The New York Herald Newspaper, November 21, 1875, Page 6

6 OUR SEWERS. A Graphic Exhibit of Their Defects. Valuable Suggestions as to Future Construction. SUGGESTIVE SEWAGE STATISTICS. ° New Yor, Nov. IS, 1875 fo rux Epiror op Tae HeRALD:— In compliance with your request regarding my views of the existing system of drainage and sewerage of this city, and of one which a proper regard to the health and convenience of our citizens and economy of maintenance requires, I submit the follow, ings DRAINAGE The formation of this island is peculiar, consisting principally of rock having a very irregular surface, with the plane of its lamination approaching to the ver- tical, and In consequence thereof, {ts surface 4s tnter- Spersed with natural water courses, which empty di. rectly into the adjoining rivers, except where the vol- ‘ume of their flow is smal! and thetr basins impermeable to its subsidence by gravitation, in which case it forms marshes or ponds, which are discharged only whenthey are overflowed; and so long as this primeval condition ‘was not arrested by the filling out ofthe river shores to @ bulkhead line, and by the filling in of lines of avennvea and streets which ran across the threads of these courses, without any provision being made for their pas- fage under them: this operation was not disturbed, and the land, with the exception of the marshes and ponds, was freed from surface and spring water. But when the discharge of the water courses wus arrested by impermeable filling across them, the water as a con- sequence, remathed in and upon the earth, as evidenced im the lower portion of the city in wet cellars, and in the upper portion in cellars, pools and ponds, the result of which is the generation and extalation of miasma prolific with disease and death. So manifest is the fact and evil result of this arrest of drainage that the area of the diifereat embayments can be defined by locating the points at which malarious diseases have been contracted. SEWERAGE. Air charged with decomposing matter will not sustain animal life in health, as the oxygen, or life-sustaining portion of it, is absorbed by matter undergoing decom- position, The health and life of indtviduals, therefore, depends upon the observance of such sanitary meas- ures as will aford them pure air; and, 1 communities, aa in populons cities alike to this, this requirement of pure air is the more important, inasmuch as the vitia- tion of it, by inhalation amd decomposition, ts inversely as the area and volume of occupation. Communities, with some late exceptions, have neglect- ed sanitary measures, and it is only when some disease alike to cholera or other epidemic has decimated them chat sanitary measures have received that considera- tion and attention they are entitled to, The preservation of the health of all ts important to all Health to the laborer is his wealth, and infec- tion generated in the dwellings of the poor may extend bo those of the rich. Sanitary regulations and provisions give power and Attain results in communities which individuals acting singly cannot eflect, It becomes necessary, therefore, that they should be comprehensive in construction and effective in operation. ‘The first and most important element in this connec- sion 1s sewerage, the operation of freeing dwellings, factories, &c., from decomposing and noxious matter, and it embraces two distinct 0} tions—one the col- ‘ection of the sewerage and the other the disposal of it, In a metropolis alike to this, with its dense popula tion, its tenement houses and cellars, the impunity with which many of its ordinances are neglected, it becomes tmperative that deficiency of municipal control should be met; that our citizens should have regard to their sanitary requirements and learn, that in default of do- mestic and municipal safeguards and measures, physical tonstructions and operations must be resorted to and relied upon. AS regards the sewers of this city constructed prior jo 1866 and for some years after, a further description af their coustraction and condition becomes unnece: sary afler that which appears in a report of the Com- missioners of the Croton Aqueduct to the Common Coun- sil in 1966, as the following extract from it, wherein they reter to the existing sewers, covers the entire ground. “Nearly afl of which (sewers) have been built without regard to any system’’ (notwithstanding that ander the provisions of an act of the Legislature of 1855 they had authority to construct sewers upon a devised system) “in place of the irregular und faulty work which has heretofore rendered our operations under this head so expensive, ineffective and pestilential, and that to correct or even lessen the evils resulting from 80 many years of mismanagement, 1s a task requiring much study, care and time.” The sewers of this city are constructed either of brick masonry or of vitrified clay pipe, and when of Drick {t ts required that the lower course should be laid free of mortar or cement, in order that the water of the earth might enter them and thus be ied off to the river into which the sewer discharges. In pipe sewers there can be no such provision and no method by which ex- ternal water can enter them but through the fissures in thetr joints, It occurs however, that the operation of the open Joints of one course of bricks and the lvose-fitting joints of the pipes are not very effective to carry off the sub- because of the great proportion of viscous bin ry weather indurates matter tho thterst)\.ai Gling, and Uhus arrests the percolation of the external water throagh It, aud in some locations of our city, where the soil ts open and the elevation sewnge, whi much above tido-water level, the sewerage