that's always the way with those people never contented, always grumbling." Well," said tho writor, think they havo causo to grumble. It oeems to mo that the favor shown iu cleaning streets is vory unjust." I'd like to hear of an instance of injustice.

I think the city authorities do their very best, and thoy got. no tha for their services." Well, take Schcr. norhorn and Smith streets for on IJlutra' ion. Sehermorhorn street is cleaned twico a Here, for instance, is ono engaged In collecting cindera and coal either for her own homo or for salo to her neighbors, for "Slab City" peoplo have Bworn not only not to pay rent, but also not to patron Izo the coalmen. Hero is a group of little girls piling up fruit cans, Whon their fathers como homo from driving teams or working along shore or doing something similar they will wall a little spico of ground in and put a wire netting ovor it and start a fire undor tho netting, and whon they havo got a verv good firo thoy will pile tho fruit and tomato cans upon the netting and the Balder from them will all drip through whllo tho tin wUl remain above and the cinflew will float on top of tho solder and thoy will Bklm the cinders off and let the solder cool, and when this is done thoy have a big Blab of solder to sell and tho cost gf it will fill many a growler." Rag and bone picking are carried on to a great extent by somo of theso shanty peoplo and they havo othor at ran go trades too numerous to mention, by which the dumps help them to a livelihood if not competency.

The young girls here aro trained up as professional Cinderellas from their babyhood and the littlo boys become junkmen before thoy aro 7 years old. In tho lowor border of this Slab City territory, from Brush street, between Clinton aud Columbia, the tide ebbs and flows through the drains which connect the sunken lots with tho bay, with strength sufficient to carry out sma'l boats. Abovo this point tho overflow from the pig wallows at the bottom of the other lots comoa down through drains boueath tha fillnd in streets. At high tido tho water backs up through theso drains as far as liuutmgton atreet. The furthest inland of tho chain of ponds thus formed Is only a block away roru Public School No.

27, on Nelson street, near tho corner of Columbia, at which attond. Within 100 yards of this public nchool is a vast puLlx dumping ground, running westward for a long block, from Delevan street, between Dwight and Richards. A great deal of putrid aud often nlvo matter lie on thia damping ground, mingled with tho ashes which tho contractors' men bring there. Ainoug tho wort of this decaying animal and vegetable matter in iv ba classed refuse from tlio sugar refineries in the neighborhood. Last Spring Mayor Low, with Dr.

P.ilmer, the S.xnl tary Inspector tho district, tho Commissioner of City Worka, Chief Engineer Van and Comniisaiouer Raymond, of tho Board of Health, went through this shanty district. Whon tno Slab City people found who waB among thum there was great commotion. Tho result of tho visit was seen in the fict thit the city appropriated $23,000 lor improvements in that locality. It has spent moat of that amount alrea ly. Hamilton avonuo splits Dr.

P.iinier's district hilf, and ou each aide of thii central division line there is a totally different chum of peoplo, aud tho conditions of life aro also totally different. Westward of Hamilton avenuo is tho solid Twelfth Ward, with Its shauty town eastward tho equally compact Sixth WarJ, with many peculiar charms of itn own. In tha Twelfth Ward among the shanties aro portions of tho big marsh which once dominated the whole district. In tho Sixth Ward all is high and dry. Against the advantages by the shanty dwellerd tbo residents of Sixth Ward tenements cau nut their posst Hsion of ciiy water and tho connection which their tenements maintain with sewer.

Thero Is an oxtonsive Italian quarter In tho Siith Ward, but It doe not bear comparison with that of tho Second Ward iu point of dirtinojs. Tne tenements occupied by Italians here are principally situated npou Union, Presidsut and Carroll streets, between Columbia street and Hamilton avenue. Union Ktreot being tho central point of the colony. Tin: Italians aro of a very difforout class generally from the bono and rag and old mulal collectors of Adams street aud Its vicinity. Some of them are merchants and manufacturers, and most of tha are mechanics, many being shipwrights.

About half the block on tho west side of Union street, betweou Hamilton avonuo and Van Brunt streot, belongs to Mr. Kane, a wholesale liquor dealer. He owns twenty houses and they are nearly all occupied by Italians, Tho homes upon Union street aro good threo story brick tenements occupied by Italians, but tho vaults and collars of these houses aro in a bad condition, sanitary regulations are not compliod with and plumbing work is not attended to. Behind No. 22 Union street, which is ono of the tenements belonging to Mr.

Kane, stretches a row of brick two story cot which are overcrowded, Th vaults hero no! cloaning, and many othor sanitary measures would not by any means bo out of place. In the rear of tho cottages which havo been described as miming back from No. 22 Union atroot, Mr. Kane has a big brick stablof the upper portion of which comprises of a tenement house in which about thirty families live. Ail tho Italians of thia neighborhood seem to bo careless in disponing of their rrfuse.

Thoy throw it down in thoir back yards, or the cellar or tho street gutters, as may bo most convenient. No. 14 Union streot aud Its lear house have a model tenement landlord, an old Gorman gentleman who bears tho English name of Bennett. He exhibits as much assiduity in complying with all the rcquiremonta of the Board of Health ai Admiral P.irter di In "polishing up tho kuojker of the big front door'1 when ho Berved hia term in tho lawyer' office. Hia tenements are pictures of neatness.

On the opposite, sido of Union street, facing tho Italian tenements owned hy Mr. Kane, Inspector Palmer pointed to a good looking re.l brick tonemeut houHu. "That can bo called a smallpox hole," ho said. "I have taken a good many caes out of thore during tho last few years. I don't know how they came to occur thero, except through tho sailors who camo off tho shipi at thlB point." Two pork factories were lnapoctod In thU district, Baxter's, in Doiraw stroot, near Van Brunt, and Gorman's, Hob.

150 to 156 Columbia street. Iu Gorman's, which I much tho larger establishment and which somo times packs fifteen li mid rod hogs a day, the floorj aro wooden. Tho rendering room had a smell that seemed to be worse than anything the writer had experienced in tho way of bad odors. The disposition mado of wasto matter is not good. A man was observed throwing something out of the second story gangway door, for instance, as tho writor and hia companion approached.

The matter was examined and fonnd to ba "scrap" not a peculiarly nice article to throw upon tho publio street. In Baxter's packing house the fljors are kopt dry. Disinfectants are mingled with the "scraps," and they are hpeodily disposed of in such a manner as to render them inoffensive. old sOK hollow. Ono of the most interesting portions of tho Sixth Ward usod to bo Smoky Hollow, but Its glory has departed to a great degree.

All thit is left of It is tho block of old tumbledown frame rookerioj belonging to tho Pate be estate, bounded by Hicks, Columbia, Psciflo and Amity streets. As an Illustration of the pristine simplicity of I'fo in Smoky Hollow, and a trustful faith in the generosity of mankind, it may bo well to give ouo incident. A gentleman has a stablo the manure vault of which obtrudes itself upon a portion of tha property on which tho house of tho Hollew stand. Timo aud again the gentleman aforesaid has, in compliance with the mandate of the Board of Health, coverad over this vault with good solid boardi and nailed them securely dowu. The inhabitants of Smoky Hollow saw In this action a delicate method of presenting thorn with so much lumber, and with much emotion aud more axes they modestly approached and romoved the gift with all the delicacy observed hi its presentation.

After this ceremony had been repeated several timee tbo gentleman who owned tho manure vault grew tired from some unexplained cause, aud tho vault remains uncovered. Buckingham Palace, another notable place, is a threo story tenement situated at the cornor of Pacific and Hicks streets. Its condition a few months a ijo a regarded tho filth of apartments, hallways, vaults, cellars and all else connected with it was vory bad. Vigorous action on tho part of the sanitary innpoctor has induced N. H.

Frost, on behalf of tho Frost estate, of which it is a distinguished portiou, to mako Deceasary repairs and renovations and It shows great improvement as a residence. It has one great advantage over rival tenements of the locality. It Is on the boundary between the Third aud Third Sub Precitiots. Though actually lu the Third Product, tho width of Pacific street alone separates It from tho Third Sub Precinct. It affords the groatest pleasure and on ter tainmont to the ladiea and gentlemen who inhabit tho palace to Bit at their windows on pleasant Sunday morulngB and the officers of tho Third Sub Precinct, who are powerless to cross the street to make an arrest.

This ditfufflod amuviment 1 uow of Buckingham Palace's" chief attractions. Of Nos. 9, 11 aud 13 Emraett street, Mr. Hugh Duffy is The owuer 1'ves in New York and tho agent is not empowered to mako somo of the nece isary repairs, and eo the houses aro In a bad way. The apartments in No.

13 which were examined served as specimens of all. They wore In a dirty condition. Tho vaults in the back yardp, usod by upward of fifty families, woro found in similar state and thoir surroundings were equally bad. The condition of Etnmott Btrodt affords room for criticism. Its gutters are filled with refuse and dirty water.

A large brick doublo tenement house, Noa. "M'3 and 3G5 Hicks street, which contains noarly fifty families, will bear watcbinjj. Tho principal troublo apparently Ib In tho back yard, which is usod as a refuse dump by the families. The reputed owner i A. IL Howe.

AU tho streets iu the Sixth Ward, with tho exception perhaps of Atlantic avcuu ncad cleaning. Th aro 111 paved and dlrty A TOUR THROUGH Tilli THIRD DISTRICT. odont, should hire brad Intermittent few and farflff and ague, but If it did tbo denizens of tho hanty town en it never found it out. In regard to the vacant lots which yet remain in thifl district covered with water It may be well to suggest that it 1 poMihl' to got rid of thii water merely by drilling thronju hard whi.Si the water bu formed for itnif. It wjil thou di sppear into the aolL ThlJ remedy ban the r.d van uf cl.anpiicsi and it has pnired efficacious iu other nimiiar canes.

Tho offensive aight of IbJ Fourth District hardly camo up to the average of other portlom of the city, Noverthlcs, they wero uot by any means altogether absent. On Nineteenth street, between Third avenno and Oj wanna tho roadway was found to bo un paved, and residents of the three framo houses upon It claimed that they were unable to dispose of their refuso, si tha garbage wagons had failed to take It from them. Tho controller had not forgotten tho spot, howovor, aa bis was on and men dumped all their collections from tuft nefghoring streets ou tho small vacant tot In front of tho poor people's doors. Tha living In thfaa bouwa wore Germans, aud their domiciles and back yards wero as clean aa poible. Thoy said that they bad spoken to Alderman Kane twice about tho garbage wagons and the condition of their surface drains, and he had promised to call tho attention of tbo Board of Health to thu matter.

Nothing had resulted, how ever. These housos aro built on low ground, an! the kind ness of the contract In making a public dump of the vacant lot in frunt of them has so arranged matters that tho rain water fr the lot Iu qucsth and also front all the property between thoro and Third avenue flown into them. Wli. it rains they ore iloo'le J. and thell purfarc drams become a instead of a help, aa tho drain an; bo elevated that tho ends on tho premiaea are actually lower than tno eudi in tho street Conner tion with tho canal, which only sixty or a hundred feet away, would ait the trouble.

That much o.nnpla.ned of nuisance, the Twenty eighth fltrcnt sewer, is In thii iHlrict. Its mouth la close in nhore, and whatever filth it omptles into the bay is washed back very promptly and rota upon tho sin. re. d. i.rt.

th lu ighboriug property and making (hose who rcMdo upon it wiah they were ddtd. his Twenty eighth Htrcet newer ought to be rather a note with the city, it has already cost tho au i more than in law HUlta. Huwover, Jt is jm'bible thai thu new pewer, which will bo CuUhedi at thl itii: by May or Jane, will obviate the evil. It spying that the stivets In this district an in very ba 1 way, as to ptving and dirt, es ar the ntroeU In vklyn, with a very low no tablo ux ptiouH. Twentieth, Twenty firat Twentj second and part of Nineteenth street; Third avenue, from Fifteenth to Twcnty funrth street; Fifth from Twentieth Twcii(y s.

rotul or Twenty third street; Kigbth street, from Second to Third avenuo, and Ninth also from Second to Third aveaus, are th" v. ui tt off in tbi. i Mpt Th aro very ill pared and vi ry ui clean. Tho cobble stoii aro of tho rough "st derfcr.ption. No duaa boi traced by tbe in Hpoctor either to the condition of the to streets or th Twenty stroet sewer, but he say a that aa the inhabitants of the houses upon the streets named bar the full swoop of air from bay to ocean, and aa those tho sower have the strong breeze from uniufectod parts the bay, the may tie that tbe natu ral healtluno of tho locatiou overcomes the artificial sources of ill health.

From Twenty eighth to Sixtieth street cesspools e.f'at all way. as th re is no sower beyond Tweaty street. Hxvlnsivo of this there aro few ceeft poo iu the district. The inspector that they havo decreased jxr cent. In tho past four years.

Nioth btreet has a row of them, however, betweou Thir avenue aud Gowunus Canal. This part of Ninth street i3 all built up with cottagct, which got rid of their wate water by means of surface drains connected diroeily with tho street gutter. Tho result ii very ofToiiBive, a the gutters aro ufton brimming with foul Piulllng water, and a sower in urgently needed. AU the sewers which empty into Guwanus Ilay may bj iaid to bo off naive. None of them go further oai than the bulkhnndj, and as the water of tho boy Is very much sheltered tho garbago floats back to th a hor If thoy cau bo carried out to tidewater it would afford relief.

ntOMPECT PARK LAKES. Although, as said iure, l' wpct Park and Groan wo' Omptory aro wlthm the bounds rf Dr. O'eavy'i fourth di trict, lie has iievcr fe Impelled to doroto r.pectal rtudy to tin ir eauitary condition. He Is convinced, however, that they are both very healthy, es icel'illy Green ood, aa he has never had a complaint from any of tho per.oan nt rod l. uU of tint placo.

Havintr often hoard it rmrked that somo of the smaller pond. of Prospect Park appeared to bo shallow, stagnant water with a mud bottom, that thoy wero filled throughout with vegetation which formed what looked like nolid surface ovor them that dead leaven blown itito them by thousands lay whore fate carrloi them that tho deune vegetation fringing the baukj trallod down into the wau and thore untt' Winter camo to kill it, and that the ronds genorallj looked if thov were eiadieli! projagators of typhoid fever and fever and agno, the writer went to sec what Colonel J. dm Y. Culyer bad toaay on tho subject Mr. I i paid Tho plant which cautes that green appearance you speak of is a vrry minute apoclra of duck o'd called Lmma 3ftn r.

It the pnrost wator bo only shallow enongh, ntill enough an 1 warm enoneh this plant will appear. It la not deleterious to health. In fact it helps to pnrify the water. The only objection that can bo nrgod against it Is that it Is unsightly when viewed from a distance. Looked at closely you will neo that the plant la a beautiful and wonderful ono.

Croton Lako Is so covored with this plant that yon will almost think that you can walk across It, and no ono will say that tho waters of Croton Ijike are impure. Dr. Sllllman, who mala a report on tho presence of this specie of duckweed in the Central Park reservoir, aava it is not at all harmful. There li no decaying vegetable matter In the waters, nor li thero any plant in quantity this duckweed. I don't admit that wat aro contaminated or an be.

One source of purification of water is evaporation. What do you think the evaporation of water from Irosrc ct Park lakes is upon a day when tha thermometer stands at 90? Well, it ia 600,000 gallons, fill. Pro.spect Park is the people ground, and if it sjwili their ple isnr to see tho duckweed in tha little ponds, or if It frightens them, it must go If we can got rid nf and bare already laksn steps this year tn exercise sretor vlgllanco to keep its growth dowu a much as possible. To get rid of It altogether wo would need a snfhV'terit water supply to produeo a strong current. Wo cannot get this without a very considerable outlay, and no provision has been mado for such an outlay.

Little scares havo freqnontly been irotten up concerning the condition of Prospect Park lakes, but there never was nny frundation for them. A writer in a New York papor tr tel to start panic ou tho subject a year or so ago, but his misstatements were so glaring and thy offered anch a splendid opportunity for refutation that It wm a very easy matter to anawer him. lift aald, for instance, that the unhealthy exhalations from Prospect Park lake wero so well known and ro much dreadod that land up in this nolgh borhofKl hid decreased in value In consequence, and property could not be sold. A man hail only to glance at this part uf the city to km how much tt had grown and bow row upon rows of rtno housAs were go log up in all directions. Tnoso facts you see wars a complete answer In tbenwlvn'." 13 THE FIFTH DISTRICT, Defective Vnnlts.

Hitclty Pared Scree fa rnclenn Vacant and a Tow Direr TcncinculK, The Fifth Sanitnry District ia bounded by Flushing, Washington. Franklin, FUlbush and Atlantic avenue at lit various angles. It runs southwest to th city Una from Flushing a Ten ft, and include a fihanty aectlun out in the of the reservoir and a tenement section down by Flashing avenue. On the wholo it is an excellent part of the city, having somo of tho choice streets of thn HI 1 within its limits. Clinton, Waverly, Vaude.

bilt and Clermont aveunea. South Oxford rtrcot. South Portland avenuo, 8 juth Elliott place, SL t'elix atreet and Port Gronfl placo are all within its limits and thoir name are sufficient to Insure their good sanitary condition. Tho streets on the Hill are, as a rule, very well paced and an excellent slate ot doanlinesi, but away from tho are the exceptions referred to. Between Atlantic avenue and tbo city line the pavement la wretched and the streets are nncleanod year lu aud yoar out.

Gutters here are tilled with filthy water and emit a very au healthy odor. Some of theastrcoU of this neighborhood are not paved all, and others aro paved with round topj od cobblo at us, moro Irregular and exasperating to drivers of vehlo ea than a section of worn cut old road tn a nwainp region. Dr. Denhion I tho Dntrict In.sjM. cl r.

The shanties iu this di trict are all situated between the city lino and AiUMlc Tbsy are about fifty in numlor, and cannot be said to constitute a uulsanca an they axe wuhly muttered ovar a very Urge area of unbuilt territory, through of which ft recti have not yet been cut. Tho inhabitant of tus tenements keep a largo number of animal, but thoy have plenty cf room for t.ivin and no one com plain i that tbe nh iiiticri aud their surroundings aro Injurious to bualth. St. Marks avenuo, between Grand ani Washington Lttds a iwcr very badly, bat K' yuiid this, ct th few. rago of thu part of tho appears to Ikj ad i jtiat'i and good.