in dry weather permeates throngh,their joints into the earth. So manifest ts the nec has the system been practised, that from the earliest ages, sewers have boen constracted tn populous cities. as evidenced by the constructions that have withstood the disruption of time, as in Carthage, Alexandria, Jeru- salem, Horcalaneum, Rome and other cities, In Rome the cloaca maxima of twenty-five centuries is yet in ex- lstence and operation. RESULTS OF SEWERAGE. The sanitary results to be derived from the seweraye of atown is very foreibly Mustrated in the records of the medical officers of the Privy Council of England, from which it appears that tn thirteen towns of Englani, into which sewerage had been introduced that the aver- age death rate per 1,000 of the inhabitants before the introduction of sewers was 28.4 tn 1,000, and that since | their introduction the average was but 224 per 1,000, being a decrease in tho rate of 17.5 por cent; yet this city, with less than two and a half miles in width at its widest part, eneompassed by sea water which washes {ts shores twice a da: the Hudson; possesses the elements of health to its in- habitants far in advance of any city in the world, and Jot its death rate is over twenty per cent greater than ‘the tmland cities of London and Paria. eeWwaGe. The sewage of our city under existing constructions fand operations te discharged into the slips bordering the rivers, from which the insoluble portions are perl- Odically removed by dredging and transferred to the Tower Bay, whenee the light portion of itis borne by the detrital action of the tidal currents to quiescent parts, to fll the lesser bays and indentations of the | shores of Staten island and New Jersey that border up- on the buy, whereby the tidal aren and volume of the Day and barbor, which are its maintaining powers, are gradually being diminished Iu the city of London, where the strects are kept Cleaner than fn this city, the daily volume of sewage in observed to be 4.67 cubic feet per inhabitant Ln this eity, independent of Brooklyn, Jersey City and Robo. Ken, it is fully Gye cubic fect, which for a population of one million Hants, Feaches the enormous vk ame of cubic fect per annum. OC. DIRPOSAL OF REWAGR. oo AND Althoug! collection and disposal, arc essential oamportaat feats ina ayoen of eer uge, I do not propose to treas of Lp oe at this ‘time, inasmuch as our give due boed to See teaeonen pee oso Poe water thereat the as of matter to ture, and the to our bays and harbors. consequence of the outfalls or delivertes of our sours boing ab the pine of the bulkhead or sixoot frou pollution of the agricul ssity of sanitary operations | in communities by the aid of sewers, and so universally | added to the fluvial current of © and below the level of hi water, their contents are discharged into tho slips, where the decomposing mat- ters are left to stagnate and poison the air, and this evil, great as it is, is irremediable under the existing system of its delivery, in consequence of the embay- ment of the sewer mouths by piers, and the low level of the discharge. ‘The very general opinion entertained by our citizens, that in consequonce of the vicinage of rivers bor- dering the city, and of the ocean at Sandy Hook, that it is only necessary to discharge the sewage into the rivers for it to be borne away to the ocean, is wholly fallacious, except as to a portion of the matier held in solution; that in suspension subsides a loug time before ‘it reaches the and owing t the following cause:—Six mil in suspension can be deposited, or in solution dissi- pated, without being returned to within the barwith the next flow of the tide. From thence to Forty second treet (which 1s taken as the mean pointof the discharge of the sewerage of the city) is 28 miles; the average velocity of the flow of the tidal current for this course is about two and a half miles per hour, and assuming a particle of light matter in suspension, to be delivered into the North River at Forty-second street at the first of the ebb, {t will not reach tho point of 6 miles outside of Sandy Hook, a8 it gains but about five miles per tide, unull it has been borne forward and backward for 4 dis- | tance of 150 miles. On the other hand, ifit was deposited | at (he first of the flood, it will be borne backward and | forward, ip Hike manner, for a distance of 240 miles. | ‘The elements of an estimate of the extent of the de- of silt and noxious matter in our harbor from the discharge of our sewers are furnished In a report upon | the sewage of cities by the River Pollution Commis- sioners of England, whence it apy dinary sewage which was analyzed by them, there were 72.2 of solid matter and 44.09 of matter in eus- pension in every 100,000 parts. DREDGING, The dredging of our slips is a necessary operation to meet the requirements of commerce; but the manner | in which the silt is disposed of—that 18, by discharging it into our lower bay—is an operation pregnant with results so opposed to the navigation of the bay and harbor, and so fatal to the depth of water on the bar at Sandy Hook, that the further continuance of the opera- tion should be forthwith arrested, VALUE OF SEWAGE, ‘The value of sewage as a fertilizer, resuits from the presence therein of ammonia, which furnishes the ssential elements of nitrogen, together with the sub- iuate properties of pnosphates and alkalies. fhe experiments of Liebig and others have deduced that the excretions of a man for a period of one year are sufficient for the production of $00 pounds of wheat, Tyo or oata. The volume of the fertilizing qualities of the sewage of a city when collecied is held to be equivalent to one ton in weight per annum for each member of the popu- lation, and the value of it in the city of London 60 far back as 1860 was estimated at $3.71 per ton, VENTILATION OF SEWERS, DRAINS AND SOIL PIPES. The ventilation of our sewers, drains and soil pipes, under existing constructions, is restricted’ wholly to man holes, which open to the air at the level of the streets, and to the mouths of the sewers at the river front, which latter, in low locations, like Canal, Ferry, Roosevelt and some other streets, are 80 low that the tdewater flows into and chokes them, and, | as a consequence, their ventilation is arrested and the flow of the sewage suspended for a great portion of the | day, 01 DRAINS. ‘The connection between the waste and soil pipes of a uilding and the street sewer is made through a brick or tile drain, with insuflicient seating and packing. and frequently there is bat one connection for several build- ings, Soll PIPES, ‘The joints of these pipes are not only very frequently insufficient in their connections, but the pipes, from in- suiticient eupport, recede from their co: tons, and us a consequence, fissures are opened, which admit of the escape of the gases from the sewer into the build- z, added to which, in most cases, the traps have an insufficient flexure to afford the bead of water necessary to resist the pressure of the air ina sewer the mouth of which ts open to atresh wind. ‘Ths the traps have, as a mean, a depth of water or resisting medium of about 1.5 inches, which presents a “resistance of 1.6 by 27.67 (inches of water equal 1 pound) equal .0542 pounds, which, for a square foot, equals 7.8 pounds, which is equal to a velocity of wind’ of nearly 40 miles per hour, or that due to a ‘high wind;” conse- quently at this pressure the gus trom a sewer Is driven through the water In a trap and then escapes into the dwelling. Added to this, there is another operation of the elements, by the agency of which the ti in soil and Waste pipes may become wholly operative; thus, when the leader from the roof of a building leads into the drain common to it and the soil and waste pipes, charge of the leader by the flow from jower of rain, it being superior in the beight in to that of the traps of the soil or wasie xhaust all pipes and traps connecting with these pipes will become the pipes, w! it, and consequently me of open communication between the sewer and the rooms or space into which they lead, until they are again flushed with water, which, even in an occupied may not occur between ten o'clock P. M. and ‘ A M., or after an interval of ten hours, with an unoccupied building this communication may reraain open for months and years, In order, then, to meet the requirements of this city in the matters of drainage, sewerage and ventila- tion, aud in the least expensive manner consistent with the ends to be attained, | further submit:— That all sewers to be laid hereafter should have unt- formity of design and materials for like locations and service, and that they should be constructed in the est practicable manner, That they should have sufficient capacity not only to | admit of the location therein of the water and gas muing and telegraph wires, but of auch height and width as would afurd such space around jand between these pipes as would enable them readily to be repaired or replaced when necessary, That the joints of the manholes leading to the sewer should be £0 closely fitted as to preciude the escape of the gas therefrom; that an open pipe,fconnecting with the drain pipe, should lead from below the lowest trap in all sofl pipes to the roof of the building in which the soil pipe is located, in order to lead off the gases from the sewers to the upper air. That the traps of all soil pipes should be supplied with a smail jet of water—a minute one will suflice—to replace that lost by evaporation, by the exhaustion of the rain water leader in the manner referred to, and by the capillary exhanstion of a fragment of a piece of cloth, a rag, or a string being arrested within the wap and Hanging over it into the soil pipe. That the foundation of ali sewers should have a sep- arate construction as a drain, for the purpose of freeing the earth of its water of gravitation. ‘That the collection of the sewage of this city could be attained by the construction of a common receptacle for the discharge of the sewers, from every four or more streets, from which it could be withdrawn by the engine of floating vessels, and from them emptied into lesser vessels aud tanks for transportation, preparation and distribation. * ‘That in order to withdraw from the earth in the lower portion of the island such water as 1s embayed | by a subsoil of rock or clay and an impermeable bulk- head across the thread of its course, that it be required Hing, Health as operate steam engines in these location that they should sink «shaft of vitrified clay pipe or cast iron—oue foot in diameter will be suflicient—to a depth of twenty fect from the level of the curbstone, and that they be further required to exhaust the water | therefrom and discharge ‘t into the street sewer; and for this service a proper compensation should be awarded them. That to effect the dredging now necessary, and io order todeposit it beyond any injurious effects to the | bay and harbor, % should be delivered into steam hop- | per scows, and transported by them, to raise the level ofthe marshes tn the vicinity, or borne without the bar at Sandy Hook, and at such a distance as would Jude any reflux of the matter within the bay. cows of this deseription alike to those constructed Vanal can be made to transport 300 tons (2,240 pounds) of silt at a speed of 6.7 miles per hour. The advantages prosented by such @ system are as