The cellar popnl oi, uf tha Fifth Sanitary District baa lately boon irtuv out by the aetua of thf health authorities Thoro were about tblrty hro families living in 0' be for thi. condition nf vacant lots in tho region a've Atlantic avenuo is ba 1. People of the i.olubb.rbo.d havt. for jears throwing rvfus of ad lilti lj npori them. It i.as now cojo toduty of In of Publ.c Works to cle iii th off.

and thy I tt AftL th' have been claane.i off owners should bo cutp 'i f. nce them In, and li.o:i a ft arrtEn of fouii throwing refuse on tkae lut would nulfice to t.osm cL ij. Tiu stenea thsin tfl pr juIi u. to health, but aa iho part cf tlu Uty ab ill is j.opu:atl they are uot yet a evil. 'i a.

two ap factories in the K.f:h Si ml try D. belong to S. Ii ce'i 'f LI tho cTi.er i I a. 1 I'iinui. i.

ir, wl.ich is tuo JT J. ne. ,1 i the rxTDCJr uf iUymoi.d aud air. ii fMlna foap) fact. In new a om i in ann ha? Nc i enabled to kU in carry; i a hi mannfaof urvs ever i i lo lu Ihi IJeaitli Hoard r.t.n i Mr.

cV. 'i ry eld. Twv yoat 1: w.tj bill lUly It av i 1 1 i ii: V. up and k. saitL fir a bid wiie UiO Write 1 rtcenily.

'i in i a ttbl.tiiraenl Lrro bj i o' Mf. It i 1 in Vlfiaion i ck Aii apparently and to trail no i.elL to rk ravkm: In Ii.v. tr i i a rd Ur tho It tn riy tao fain i. f.r i ti v.o;e, aad a li uay. or fan iu an old ro a c' fr h.hu.

an o. near Van de. f. It, hav eonvcr. .1 lu a very dbarctabl jKt.

Tho walls frnt aud back aro iia very bid order. old tns feces ci lha ceracr of Dodien aaA tenemonts of tho Third District the following catea wero no' od On Bergen streot, bctwoan Nevlna treet and Third avonuo, a vory hard caaa of porerty waa fouud. A tall, bronzed, bowhiekered man occuplod tho front room of the firat floor of a miserable tenomeut thore. He ia a widower aud was staying at homo to his cldoat littlo girl, a child of 10, who ia just recovering from tho scarlet fever. The dlaeaao Iiw left her iu a vjry peculiar state, her flesh being just like putty.

Tho inspector pressed bis thumb hard against tho calf of her leg. It left a deep, round, white indentation, which remained thoro for fully five minutes. Tho little patlout at iu ouo corner of the room near the window. Her clothes wore filthy rags end sho seemed very listless. Away in anothor corner sat the younger sister, aged about 8, also very ragged, trying to sing a song from a book left her by Boinc charitable lady.

On tho bed was a littlo boy of 4 or 5 year, with tho scarlot marks of disease on his breast and arms. 1 ho poor father looked very wistfully at tho doctor as he received directions. Behind a big wooden tenoraout in Biltic Btreet, near Nevina, a very small colony of Italians waj found. It was tho opening wedge of a new Italiau pcstholi. The colonists did not number more than twenty or thirty, and they hud just como Into tho old tumbledown two Btory frame rookeries.

Already, however, thoy wero iu bad odor actually aud metaphorically with the filly families of other nationalities who used tho samo yards and They had pot tho example of throwing refuse indiscriminately into tho yard, and their example had speedily bi'cu followel, and now sinks were stopped up and vaults overflowing. From ono of tho dirties: rooms of one of tho dirtlost houses an Italian emerged with two big cans of ice cream, which he bad made insult. Ho put them upon a hand truck, and net t.fl" around the city on a peddling tour. His principal customers are tho hc iuo! children. Two rooiin of the tenemonts In which tho It.ilUns livo are occupied by au old womau who takes as bjarderi servant girls who aro out of Half a dozon wero found lounging nb ut slipshod and unkornpt.

Thoy naid tho othurs had gonti downtown to tho registry olllces. The ap pearanco of the rooms wa far from being a recommendation of them. All th teunu Ms ittaes hero eiiL aud tvo. nt ara in bid condition and threatening to puulic hedth In cur.e of cholera. Iu a collar on Warron stive near Ncviu.i au oli widow with thr 3e children held out.

The place was dark aud damp, the air foul and tho furniture an old broken chair, a rusty ovo and a dirty, mier.iblo inittreris a few r.i;;s for covering. Tito were alinoi' naked, but thoir wera plump and ruddy. uYcf, Pir, yep, sir," said tho old woujau, recognizing tho inspector, ''its all clean and nlco In horo, you ee." Huw is it thoy nro not out of here said tho Inspector to the Un who liv. ni stairs and who was hiking out in somo trepidation. 14 Why don't you tell them to go yourself 7 Thoy say don't want tn That is not my duty.

You havo them out within a weok or I'll proceed agafnst you. "Humph!" continued tho Inp ctor, as he and tho writer turned away, "that old wuniiu knows what fihe ought to do jtijt a i well a you or I v' Invading a iniscrablo tenement in President street, batwecn Third avenuo and Kevins street, to tho con stcrnali'tn and wrath of the denizens the Inspector and the writor penetrate I tho houso from top to hut'otu, and f.amd it vile throughout. In tho topmast room a miiidleaged man was sleeping off a drunken stupor ou tho tbor. Two dirty face.l. ragged littl: boys who owned him na a fath lo jk at him with grinning utillou mos i and went duwnsiuirs Id play.

Tine had no dinner, but then thoy were used to Tho back yard hero was a pool of and the cellar wure unclean. A junkman was fouud nittiigln them sorting rags, of which thero was a very largo store. An examination showed that tho iria laadlord between them wore violating every Hillary rule. Across tho street from this home in President street wore two brick tenement. which tho Inspector said had bnn greatly improved of In consequence of his action.

They would stand a sod deal moro improvement, chiefly in tho apartments of thn tenanU, which are in a bad Tbrot; young children had their heads out of tho two window of the front room on the first floor. They wero laughing and watching tho veiuont' of the Inspector his companion grea'. interest. Smoke in dnse volumes came pulling pant their facs from tho interior of tho ro 'tin. The smoke, and odor which mot the visitors whet: they opened the door of tho room in which the children were were almost unbearable.

The ymug ouen alouo aud had boon alone all day pinca their mother went out wa thing. They were taking cro of tho bousi)," and could get their dinner of falo bread out of the rat ridden ctipbjarl any time thoy wanted it. Tho smoko was cano.i by soma ifect in tho fluo, with which the rusty old stove connected apparently. Those aro somo specimen toneinauti in th district. Now la thn most f.ivorab'.u titii to soo tham, as tiio Board of Health uai on miking it annual Springtime descent upon thn laudKr.lH.

A little Uter on they will be mora neglected and will rook with corruption from cellar to roof if they aro not eUs 'Iy watched. On Navy streot, near Myrtle avonuo, another kind of tonomont was found. It a very Urge throe story frame mur, whioh rau btck like a irri Ou both sides of a central pauago rooms, In each of which a wholo family dwelt, oponod out, These rooms aro almost all overcrowded and dirty and tho air In them if foul Tho passage and public parts generally are protty eloati, haviug been recently scrubbed aud cal cltnln ed. But tonements aro not tho only cause for com plaint iu the Third District. Thfl street! aro In a miserable condition.

The department ha not cleaned many of them for nix months, and thoy havo grown ao dirty that the matter which goe3 under tho uamo of dut upon thorn Is really pulverized corruption and diseaso germs of all kinds. All tho stroata crossing Third and Fourth avenues, from Dean down to Fifth street, noed clean lug very badly. Of the condition of Fourth avenue, upon which mauy pooplo have to drive and walk, it almost nnnecesfury to spetk. A cloud of rtunt, liko a tuud storm in the Sahara risos from undn thi wheels of oach cart and tho feet of oach and precipitate itself upon every one who to walking to leeward and upon tho fronts of all tho houses. Taken upon the wholo, it perhaps In a worse conditiou than auy Btreet in Brooklyn.

Tho aUbloa of the Atlantic avenue Hallway Company are situated In the Third Sanitary District and in a very well built up part of it tho corner of Atlantic aud Third avenues. Generally they cannot ba rrgard as objectionable, and tho company endoavra to render thorn inoffonaivc, but periodically bout once a week, perhaps when cleaning np day comes, they om a very bad odor. Tho Royal Baking Powder Compauy's works, oa Ninth street, near the GowunuH Canal, an institution of which thu complain. A vory well known gentleman, whoso lumber mill is In tho neighborhood, Baid he hal complained about tho Ua tmg Powder Company's works t'j llualth CummiHsionur Raymond, hut the Comuil Hioner told him ho would havo to prove that the fumes from tho cream of tartar building of which he complalnod wero prejudicial to pubha health. Ho ail not fuel liko aiaumiiitf this burden of proof, and so aafd uu more.

The company douloa that there is any came for complaiut against It. THE FOURTH DISTRICT. Good Work on Uic Sunken I.oti Tnren ty ElffUtn Street Sewer A Coutrnctor's ticncrottiCr Tlio Lakes In Pro pec Park. The Fourth Sanitary District, of which Dr. John J.

Gleary, of 391 Daan street, is inspector, ia bounded on tho north by parts of Firat, Secocd aud Fourth avenues, on the east by Flatbuah avenuo and on the uouth and west by tho city limit. In extent it Is one of the largest districts in Brooklyn but Prospect Park and Oreanwoo.l Cemetery cut into Us uroa somewhat. It is a district which formerly was one of tbo bad spots of B. woklyn, but recently there hxa be an a great improvement. Tho big sunken lota upon which Darby'i Patch stood a year oud a half ago havo all boon filled iu with thousands and thousands of ton of auhs and fresh cirlh.

Tho patch began at the corner of Degraw atreot and avenue and cr through to Fourth avenuo, forming a regular Htrcet of tba.utu two huudr yatdm long. tthantiea wero scattered all about tho dumps, aud for many a year before well built Brooklyn advanced toward (ho sunken land which lay ou either sido of Third, Fourth and Fifth avenues 'd Patch woa a densely populous shanty town containing over a thousand squatter whu paid no rant and acknowledged no rivals except the grim and dignified goat, tho phlegmatic hog and th iudopcudeut flocks of geeae and ducks wltich wont sailing dowu tho lilthy pouda between th great heap of ashes and refuso which the city was kind enough to throw there. IARBVS PATCH. The nidn of Darby' Patch wore junkmen, teamstora, longshoremen and day laborer', whan they ctioso to abor, but their wants were lew, Uviug ns they did was very cheap, tho location waa airy, tho suud their aesthetic tastes, the dumps conia.U'jd all kinds or treasure tor thoso of archae.olog.cal or antiquarian pio clivities aud lilo thero wai happy a a typical May morning. Tho'o wro tho briglit day i f.f the pitch and ucghburs wero alway willing to Hht or drink vti invitation.

But ai the city, with it. i itn: ruui jjoiiooh about cleaulinerta and filling up waatu pla'ot, aianer upon them the inhabitant! of tho stirjJ on by ono. A year aa.l a half ago thoy got notice to jvn their places, and when did not go Deputy sheriff Hardy and a poe of mwi went do thr thnr furniture out upon the road. Some of tho lad.es ana g. ntlemen of thj patch objected to tha.40 summary proceeding sand thero an xcitlng dirvrussion nnd much strong languaga was tie.l.

Whea Sner.a" went away tho rfqV.tora movol their back, and when ihy reoivxl not tee of in they gavo them to tho goats to rea.l. Through rn. or another the eat iho iiutxin and t). hqu.v.;er st a' whoro they were, an. I Bridget Fh'iii and o) i MrGahanu oxj.

rced the pini tha: il Natntir Hsriv ucr 'oj Td da en 1 br ci wml make ua I iVu de patch." A crave cataj, rp'io ihv of the Unite! Stales. It wai averu by a Usr inaa gentleman, wiio i bai bej.i bnt W33 bj tho represonUtivs of Princo Ilumarck. II diaied IU with Jiueh Hat thi pq iallcrs ul conacuttd to forego tiinir claims and ruiiijva to a invre hjI, which did. Tho fU.k'n block upon which tho fhmtvi aiool 1 now the of a gentloinr.n Lynch. He i filing city loti In it They would r.ol h.i.

brjur iit 's ea .1 year when th wi fc lv r.r street letcl iij fl m.t.i i laces, 'i f. s. of 1 1 4 clean arth, bu'. Ibw a at 1 zrl a. uf the 1 t.

i 1 avo 1 a well as this how iTt r. W.it bi. r. thoin yers ana the nro r. ei a.i i.

i kind of lien ilve gu bi ai a ie Iloev 4 great deal 1 been i. during the ast year, and an a rt. uf li. city Touring up in cu.i Sui.k'T. l' up Third, Fifth, IlVn.

N.u'.li a T. nu.t Ki Tli.rlj r.itto and nlT'Ii n' rc its hft.M to tho jnirf.c are rap.dl.y at It. Little In fact is ft Ihi expire dirty mar through which the atrvln have Dnri tha past year nearly half a quaio mile of nil lug, twouty feat doop, has bean put In here, Tn Iheorj at otAiUtrians te titis raarsh. Ua dirt so thickly tbat they could shake It off their clothing and hair and skins in clouds. They were sorting tho rags.

AN ITALIAN WAKB. After leiauroly walking over the four Italian frame tenements on tho west side of Adams near Front street, and the five other frame tenements also Inhabited by Italians in Fleets alley behind the spot mentioned, and finding everything in both placo3 unspeakably foul and overcrowded, tho writor and his guide walked to Measine street, a narrow little cul de sac, which runB from Garrison street, between York and Front, halfway through tho block to Falton street. Here big five story tonemeut with teu families and a multitude or boarders was found. On tho top floor in a front room a great number of worn on were sitting about a little whit bier whereon, clean for once, and robed in spotless white clothes and flowers, lay a dead child. At tho hoad of the corpse were threw big candles aud throe more rose ou each hand.

It was au Italian wake. Thore was not the least difficulty in telling who the mother of tho child was. Hhe was the hollowoyed woman with dishevelled hair who lookocl up with a very appealing glance at tho strangers. She had just finished a Neapolitan lazzaronl chant to tbo Virgin, and hor eyes wero streaming with tears. Not a bright spot could bo seen iu her olothlng, not an ornamont in hor ears or on her fingers.

The other women all wore big brooches and earrings of gold and ringa of the same metal covered their fingers. Rod, bluo and yollow silk handkerchiefs ornamoutod thoir hands, and their faces wore tho vory complacent expressions of those who aro having a good time. The child had diod of croup. In another part of tho samo house a sick man was Buffering from somo troublo of tho lungs a child on a floor a littlo lower down had croup, aud away down uuder the stairway in tho damp, dark cellar, a lonely woman was nursing hor newly born child. Around on Front streot, between Garrison and Fulton, on tho south side, wero found two more Italiau tonements in fact thore waa three right horo, as one was a front and rear house.

Junk dealers dwelt in tho rear placo aud in tho front woro a band of rag pickers. Down stairs iu the dark cellar was a curiosity au Italiau lager boer saloon underground. Thirty kegs a wetk are disposed of here over a counter niado of two rough boards, with two tin cups as tho only drinking vessels. Cobwebs line tho ceiling, jnnk, rags and general lilth are on the ground, and a tallow caudle furnishes the light. The entrance is through a broken dour, whioh looks as if has not been used for years.

Hero it is that Italians "ruah the growlor" every day of tho week. They generally cover tho alleged complainant up with a cloth or newepaper when carrying it through tho streets. In a big wooden house next door to this livo another tribe of Italians, two and three families in a room. In this house three Irish women who aro living with Italiau men wore found. Thoy had tho traits of tho IUlfau women aud their own to boot; two ore old and en fooblod by drink, and the other is a tall young virago, with au alleged bad reputation.

Mflggie is the name she is known by among the Eugish spoaking peoplo who enjoy her acquaintance. Maggie had just come to the house. Sho had been living with an Italian in another part of Front Btreet, but he had turued her out on account of her violent temper and because his wifo had just arrived from Italy. In the moriiiug of tho day the writer visited his house Maggie had gone to his room Intoxicated and Brnashod whatever was breakable over his head. lo bore tho marks of her beating.

To tho credit of the Italian men It is to bo Baid that there aro few cases of wifo boating among them. In this iustsinco tho mau, who Is a big fellow capable of throwing Miss Maggio out of the window, took her blows in silenco and without any attempt to strike back. On many othor occasions ho has acted likewise, merely sending for a policeman and giving her in charge. When Maggio saw the visitors she thought they wanted to arrest her and swore terribly, but on finding that they had not come for that purpose was evon moro annoyod, and begged them to 11 take hor," mingling her appeals with oaths and profanity. Immediately across Front streot from these tenements, whioh aro only 100 yards from Fulton streot, is a big wooden house which fifty years ago was au ornament of old Brooklyn.

There is a good deal of fancy carving in the woodwork over the doors and windows, and the quality of the interior woodwork, orrathor the dirty, splintered portions of it which remain, is a proof that the solidly built old framo structure once hold up its head with the best houses tho city could show. Tho front parlor was divided by a partition of rough boards rising about eight feet high. Behind it, the other Italiaus said, a man aud his wife lived alone. Thi3 was tho firHt and only attempt tho visitors saw at anything liko seclusion for families. Upstairs wore found a sick mau and a aick child and down in tho basement a littlo grocery store, into which ono had to go stooping to avoid being bit on tho head by tho stock.

Nine familes, with their boarders, occupy the house. Howard's court a little lane running from Mair. atrvet 200 feet toward Fulton, between Front aud Wator streets was next visited and explored from top to bottom. The Italian tonements hero consist of five brick houses, oach haviug two stones and a basement. They are the only brick Italian tenements In the First Sanitary District colony and aro not nearly auch old and wretched structures aa tho there.