follows:— First—an enduring structure of draina and sewers, 8 opposed to the cxisting faulty designs and perishable constructions, Second—The perfect drainage of the land, sewerage and ventilation of the dwellings. | Peird—The facility with which leaks in the water and gas mains and pipes could be discovered and repaired, the protection given to the telegraph wires and the per- foct security given to the tnain and service pipes of water and gas from the effects of continued cold weather, | Fourth—Economy of cost and maintenance to the | | city, and the gag and telegraph companies, in setting | aside the necessity of the stroct pavement being re- | peatedly broken up, to lay aud repair water and gas mains, connections and service pipes | Ayth—The onabling of our citizens owning tots in | the Upper portion of the island to build thereon, witt out being deverred therefrom by the insalubrity of tne locations, the absence of sewers or pavement, the | | lighting of the avenues and streets and the uncertainty of the grade. | Siath—An increase of the residents of the city, that | in the value of their personal property and in the in- | creased and intrinsic value of real estate, would produce wtax Uthat would repay the entire cost in a few years. Finally—Lconomy of cost of maintenance of sewers and strect pavements and an increase im personal prop- erty and in real estate that will s0 far exceed the cost of ihe attainment of the one and the production of the otber that the rate of our taxes will be very materially reduced. sviewing, then, the condition ot this city, the re. | quirements of such @ system as that pri and of that in operation in this city, it appears That a sanitary condition of the sewerage of a city !s imperative for cho health of its ianabitangs | ‘That the natural water courses of this island have been arrested uw thetr discharge into the adjoining rivers by being dammed by earth filling at the avenacs | and by bulkheads at the river fronts. ‘That tue eabsoil drainage of Central Park ts ineuffi- cient; that tho water of its ponds from tta quiesence | and consequent want aeration is stagnant, and that one of hem at Unis time is io a state of semi-putresence, | and that the clearing away the andergrowth | of the fehage is eo wholly neglected that | this Park is pregnant with disease which is | increasing with time, and that, unless remedial mens | ures aro soon instituted and effected, the surround- | ng locations, instoad of being held as the most valua | ble portion of our city, will be of litde valne as sites | (OF residences, | That the sewors of Uris city casentially enerate as NEW YORK bar at Sandy Hook, | outside the bar {8 the nearest point at which any matter | by such parties as may be designated by the Board of | Sewers alone, and not as subsoil drains to the adjacent earth, and that these, together with the drains and soil Pipes’, are insufficiently ventilated. That the drains and soil pipes of our dwellings are insufficiently trapped and ventilated. That, although the innoxious disposal of the gas emanating from a sewer is the most important element in the ventilation of it, this feature is wholly ueg- lectod, inasmuch as the manboles in the strects are designed solely for the facility of entering the sewer vo cleanse or repair it, and pot as yenulators, ‘That the sewage of this city has a value superior to the cost of constructing receptacies for it, and of vessels | of distribution, and that it could be collected, deodor- ized and removed for purposes of agriculture. t "That the sewers, drains and soil pipes are for the greater part ill designed, badly constructed and of a varied construction. ‘That the practice of depositing the sewage of this city in our bay and harbor involves the commercial character of our city as to the depth of the entrance thereto at Sandy Hook, and aio to reduce the depth of water in the bays and harbors contiguous to our city, as Raritan, Newark, Communipaw and Flushing bays, the Frie and Auantic basins, the Raritan, Hackensack, Pas- saic, North or Hudson, Bast and Harlem rivers, &0. ‘That the volume of Solid matter annually discharged into our rivers and bay ts fully 1,817,650 cubic feet, and ¢f matter in suspension 815,592 cubie feet, the first in- volving the dredging of our slips and the filling in of our bays, and the other the general pollution of the water and of the depositing of excreta upon the low surfaces of the contigous shores, inlets and bays which are overflowed at high water, ‘That the depth at which the water and gas service pipes are ordinarily laid is insufficient to protect the water tn the first from bemg sometimes frozen, and that the congelation of the gas in the latter, upon the inner surface of the pipes in very cold weather, is such as to tmpede and even arrest its flow. That whe discharge of the sewage into our rivers is polluting the waters thereof, that this pollution is daily increasing, and the effects of the deposits thereof upon surfaces exposed to the ar at low water, will soon be manifest to our citizens and to those of the cities bor- dering upon our rivers. ‘That Central Park, covering an area of 844 acres, is deficient in the necessary subsoil drainage, added to which there 1s an extensive area of ponds, which, having but little depth, and being filled for their greater por- tlons with surface washings and vegetable matter, have not sufficient withdrawal and supply of water for the necessary aeration of them, ‘That, in consequence of the drainage of the land, the opening, grading, watering, sewering and lighting of the avenues and streets, not having been effected in ad- vance of the progress of the resident occupation of our island, the upper portion of it is so unhealthy and so deficient tn the requirements of its inhabitants: that & numerous population has been led off to our adjacent cities and towns, ‘That the time is not far distant when by the increase ofthe population of this city, Brooklyn and Jersey City, the narrowing of the rivers and the invasion of the bays by the filling out of the shores to the bulkhead lines, and by the reduction thereof of the tidal area, the detrital effect of the tidal volume will be 80 di od, that the pollatton of our rivers will render the collection and disposal of the sewage of this city a matter of imperative necessity. That the cost of the collection of the sewage would be fuily repaid by the sale of it for purposes of agriculture, added to which, the cost of dredging the slips would be rendered comparatively of little amount, ‘That the collection of the sewage at its discharge trom the mouths of the sewers and the removal of it is further necessary, in order to retain the commercial capacity and character of our bay and harbor and to preserve the waters thereof from pollution. That the entire practice—tor system, there ts none— of the drainage and sewerage of this city and the drain- ing of its suburbs is at variance with propriety, op- posed to the advancement of the city and the interest of its inbabitants; at variance with the science of en- gineering; calculated to drive dwellers in our suburbs to seck more salutary locations; effective in deterring others from returning to the once desirable residences in the euburbs of the city; productive of disease and involving a heavy expense to remedy the neglect, ‘That unless a proper system of drainage, sewerage and ventilation is forthwith commenced and consum- mated the insanitory condition of our city im every portion of tt will involve a depreciation in value, fur in excess of the cost of the system proposed, independent of the annual decimation of the population by disease and removal. ‘That the drainage and sewerage of the upper portion of the island, so far as 1t has been progressed with, is inefficient in character and insuilicient in extent, and 80 opposed to sanitary requirements that it has failed to meet not only the requirements of the residents thereof, bat to offer that inducement to our population aa it increases in number Lo occupy it, n preference to settling in or removing to contiguous locations in the surrounding cities and towns. ‘That the insanitary condition of this city is wholly in consequence of the neglect of its rulers to take the necessary action to avail themselves of its natural ad- vantages, in connection with an enlightened system of drainage’ and sewerage; and that if the goods of our merchants and the wares of our trades people visibly suffered in deprectation by the presence of a malarious atmosphere but one tithe of that, their health and that of their families suffers in consequence of the presence of malaria in the greater portions of our city, that immediate measures would be institated to correct such a manifest evil. 5 ‘That in all the populous cities of Europe there exist sanitary boards with ample powers to originate and ecute measures to protect the health of the inhabitant yet in this city, the metropolis of America, having un- surpassed natural advantages, with parks and open squares, with aBoard of Health; both designed for pro- moting and protecting the health of {ts inhabitants, yet, in consequence of the insufficient and faulty en- gineering of the former and the restriction of power to the other, the insanitary condition of this city and its consequent death rate, being 20 per cent in excess of that of either London or Paris, are a serious obstacle to {ts increase, disgraceful to the intelligence of its citizens and a reproach upon their humanity. The functions of a Board of Heaith should not be restricted to giving per- mits for burial and registering deaths; they should ex- tend to the institution and requirements of such meas- ures a8 would lessen the occurrence of the one and the necessity of the other. That if the drainage of the land, the opening of the avenues and streets of the entire upper portion of our city had been commenced twenty years back, and rap- taly progressed, in liea of our neighboring cities and towns having been to agreat extent built up and occupied by persons transacting business in this city, and who would bave preferred to have built here, the population of our city would have been fully 250,000 greater at this time, coupled with rapid transit between the extremes of the island and the taxes de- rived from the increased amount of personal and intrinsic value of real estate wonld bave fully repaid the cost of these improvements belore the work was fully com- pleted. That in consequence of this condition of the matters under consideration and the prospect of the institution of asystem of rapid trausit between the extremes of our city limits, in order to furnish. all the elements of desirable and sanitary residences In the upper por- ‘tion of it, its avenues and streets should be forth- with opened, graded, sewered, watered, lighted and ventilated; and our’ municipal authorities should forthwith take action in the matter and pass an ordi- nance creating a Board, to whom should be confided the consideration of a system comprising the whole subject of drainage, sewerage and veutilation, To such of our citizens ax may be startled by their first impression of the magnitude and cost of the sys- tem proposed, [ also submit, that upon a further consid- eration of the’ subject they cannot fail to arrive at the conclusion, that it is pregnant with life and bealth to our Inhabitants, ch r to our city, honor to the en- terprise of