Their condition is as filthy, however, and their swarming occupants have succeeded In making them quite as great A nuisance to tho neighborhood. Recontly those tonements have passed out of the hands of Mr. Burnham, the New York lawyer, who ownod them. The Italians and neighbors declare that a man named Smith 1b the happy possessor. Which Smith it was they failed to say.

On Main stroot, immediately below the entrance to Howard's court, are threo Italian houses, Tho front rooms on the first floors "in the first two aro uaed as barber shops, whero a shave costs five cents and hair cutting ten cents. Tho front room of tho third is used as a saloon. All the upstairs rooms aro tenanted by Italians, who have rendered tho threo houses offensive to an almost unbearable degree. On Water stroefc, at the corner of Washington, were onnd two tenements in which Italians herd by the dozen. Thoy are the property of Mr.

Kerrin, the Water streot iron dealer. Thero is also on Water street a big tenement botwoon Washington and Main. These places all possess iu a markod degree tho characteristics found in tho other Italiau houses. They were the last of the Italian to no moats visited. On the wholo thero are upward of forty tenements occupied by Italians iu the Second Ward, all ot which is In the first sanitary district.

The total Italian population here is estimated at two thousand, and it is constantly lucroaaing by emigration and from natural causes. It has two hundred votes already, and this number la being doubled every yoar or two. Already the Italians havo become an 'Mnfluunco' iu Second Ward politics, for their votes are cast solidly for the candidate with whom tho Italiau boss cau make best terms. It is said that uo Italian man, or woman, or child here was ever finown to wash his or her person or clothes. Clothes are worn till thsy drop off.

Au Italian, like those in question, never buys clothes. He finds them thrown out on the street by his neighbors. He buyn nothing, in a junk cart and soaie of his provisions. Other provisions he finds in aah barrels or in gutters at least those who know the Italian colony very well say that this is true. What these people sell costs them nothing.

Tho rags thoy pick up anywhere and everywhere and the bottles thoy also find. Many of them were, until recently, collectors and storera of badly Bmolllng bones, till the Second Precinct police, or rather Officer Thiinlg, one of the moat efficient men of that force, made six arreata for breach of city ordinances and Judge Walsh imposod In fines. Tho feeling against Thinilg in the Italian quarter is very bitter, aud nothing bnt his fearlessness and known willingness to engage the wholo colony slnglohanded saves him from being atilettood. Whon making an arrest tho othor day four brothers did attempt to interfere, but his actions woro bo prompt and vigorous that they decided to let him alone. Now ho is mot with smiles and soft words iu English and curses and threats in Italian, which he does not understand.

Tho Htorago of bones, however, has not been altogether discontinued. Tho writor and hU companion found sumo newly collected in a sack which lay uuder half a dozon othor empty Backs. Tho proprietor of tho room In front of which this sack was found doniod all knowledge of tho bones, and pretended to rago at the othor Italians for bringing them near him. Away down In tho cellars, too, which the Italians have divided and subdivided into closets, there are doubtless many tons of bones stored away. Under ordinary conditions they could bo rooted out, but tho stenchos of an Italian tenement aro so numerous and varied that it would need a connoisseur to distinguish tho smell of decaying bones from the other baimy oJors.

The Italians will not tell of each other, and conviction Is difficult. Thoy handle filthy rags and their food alternately, and eat with the samo knives and forks and spoons and tin dishes year in aud year out without cleaning. One pot and ono kettlo found In a vacant lot and a stove from tho Bame quarter probably serves for all culinary purposes. Tho stoves are all rusty and tho cooking vessels battered and Indoscribably dirty. To aeo four bods in a room twelve by fourteen feet In dimensions is common.

Each bed has two or throe old mattrcssos upou it as a rule. These aro not bought Thoy aro eithor found or glvn to tho Italians by hous 'ekopors desirous of getting rid of tnem. The nainea played by tho Italian iuclude no athletic sports. Sweep" is a gamo of cards played for small amounts of money and also for drinks. A gamo with email woodeu ball tho object of which is to pitch closest to a given mark, and ono played with tho fingers exclusively for beer comprise the U3uat amusements in the Italiau quarter.

Tho game with tho finders is played In this wi Any number of mon crowd In a circle and each holds his right baud up. A spokt.smau calls four1' two," "threo," "ono" Bbarply, and as he calls each must hold up tho number of fingers called for. Failure to do thB results in tho delinquent paying for a cau of boer. Over all these games thore is a great deal of vociferating and laughing, with hero and thero au angry outburst. Drinking and gambling aro tho most frequent sourcos of quarrels iu tho Italian quarter.

Tho men scttloall their troubles ovon to thoir ktitfe cuts and pistol bullets between themselves by payments of money, and it is Beldom, indeed, that ono will invoko the courts against auother. Tho lUlians are not usually quarrelsome when sober, though they are very revengeful. Thoy are said to boa grateful for favors as aro spiteful for injuries received. When drunk and playiug cards, though, they are apt to fiht, and with them the knifo is tho first resort. Ai tho rags conio back to tbo American public from these tenements only in tho shape of paper, the ono danger ia that by their multitude and vileness and the promiscuity with which they aro selected they may devtilop healthy and enterprising disease germ.

Tho bottled which theso people pack up are sold to brewer and drucgiats and ao are ued again and coma back to tho publio containing boer and mdiciuo aud ru forth. It is to bo hoped that tho buyers thoroughly cleanse thsm, for the Italians do not. Auother article which comes direct to tho public from theso tennmonU is horsehair. This is picked out of ash barrels and from among vegotablo and auimil refuse aud takou to furniture dealers or harness makers. It is to bo hoped that thse latter cleanse the horsehair, for tho Italians do uoL Thero Is said to be s(Ul another artlolo tnado in the Second Ward Italian colony deserving at tc it ion It is tho cigarette manufacturod out of ground up cigar stubs collected by Italian boy.

Of tho existence of such a trade, however, the writor Uai no certain 3 2af is? a I a ot 1 a a The Condition of Brooklyn's Streets and Houses. PICTURING THE PEST HOLES, Disgraceful Slate of Somo of the Thoroughfares "What is Seen in the Italian SettlementsAmong the Bono and llag Collectors Five Families in a Boom and Soap and Water at a rreininm The Slaughter House Nuisance Darby's Patch and Jackson's Hollow The Work ef the Health Department "What Com nissioner Raymond Says About it More Inspectors Needed Stroot Cleaning FavoritismInteresting Tital and Other Statistics The Creak Nuisances Mor tality in Public Institutions The Flood ed Districts A Visit to "Slab City" in the Twelfth Ward Mayor Low's Exwcri ences There A Paradise for Pigs and Goats Local Industries Important Points About the City's Health. With the thront of cholera hanging over it, wllh dnadly opidoinio of rajvtoriuus origin r.iein;; Plymouth, r.i., nnrt vitli yellow fever :uv.l mnalliiox boTorinu on tho Buiithei bonier of tliu U. iital Statc.i, it bcliooves Brooklyn usiiucially this yuav to look at hersolf and aeo wliother slw i3 irumivd 10 meet and ttup out any disease as soon as it (jams her sliorc, or whether she contains in hnr most central l.arls and anions her most dense poimJutimn micli pest holes 03 would pi ovo resorvoiM for cliolera from which it would flow forth to every homo In the city. The Board of Health may have made all the improvements it it has made, but that which remains to be done makes ono almost totally forgetful Of the progress already made.

Are dirt and corruption prejudicial to public health 1 Bauitaiy science says they are, but practical mve3tiga tiou as well a medical men who have yivon tho nulttor much study in Brooklyn all agreo that the health of oar dirtiest people is a ''satire on sanitary Bcienco," as Br. Palmer puts it. Tho death rate is extraordinarily low in tho Italian quarters, and among the ehaiitiei where poople aro born amid heaps of refuse, ami live and wallow in it all their days. You ciunot point to any locality and say, there diphthorla lurks, or there m.llpox is broJ, or thero the scarlet fever riitf.w. Maid Br.

Crnllfuliank. "Wo inspectors find that It is the individual house, and not the locality which appears to be faulty." The writer put to almost overy one of tho Inspectors the question: "Have you traced any con tgloua disease in your district to bad sanitary conditions of the neighborhood and tho answer was unanimous from men who mako from thirty to fifty Inspections of contagious diseases per week: "Wo have not." Tho theories of tho sanitarians aro excellent, but the results which lliey say ought to follow neglect of cleanliness utterly fail to appear. All testimony irom medical men, which the writer could collect, establishes tho belief that the most wealthy and cleanly ami careful suffer as much from diphtheria and scarlet fever mil the other coutagtou? diseases, including typhus and typh dd fevers, as do tho. who are most unclean in their poraons and surrnuu.ii..s. It's wonderful the inspectors agree we can't acjount fur It; nevertheless, it is true." Aijain aad aj.tin Ins an inspector stopped tho writer as ho was oitiK uluut his district with him, and pointing to fiom long row of abuuties or some touement housos brimming with children, has sai.l, "I haven't hd a case of contaji ius disease in thoso places for years." How," why don't ihoso piss have said Dr.