tts citizens and ultimate economy of cost of construction and of maintenance. Tam, respectfully yours, &c. CHAS. H. HASWELL, Engineer and Surveyor. ©The Pool of Siloam was a cesspool constrneted for the reception of the overtiow from an upper pool, in order that the fecal matter in it might be elevated and treated for re- moval for sale. + The sewaxe of Jerusalem was collected in tanks, from whence the yo pleas was sold aod the liquid used for the irrigation of lai POSTAL NOTES, Postmaster James reports the following receipts during the past week for the sale of stamps, envelopes and postal cards:—November 15, $8,300; November 16, $9,160; November 17, $10,100; November 18, $9,400; November 19, $9,300; November 20, §11,200, Total, $57,500, The steamship Britannic, hence yesterday, took out 20,574 letters and 2 bags ‘of newspapers; the Mosel, 22,476 lowers and 29 bags, letters and 7 bags, Total, 44,440 lewers and 61 bags of newspapers, Mr. McAfee, assistant custodian of the Post Office building, has had bulletin desks for directing letters and affixing stamps put up in the corridors of the Post Office, and intends to pat lamps in the elevators as eoon as he can get an appro- priation to puy oil to burn in them. | ACCIDENTS, | Mrs, Louisa Newton, wife of Theodore Newton, of | Holbrook, in order to help the burning ef some green wood in the stove, on Friday, poured some kerosene oil upon ft, There was an immediate explosion; Mrs, | Newton's clothing was set on fire; she wae soon ina | vlaze from head to foot, She rushed out of doors reaming for help. Her hnsband, who fortanately | happened to be near at hand, tore of her burning g: | ments, bat she was so terribly burned that her recov- ery is doubtful, wrenos Howell and Burdette Parks were ont for pleasure on the bay ut Freeport, They had a revolver with them, which Parks handled carelessly, when it | was discharged and the ball lodged in the fleshy part of Howell's left leg. A little girl, aged three and a half years, daaghter of Michael Anderson, residing at New Dorp, was fatally burned during the absence of her parents a day or two singe, The mother bad occasion to leave the house for | afew moments, andon her retura found the ehild’s clothing all burned off, John Welsh, aged five years, was run over on Broad. way, near Morris street, yesterday afternoon, and ro- ceived @ fracture of the thigh. fe was conveyed to the Chambers Street Hospital by an officer of the Twenty-seventh precinct, Thomas Gorman, aged thirty years, while intox- Jeated, fell from a scaffold on the New York pier of the Brooklyn Bridgo yesterday, striking on his head and sustaining severe injuries, He was conveyed to the Chambers Street Hospital by an ambulance, Thomas Gorman, of Front street, Brook), work! the New York anchorage of the yesterday, accidentally fell a distance of twenty. tre bse and was seriously injured, He was removed to the New York Hospital n, while met River HERALD, SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 21 1875 and the Ethiopia, 1,390 | frames and convenwnt | | Zimmerman | tain whether they were good or bad. | were “pulled” twice; could not tell what was done .—QUADRUPLE SHEET. INVESTIGATION, The Work of the Senate and Assembly Committees. The Engineer of the Dock Department Charged with Bribe Taking. Who Gets the Fees of the Marine Court ? More Light on the Working of the Coroners. ‘Tho Assembly Committee on Crime met again at the City Hall yesterday. The Coroners’ office and disor- derly house nuisances were the subjects of their in- quiry. At the opening of their session a letter was read from Justice Kilbreth, denying that be had satin Judgment on any disorderly house cases at Washington Place Police Court, and asking that publicity be given to the fact, Coroner Kickhoff, the first witness called, testified that he was present at the inquest on Charles Zimmer- man in Ludlow Street Jail; the body was foand “jammed” into an {ron bedstead; a jury was sworn and the body and locality viewed; the inquest was held a few days after; the verdict was that deceased came to his death by strangulation by having his head jammed between the wires of an {ron bedstead while laboring under delirium tremens, Witness said, !n regard to the Ryan case, referred to a fow days ago by ex-Coroner Young, that he held the imquest after the expiration of Coroner Young’s term of office; he bad no fault to find with the action of the police; he has always found them efficient; the coroners have no one else to rely on; outside inquiries ena also be mstituted by the coroners. Witness’ atten tention was next called to the provision of the law giving coroners the discretion to proceed without a jury; for every jury sworn the Coroner receives $5; witness always empanels a jury; witness thought it impossible to observe the provision of the law, which forbids the touching of dead persons until the Coroner's arrival, and cited instances, such as the killing of a person on a railroad track and the discovery of floating bodies in the river; in the former instance bodies are taken to a police station, and in the latter the foatmg body is secured; common sense dictates such a course; the attention of the Superintendent of Police was called to this provision of the law some time ago, and since then more care has been exercised in the moving of bodies. In regard to the employment of experts, provided by the last Logislature, the District Attorney or ajudgo of the Supreme Court could be made to see the necessitics of the Coroners’ office, but the difliculty would be in convincing Comptroller Green of the necegsity of em- ploying experts. THE ZIMMERMAN INQUEST. Deputy Coroner Marsh testified to the examination of the body