Palmer, in des pir, poi.iting to a herd of great tat swine wall.i.ving In the rofnse so.Ulen frog poujs between the at Slab City," as the Atlantic Basin shanty town is callBil. "And why don't the llavo typhoid fever?" Living in a fetid marsh the shanty dwellers ought to have typhoi.l fovers and feeding almost altogether on putrid refuse tho pigs ought to havo trichinia if cither had tho least regard for theories. Tho shanty dwellers nro far from aolicato in constitution and tho pigs enjoy rusgo 1 health. There aro two exceptions to this apparent immunity. Ono is cholera infantum oud the other ia Ciolora.

It It established now as on undisputed fact that tueso both alin their shafts at the dirty, and they Heom to be the last throats which sanitarians can hold tip against those who transgress their Uws. "Street smell should bo the name for cholora infantum," said one physician, who was corroborated by every other doctor the writer naked on the subject. It is caused by dirty streets and it la well known it smites tiio poor tounmout house children and letu tho curloil darlings of tho rich go. Old Brooklynitcs will remember that when cho'eva was tore last it mowed down the dwellers of our shanty townB and tonements aB though thoy wero the forlorn hope of a storming party. Though they wero not tho exclusive sufferers, their loss was utterly disproportionate in comparison with the losses of their fellow citizens, and this could bo more cloarly traced to thoir filthy condition! of lifo.

Magistrates would do well to remember tiieao facta when an inspector brings beforo Jhem any man charged with maintaining public nuisance Do you consider this tiling prejudicial I public health is the first question asked the inspector try tho counsel for the defense. If tho doctor says "I do," he will have to show grounds for his belief and he has none oxcept in sanitary theory. If says, I do not," or I do not kaow," the in'iglstrato fojls justified in dismissing the case. If those things which can be proved to bo actually prejudicial to public health aro to bo abolished then the city must despair of getting rid of her public nuisances. Thero is not the least evidence to show that tho bones for collecting which Justice Walsh recently fined some Italian gentlemen $25 eaoh were prejudicial to public hoaUli.

Thoy certainly had not made any of tho Italians, who were xooat intereslod, ill. But thero was vory abundant evidence to show that thoy were an unmitigated nuisance. Thoy filled tho neighborhood with an unbearable Blench, and manufacturers and citizens who Buffered from them protested and petitioned till the authorities moved, and the police justice got an opportunity to use Iris powers to Bnppress the bono collectors. The sumo course of action ought to bo followed out in regard to rags and all kinds of accumulated filth. At present thoy aw not daugerous, but if cholora comos they will undoubtedly act as resorvolrs from which cholora germs will flow all over tho city.

Evan if cholera does not come they aro on unmitigatod nuisance, which ought to be abated. Speaking of dirty tenements and dirt generally it will be found that tho great curse of our city, as far as nonconformance with eauitary regulations is concerned, is tho about which soveral heirs are at law and have been at law for generations and aro likely to be at law for several moro generations. Nobody is responsible. An agent collects tho routs with great facility, but when the agent i3 asked to mako repairs ho shakes his heurt and says he would liko to comply but has no power. Non resident owners aro another curse.

They cannot be reached by sanitary inspectors and the agents havo no powers to mako repairs or spond any money fur cleaning up. At tho first examination one is tempted to come to the conclusion that tho sanitary inspectors aro not doing their duty, that thoy don't caro a pin about thoir duty and that their only anxiety is to draw tho .51,000 which they accept. Upon caroful observation this Tiew is found to be very unjust, and tho difficulty is Been to lie in a totally different direction. Somo of tho Inspectors will be tound to bo overburdened with work, for which they g. about sufficient pay to keep their horsos.

Tho First District, tho Second District nnd eovoral others, the Ninth, Tenth and Eleventh particularly, need subdivision. Kich of theso except the Ninth has a large Italian population and some of them havo also a tenement piputatiim or 2 persons. Sanitary inspections r.lono upon physicians' repurta of contagious diseases run up to ono hundred a week and if each inspector wero to faithfully and lvvu'iu'Iy examine the tenement houses of his district alono without waiting for complaints ho would not have one jot of time to devote to his practice of rucdielne, s.irely no ono wid contond Hint a com letent luiysbian can afford to devote his time to sani taiy work for fl.OOO per annum. Teliing psnplo and landlords what to do ils no gi.O'l. Wh ro there is on.

baidliirtl who will make tho Hooded change i at the rccuest of tho inspector there aro ten who will not un thoy are driven to "by prosecution. As tho matter at present tho inspection is entirely inadequate to tho n. eds of tho city, through no fault of tho Sub division of districts an. I the of threo times as many sanitary im' in sonto cases would enabio thoso who are new Mtling in front of their Augean tables, too ged to atleiui: the task of cleansing them, to ta' por'wns of thoir present district and got is i th w. il in ind.

Tliie would not cost tho city 1 1 1 tl.as. or $10,000 a year, and Changs would be iroin a very ro. j.iililu. As sanitary ItiBprctiun r.t present h'sn Js it in almost every instai ce, Hint tile inspfct.nr never thinks of inspecting any house to which hi atteuti hns speci'tlly called, xiM pL up very inlreiitient occasions, say once v.Ii lie v. up, mi.Ues a dive through ter.err.ont huus gives gi.oci a which they faithfully l'org.

su! tired of the i it Vfl ot U.o city c.vii stand the v. vy cursnry run harm resulting; f.n in lli greit the w. t7 lai. nl'jd 8' net's. meth1 majority of tin the pc who live an tho family ietor ami i are good en.

iisp yclors for all purposs, and a on'r i fro.n tiio Board of v. oii'd meet with no very wunn wol come. But the iiU, anion 4 Shanty ToWii squatters and thi Italian) but com.taiit supervision will do. In a the pr sen: Sanitary Inspectors c. and do not lua.wt.

Tialou of the illBtrioti! is an alsliii. A large percentage of dis aro hel back by physicians, especially if the fa. Milks In which these cases occur are wealthy. Mcisles not at all as a general rule, and scarlet fever and diphtheria nro only report I when they have devulop suliicieilt ly to scare the atteudi ig physician. The rovs in this js that families do jut like, to havo It known that thero nro contagious diseases in their housesand family doctors are obliging.

The effects of this obliging disposition are rather widespread frequently. Say that Tommy, Johnny and Willie T3. are all attending I'nbllo School No. 15. Johnny catches t'10 scarlot fever, and tho attendant physician fails to report him to tho sanitary inspector.

The other Ds continue to go to school, Kid pretty eoon thoy havo communicated the aoarlet Thu3 it will bo Been that tbo Sixth, Eleventh. Eighteenth, and Twenty fourth wards cau clear themselves of any Imputation of being unhealthy and that the death rates of tho Third, Twentieth and Twenty oecond warda havo also been materially affected by deaths in thoir public Institutions. It 1b iufair to credit thee deaths to the ward in which thoy occur, and they ought to bo soparated from its proper mortality iu thn statements given to lha public. Tho deaths at public Institutions should be kept separate. Below will bo found the result of tho writer's travels and observations in the various sanitary districts of Brooklyn THE FiaST SANITARY DISTRICT.

Conditions Which arc Kesarded as Extremely Liable to Produce Di bruise. The Firsi Sanitary District is bounded on the north by tho EaHt River, on tho south. by porta of JohnBon and Court Btreeta, on tho east by Navy streot and on tho weat by Atlantic avenuo. It contains the Firat, Second and Fifth Wards. The Sanitary Inspector ia Mr.

Matthieou. Some of the soro spots are perhaps the worPt in tho city. Thoy include a large Italian colony, a central point of which ia AdamB Btreet, at tho oorner of Front. AMONG THE RAGFICKERS. No matter what the writor may Bay on the sub subject however strong his language it muBt fail to convey any good idea of the horrors of a ragpickers' touement.

So filthy are the rooms, so foul the air and so bestial tho detaila that those who have not seen for thomselves would hesitate to beliovo that human beings could exist in auch a fashion, much loB3 that they could enjoy life, ho healthy and morry and havo no ambition to improve. Yet of the health of tho ragpicking com muuity thero cau bo no donbt. Physicians who know the Italians well vouch for Jt, their appearance shows it, thoir natural increase is high, their death rate low. Thoy aro morry amid, their dirt, aud livo thoir lives out with as hearty a zest as the happiest dwellers on tho BiKhU No pood to go with said Dr. Mattison whou asked to show tho writer through tho First Sanitary District, iu which the Italian colony of tho Socond Ward lies.

I do not enter any houses at all when inspecting, I merely ask for compUiuts. Whon I get a complaint I send tho plumber, and the plumber gooa through the' house from top to bottom," This would bo all very well If the plumber conld bo guaranteed to havo more conscience than any other known business man. As it is, ho may be interested much moro iu figuring on his bill than in putting tho houee in good condition. He 1b said by residents and physicians to bo almost aa superficial in his examination aa the front door sauitury "inspector." Beside, the Italian colonists havo about as much use for plumbors as the Hottentots would havo for professors of ethical culture. Ab the Sanitary Inspector did not profess to have any personal knowledge of his district the writer was forced to Bet another guide.