of Zimmerman, at Ludlow Street Jail, Witness heard that the night before his death deceased was going about the room like a crazy man; he was found dead in the morning, and when found nearly everything n the room was broken; he had been in prison only a few days; never knew a case where de- I'rium tremens was not developed inside of three days; deceased might have drank heavily before going in, and might have had something to driuk until the at- tack came on. Matthew Westbrook, of No, 101 Charles street, testi- fied that he was in Ludlow Street Jail when Zimmer- man died, in July last; remembers the case; saw do- ceased prior to bis death; he was a large, portly man and was intoxicated when shown to his room the even- ing before his death, when the rest of the mmates re- tired to their rooms they beard a fight in Zimmerman’s cell; his fellow prisoner called for assistance and was removed, Zimmerman being left alone; he soon com menced to smash everything in his room and to kick the doors; witness did’ not think any one went to the cell to give any attention to his case; he shrieked and bowled hike a wild man, continaing uninterruptedly until three A. M, ; then witness heard certain groanings, which gradually died away and ceased altogether, when witness {ell asleep; witnees would have known if any attention was given to Zimmerman and believes none was given; when an attendant “named “Mac” opened the door in the morning Zimmerman was dead. brook was not examined at the inquest. Coroner Eickhotf recalled, said he did not know what the jury in the Zimmerman case based the finding upon that deceased was ‘‘laboring under delirium tremens; it appears from the inquest papers that no testumony whatever bearing on this question was taken; {t was, he said, one of the queer verdicts often given by Juries; he did hot seem to think he had any right to question such “queer” verdicts. Henry Alden, also confined in Ludlow Street Jail at the time, in the cell next to Zimmerman, testified that he noticed deceased for two days before’ his death; be had been drinking and acted peculiarly; he was drunk the night before his death when going to his cell; then there was a quarrel in his cell anda keeper came to take out Zimmerman’s fellow lodger; the noise con- tinued until about two o'clock in the morning, when we heard a fall, then groans and hard breathing, which grew logs and less until they ceased; called for a keeper, Dut no one came; about four o'clock A. M. witness fell asleep; witness ' was not examined at the inquest; he spoke to the keeper Mac” about the case and got an insulting reply. THE DISORDERLY HOUSES. James Fitzpatrick, of No. 135 Canal street, was called to describe the disreputable house nuisance tn tho Tenth ward. Some of those places, he said, have been “pulled” from seven to ten times; one case he re- membered that was taken before Justice Morgan, in July; the Judge ordered the Police Captain (Van- dusen) to keep the house closed, but it continued open; witness complained a second ‘time and the house was “polled” again, but witness did not appear the second time and immediately after it opened again; the owner's name was then procored and left at the District Attorney’s office; evidence of tho disorderly character of the place was also lodged in the office, but the houses are still kept open. Police Captain Vandusen, of the Fifteenth precinct, said the principal obstacle In breaking up these places was the difficulty in procuring evidence against the offending parties; most of the cases were taken before Justices Wandell and Bixby; some were fined $10 and some held to bail in $00; then the people went back to their disorderly places again; abouta dozen have been broken up; there were some timo ago sixty houses and parts of houses assigned to lewd purposes, and now there are forty-three such houses in the cinct; one house he recollected having “pulled,” in West Third street, four times; threo times the same ple wero found there; for these arrests he was obliged to send out officers in citizen’s dress to obtain evidence. A momber of the committee asked {f the class of ‘ople visiting those places were not mostly criminals? Thewitnoss shook bie head and said:—Oh, no; & good many fine looking old gentlemen often visit them.” Witness thought Police Justices could be a little more severe; if they would send those people to the Island for six months it would do more to break up the business than fincas. A RRCKSS est- was then taken. Coroner Kessler was the first witness called after ro- cess :—Has held inquests in about 600 cases during his term, now in its third year; did not recollect having held inquests on bodies that nave been removed; bas now under investigation the case of John Inslee, who died last August, the inquest being then commenced and adjoarved from time to time to give the police a chance to arrest @ person named “Big Mike,’? supposed to bo implicated in inilicting injuries which led to Mr. Inslee’s death. Witness was asked to eay if any advantageous changes could be made in the adininistration of affairs in the Coroner's | office, and answered that he thought it should be a salaried off: In @ great many cases inquests are now held which could be avoided if coroners were physicians and were paid agalary. He bad never held an inquest without a jury. The only assistants allowed to corone: are physicians and clerks, All others they must pay themselves, About $4,000 per year would cover all expenses of the office. Coroners have had of late to sue the city every year for their pay; they always win, and the city is always taxed with the additional ex- penses of suits, Outside ‘fees” have frequently been offered to witness in connection