He found tho man he was after and together they visited the ragpickers' quarters in Adams, Frout, Poarl, Main, Wator and Mereoin streots, iu addition to thoao in Howards court and Fleets alloy. They began with the three houses on the eouth olds of Front street, noar tho corner of Adams Noa. 108, 110 and 112. These aro old wrecks of frame houses, with broknn stairs and floors, cellars filled with filth or rags, ceilings composed of cobwobs, floors that havo not senn a broom since the presaut occupants moved in, rooms in each of which eight people ou au avorago lire, yards rosking with rofuse and cesspools overflowing. Evo; where, over houses aud noiuhbor hood, hangs a horrible odor, or, rather, collection of odors, for every room had its peculiar and distinctive one.

Around the corner iu Adams street, soparated from the Front street tenements, wore found four other Italian domiciles. Thoso are vory old aud tumble dowu wooden structures either two stories and basoment or threo storios in height. Front roonn on tho first floors of two of these aro occupied by Italian grocoryineu, who, iu a Bpaco ten feet square, find room enough, by hanging goods from tho colling, for themselves and thoir customers. Thero thoy retail choeao hard as a rock, green and white in color auoiactually putrid. Also rancid bologuaa, goat's milk cheese, back numbers in sausages, bacon that possibly was onco offered for sale in (be war times of twenty five years ago, vory ealt little fUn strange to American palates aud hard baans which have to bo Beaked for a day beforo teeth will mako any Impression on them.

Next door to these grocery stores is an Italian lagr boor saloon about twelve feet square, whoro tho cheapest kind of beer is Bold all day and night and every day and night. Over grocery stores and saloons and behind them in the rear, every room contains its family or collection of families. A hnuBo between the grocery stores is the dwelling place of a largo tribe of Italians, All houses wero In a filthy state. At 132 Front street, tho next place Yiaitod, matters wore found in much tbo same conditiou. Tho streot number rpifiaonts two houses, for behind 132 thorn is another similar house.

Both are threo story aud baae ruout Iraiuo houses, very much the worso for wear in tr rnally and extornV.ly. All vostige of paint left them teu years ago, fouudations have given way here and thero, aud the conuequenco is that beams have broken and the houses havo sagged in spots. Wiudow liancs liaye long beon obscured by dirt or knocked out and tucir piacea havqboeu suppliod by ruga. The houses aro owned by Frank Rosa, who occupies them with his sou in law and about one hundrud other men, women and children. On tho top floor of the frout house a vory lutor csting littlo old man boards with the sovoral families who inhabit tho front room.

Tho old man is a collector of stale beor. Ho goes out each morning with a wheelbarrow, in which is a keg covered up in a bag. With thcao and a funnel he visits all tho saloons of tho neighborhood, investigating tho kegs which tho proprietors haTo sot out ou the sidewalk as empty, aud 6queozir.g the draininga out of each till ho fills hiri own receptacU'. This ia long and arduous work and tho reward is not great, for tho old man only gets throe cents a quart for his Uquor, Yet he ha found it a good paying business in the long run, for bo is counted tolerably rich bolug known to have iu a locul bank. On the opposite sido of Front street, facing Frank Rosa's front house, aro two ono story framo housed, both of which aro inhabited by Italians.

There aro only two rooms iu each house, yet the first is occupied by threo familios and a grocery store, while tbo othor his four families. Walking through tho parage of tho first bouse, every board of whioh bent aa if about to break, tho writer and his companion passoddowna and sadly broken littlo wooden stairway to a yard filled with ancient littlo sheds all tightly locked. Keys ware brought and a nearc'i through them revealed tons of filthy rags and docomposiug vegetable and animal matter. Iu ono of the thcds, awuy bank amid tho rags, was the fresh skinned carcass of goat. His was stretched out to dry over a cord close nt hud.

Tho frout room of the house next door was found occupied by a shoemaker and hit wife and several children. Tho room Berved for a ebop as well as a dwelling place. Tho stock of shooa for Falo consisted ol pairs which had been picked out of ash bnrrul. The Italian cobbler had straightened them on the lust, put a new heel or a new sole on, and was offering thorn for from sixty five centa to thirty cents a pair. Ho had several doaeu pairs of boots, all got in this way, ady for Bale, and a score or so of very touh looking fiudings which ho proposed to fix up iu tho same mannor.

Both tho houses mentioned abovo aro iu a terriblo condition though not large euough to bo such a nuisance to the neighborhood as tho biggoi Italian tenements. John McDermott, of Willow street, ia said to bo tho owuer. In Foarl streot between York and Front there aro two bfg Italian tenement houses both filled from top tc bottom with families and thoir boarders. Tho roputcd owners of tho ono nearest York street aro Arituulo Lancho3ter and Nicholes Mnrrjhy, both of whom are I'alians. They aro brothers in law aud aro in the rag and bottlo business.

Thoir Btock In trado comos from the gutters and ash barrels whero thoy find a eurpris iug number of bottlos. Many hundred dozsn of thoso of all kinds and threo or four tons of rags wero found in tho sheds iu roar of their house whoa tna writer vlBited it. They keop a couple of horses in very sections of their very small sheds. Theso aro resting juBt at present. They were usod iu th bona business until tho Socond Prociuot police undor direction of tho Board of Health took to arresting all thoso who peddled and stored bones.

This was dono only tho other week on complaint of neighbors who found the stench growing unbearable. Among tho rags in one of tho Hhada aat three grinning itdlans coated wlta ashes S3 WardB. 5 First So end Third Futtitll Kith Sixth Se cnth Ninth ntli Kiev eith Tvv iftii Thirteen, Foeit ectli Fiiteenth Sixteoidh Seventeenth Kiehcto nil Nineteenth Tivi ntiedl Tueniy litEt Twenfy third Twcntv fourth. Twenty filth Total 821 175 Wli 82 4351 IW7I 107! 11 15 i 1(12' Hal! 142, 5101 1,119 3K7 215! 882, JO! 4.W 1.1a! 271 4 4541 (1801 2.211)1 5451 431 K2 2, 2'ili 2.7.'o! 1, (i, 134 2, Hail 2,014: 530, 2, '311 (174 12 11 19: 164 403 788 573: 3S7' 1.822 1,075 3,048 1,547 7,504 13, 1.850 1,401 2. 5 14 5.8J9 7.424 3.00!) 4,824 22, 004 7.373 4.3C1 7, 284 1,747 8,350 2.IW2 330 (15 509 15C, 4101 40i 1.4U3I l.lli.l 1,802 754 2.641 1,140 5.35 1.7 432 2,004 531 lOOi 17 1331 33,4951 117.306 Are you sutiBlled with the present way In which garbage is collected aud disposed of in Brooklyn 1 was the next qusstiou asked.

It is the beginning of a contract and too early to speak yet. I have groat hopes that tho work will be performed very satisfactorily." What do you think of the way in which our streets are eleaued "There has been much improvement. All which can bo done for the money is being performed." Is the work of inspection adequately performed by your subordinates I beliove it iB not. Wo want more force in the tenement house districts." Ou the wholo, Dr. Raymond continued, tho Board of Health could point to plenty of good results from its work.

Ho compared tho cases of contagious diseases In 1883 with those of 18S4 to show a marked diminution last year. Ho attributed this to tho banishment of wells, the. draining and filling In of old ponds, the banishment of mauy vaults, and so forth. The figures are as follows Di ftrlntini Dip Measlei iinia tp Tynheid Yellow over 1.883. 2,084 1.340 12 184 nono nono I8S4.

1,830 8t7 1,004 11 194 '2 1 228 4,180 Trulius. oping cough 127 Total 5.721 Tho period covered in tho above comparison is ouly the elevon months of each year ending November 30, as tho report for 1884 is not yet completod. Taking tho total figures for 1881 from his books tho Commissioner showed the following comparatively pmsll per contage of fatalities Diseases. Dij.tnhcria... Scarlet lover Moas'es Smallpox Typhoid Typhus Yellow fever Ca.os.

Deaths 070 385 218 1,225 114 14 none 191 107 2 none 2 none IN THE SECOND DISTRICT. Opportunities for Sanitary Improve in cuts in the Sixth and Twelfth Wardw. The Second Sanitary District almost rivals the First as a breeder and preservor of nuiauces. It is bounded on the east by Atlantic avonuc, en tho south by Court street and Fourth avenue and on the north and west by the East Rlvor and Gowanus Bay. It haB the Sixth and Twelfth wards within its limits and among the feathers in its cap aro Slab City, on Red Point, Smoky Hollow and an Italiau quarter.

Tho Sanitary Inspector, William Eiuest Palmer, has a hard timo of It. Many ol tho streets of this district are densoly populated. In Hamilton avenue, between Ninth and Court streets, tho sewagj goes to vaults or cesa pools. Coles street suffers from an inadequate eower between Hamiltou avuuuo aud Columbia streot. In this part tho ground Is so much lower than tho street that it Is impossible to properly connect tho vaults.

Waste water hero with all kinds of refuso in it Is thrown into tho street gutter and empties into the Columbia street basin. Sabrlng street, which Is a continuation westward of Coles street, is sowcrless, thouU lined on each side by houses. It aIro un paved and causes a great deal of annoyanco to the firo meuof tho neighboring truck and engine company. They have lo mako a long detour ovory tltno they want to go to a firo south of Columbia street. Luqueer street, though having a big population in tenemeuts and phautiea has no sower at alL Columbia street, from Hamilton avenue to the bay, and Hicks, Henry aud Clinton elreois, between tho tfamo points, all are without sewers, and need thorn badly, for thoy havo very large shanty populations living upon them.

Mauy of these streots aro unpaved, notably Ciiuton, Henry ami Hicks bolow Hamilton avenue, though thore la a part of Hicks In that locality which boasts a b.id attempt at paving. Richards streot has a defective sower, and away down on the Point are Wolcott, Elizabeth, Ferris, Deicvan, Bowuo and Tremont stie, aad also rt of Conovor street, all Bally iu need of sowers and pavement. It Is only fair to say that theso defects are in a part of tho city which was, not long ago, all uuder water, and which, wore it not for the streets and breakwaters, would tw burled out of sight at high tide. Tho Erio 23a: In, the Brooklyn Bi.iin and tho Atlantic Basin, with their plum and breakwater, first bid defiiuco to tho flood. Behind these intronehtnenta th city advaucod lines of streets parallel with narrow Rid Hook aad raised thirty feet abve tho levol of tho marsh.

As tho Btreets advanced the dumps followed and In tho wako of th? dumps camo tho shanty dwellers who havo now in tho square mile of territory Hamilton avemio on tho east and tho Ea it Uivur channel and Gowanna Bay on the north, west and over 350 shanties, with upward or 2,000 inhabitants, exclu.sivo of fully 1,000 goats aud great herds ol plg and flocks of geesp aud ducks. The filth of this part of tho city is indescribable. Iu somo respects it is wordo than tho Italian quarter of tho jcond Ward, not that tho Italians do not livo Iu as filthy a manner as they can, but btcauso tho dwellers in "Slab City," as this shanty town is culled, possess snrortor natural advantage for being dirty. For instiuce, a'l dry sp ds hero are r.tlsej hitpd of ashes and fiHO. With their dwellings built upon refuse heaps and tho aforesaid Immeuss pig waKows at their backs, nnd another big pig wallow across tho street from them, tho "Slab City" people can get along very nictly and uover find it necessary to go to Saratoga or tho South or tho mountain regions to restore thoir health.

A sunken lot, in which tho contractor's carls are dumping ashes and tho mixed refuse which pooplo still put in with them, presents a very busy scene. Goats, old women and littlo boys and girl minglo with the And horses engaged In manv strange occupations. He also remarked that the death rato of tho city for last year was inwor than in any yoar sinco 1879. Death rates in tho olty during the last ten years havo been as follows Rate per 1,000 Rate por 1,000 Yenr. of pop.

Year. of pop. 1S75 28.84 llSRU 23.3! 1871 24.7''. 1881 24.83 1S77 22.1('i: '8 2 H78 2)5 1883 2 J. 1)4 1879 21.08 1184 21.24 Tin.

totul number of citizens' complaints dealt with by tho Board of Health iu 1884 was 5,575 this year there will bo a large increase probably, as during the three mouths ending April 30 of last yoar there were only 1,300 as against 1,787 this year. This scorns to show that tho pooplo of Brooklyn aro more alivo than heretofore to tho need of sanitary precautions. THE WOltK OF STREET CLEANING. Tho following tablo shows in what manner tho streets of Brooklyn wore cleaned In 1383. Thi figures of 1884 aro not used becauso they aro not available, but tho Bamo proportion was kopt np last year by the Streot Cleaning Department PI P.

3 Wards. First Boi Third I'm) rill Fifth Sistll Seventh I idhlii Ninth To nth Eleventh Teeifth Thirteenth Fo arieenth Fiiteenth Sixte' n'h Twentieth Treoty Iirst Twen'y second Twontv T.vi nty fotuth Twenty fifth Totals 19,8111 10. mil 19, or 4' $27,951, 1 13 5, 01, 10,955,982 9.950,253: 4.757,958 17,351, 7iS (,091.503 10, .44, 90 10, 32). 424 9,732,701 13. 129.385 7,817,621 5.879,711 8,358.

103 11. 1C8.455 8,359,510 14,892, 319 17,885,001 10 70:1 10.45; 5. 10 0.49 0.451 7.93' 13.27! is. 50 00. 10 12.17 13.931 10..

i 22.49 10.321 13. 2B1 4,032 414 1,752 950 443 1.800 2.C41 357 503 793 1,903 032 1,905 1,042 8(10 772 083 5 J8 1, 020 1,909 854 93 2 580 807 674 1 1, 038 19.731 37,719 Ul.Oo 18.72 I 23,318 yi.oor,1 22.381 27, 522 25, 920 20.534 ll.IOl 11.50 30.01 89.51 29.448 25. 741 14.33 21.03! 37.20 17.54! 50 33.15! 27, (153 15,991 1 9.5371 12.2 .0, Mil! 4, 0(10, (i 8,4.13, 170 800, 23, 015 It will bo Been by tho above table that the streets of tho First Ward fared excellently, iu comparison with thoso of the wards iu which poor pooplo live. Nino times as much cleaning was done in it as was done in the Second Ward, though the Second is Uttle less than half tho Biie of the First and is more densely inhabited. I week ami Smith streot overy fortnight, if I am not I mistaken, yet there are a great many moro people liv I ing on the block of Smith streot than on tlio average block of stroot, and thero la nlso more vehicle travel on Smith streot than on Sclietiii'irhorn." Ah, but you must remember tho quality of the vehicles on both streets.

On Suiith street it is butchers and ikers aud street cars and so forth on Sehermorhorn street it li gentlemon and ladies, driving out to the park for pleasure." l'reeia ly, but the Smith street cars carry ten times as many goutlemon and ladles as tho Sehermorhorn street carriages. Tlio cars are opon iu tho Summer timo, and thoso who ride got the dut full in their faces and over their clothos, and why should a gentleman and la driving to tho Park iu a carriago merit 1110:0 consideration than a gentleman or lady in a street car That is ovon allowing tho truth of your assumption that a gentleman or lady deserve more consideration from civic authorities than tho ordinary man or woman." Oh that kind of talk Is absurd and unreasonable. Sehermorhorn streot is ono or tho host wo have. Tho dwellings upon it are excellent, and the people there can't have dust blowing through thoir front windows." But they can afford to closo their front windows batter than tho lnorehrutj whoso shops lino Smith street can afford to close their doors and omit to display their goods in the Summer time." Humph 1 What's the use of saying all this to mo. I'm not responsible for tho way things are done.

Why don't you go and talk to the Commissioner of City Works A TALK WITH 1)H. RAYMOND. When the writer had inspected tho city pretty thoroughly hitiDelf ho called upon Dr. Raymond for certain information. There aro three kinds of vaults," said the Commissioner.

"First, the ordinary excavation, loosoly stoned up and not professing to bo water tight socond, tiie. brick and cement vault, called water tight, not connected with tho sewor, and, third, the 30 culled water tight vault which is connected with the sewor. I have not got any ceusu) showing tho exact number of thc3o vaults yet remaining in the city, I believe, howovor, that of all three kluda there are yet between. Some Objectionable Italian Tenements and PcNtilciitisil iuii)iln; Oroiil Generally speaking, the sanitary conditiou of tho Taird District good, but there are somo portions which aro very bad and will give the Sanitary Inspector, Dr. Ctulkhaitk, a threat deal of trouble.

This district is bounded ou the eaat aud aotitht dst by parts of Johuson and Xavy streets, on tbc north by part of Fulton street, Bourum piiica and Court street, ou the south by parts of Fourth and Socond avmincs, nnd on the weit by Fourth placo. It form? therefore an Irregular oblong aqmre, stretching southeast from Johnson straot to Fourth Thcfiuanty population which oce thrive! among the dumps and frog ponds of Third and Fourth avenues Is almoit all Only twelve of tho squatter fi'ul llos remain, aud against them, Dr. Crnikahank Faya ho has made complaints. T1k sunken I t.u, whle'i two years ago wero twenty feet below tho street surface, are being filled In fait nominally with allies but really with lobster and fruit cans, wustj pip' ra'i, old boots and in somo imtanca vid street rfua. Fifty or sixty and waoih ar a urv tho great sunk lot on the corner of Carroll and Fourth avenue.

It extends wholo block. Iu its ccitor, aw.iy down thirty feet below the atnot lvel, a big frog pond, 150 f0tt b. i and 20.1 fent w.i'd 1 in on all by tho dumps which Map i i it. P'gS Seof'i ducks and malt y.i iu rJ. i 1 11 aud troops wal'ow swim and ar.d up rViicj much delight, appirvii'ly, while abovp, mingj.

ig tho afh cnits ant of gws, wciry a cynical of munching back if tho K.v. i.r an 1 washing its hard facts down with cinder. ar.l frbit cans. "Oh, don't ask me," saM Dr. whou a.ked to whom the goat and pig.i and atid dncki belonged.

I never wan able to find au ownor for aoy of them and I never hear! of a man who was ablo to find an owner. Piia should not bo allowed In tho city nnd it might nieud matters a littlo If the mapec tors were allowed by city ordinance to ahoot a pig 6a sight." Ia the subscgneat afttxaocs rostfttft among the.