with different cagea, bat have invariably been refused. He thinks no in- quests should be held where there are no suspicious circumstances surrounding the death, but where the Coroner is called in merely because no certificate of doath has been given. If the Coroner is @ physician all that would be necessary should be a cortificate of death. If a verdict unsastained by evidence, as in case, Were presented to him ho should order # reconsideration of it. Mrs. Monahan, of No. 31 West Third street, was the next witness; owns the house mentioned; also No. 223 Greeno stre had received a letter from the District Attorney’s office relative to the character of her tenants ‘at the last named place, but had done nothing to ascer- Katherina Wuntz, No, 48 Chrystie street, described the annoyances of disorderly houses in Chrystie street; she complained before Judge Morgan, and the houses with the occupants, but the houses opposite and others are still kept open; bas a family of five children. Charles Apman, residing also in the same neighbor- hood, described the offensive extubitions in the places mentioned, signed a petition for their removal, but concluded that it was no use as the neighbors had all failed in their efforts to drive away the offenders. Mr. Harg, of No, 113 al street, and Henry Hartman aiso described the annoyances arising from the conduct of the habitués of certain houses nal and Chrystie streets. Mr. Bim, the private detective, described the offen Bive solicitations of lewd females in a number of places in the Eighth ward, Captain McDonald has oleared out a good many, he said, but several more remain. Charles Fleischman, residing at 142 Wooster street, spoko of the behavior of the people in certain Wooster Street houses, Once he called to make complaint to Captain McDonald, who said, “What the hell do you want? I can’t drag these people out.” Mr. George Chesterman, having a city residence at 135 West Fourteenth street and a country residence in Columbia county, testified that he owns No. 17 West Third street; was advised by the District Attorney that the tenants dt No. 17 were disorderly people. On re- ceiving this intimation he ordered bis lawyer to dis- ossess them. Proceedings were taken before Justice winh and the house was clearly shown to be disor- fin This was in the middie of October. ‘Then it was found that the rent had been paid in advance, and Judge Quinn, thought it tmproper to eject people after bg pave Pscpbessy Lem Since then Mr. Chesterman’s for November Guill continue t= poossanion nr en oe ennaas ‘This house is said to be an old haunt of vicious per. sons. Peter A. H. Jackson, of No, 149 East Twenty-seventh street, said he is agent for the executrix of the estaie of the late George Mathor, to which ostate belong cor- tain Groene street houses, in which the oceupants are rsous of bad repute, He did not know where Mra, ather, the executrix and widow of the deceased owner, resided. His business transactions were with her gon, Mr, Thomas D. Mather, a lawyer baving an office in the Tract Society building in Nassau street, Witness considered the tenants of those houses to be “quiet, peaceable and respectable people,” After ordering attachments against two or threo owners of houses rented for disreputable purposes, who were subponed and failed to answer, the com- mittes adjourned. THE SENATE INVESTIGATING COMMITTEE. The Senate Investigating Committee resumed its ses- sicn yesterday morning at the Fifth Avenue Hotel Somo startling testimony was given showing corruption in the Dock Department, The first important witness, Colonel Meehan, en- gincer in the Dock Department, admitted that he had done private business during office hours, prepared maps, &e., and that he had gone away to Prince Edward’s Island for a month and to Bridgeport for ten days to do private work, for which he was paid, while drawing pay at the same time from the department. He denied, however, having made any purchases for the department or having received any commission on those purchases. He was asked whether he had not tried to intimidate a certain Mr. Penn, who was going to testify against him, and he denied {tin the most emphatic terms. Mr. Penn, who was bookkeeper for Benoit & Wood, suppliers of drawing materials, &c., for the Depart- ment of Docks, testified that Colonel Mechan RECKIVED TR# PER CENT COMMISSION on all purchases made by the department. This ten per cent was added to the bills (@ la Garvey and Inger- soll) of Benoit & Wood, but the commission was charged as such on the books of the firm and the money handed to Colonel Mechan in a sealed envelope, ‘This matter rested on an open understanding betwoen the witness and Mr. Benoit, atid the latter would gen- erally take the money to Meehan, but on this occasion Penn handed the envelope to the latter; and once, ho remembered distinetly, {t amounted to about $40. When recalled Penn said Benoit was also in the habit of making presents to Meehan, which were charged to the department He remembered two pregents in particu- lar—an opera glass and a wine caster—which were so charged, by adding their cost to the number of pounds of puper supplied, aud increasing correspondingly the cost of repairs. The most damning statement of Penn was that Mee- han and Benoit called upon bim @ few days ago and threatened To THROW MIM INTO JATL if he would testify against them, Another branch of the inquiry was now opened. Deputy Comptroller Earle went on the stand to testify that Mr. Maurice Power, clerk of the Marine Court for the last two years, had failed to turn over a cent of his fees to the city treasury ever since he had veen in office, The Comptroller had written a letter to the Justices of the Marine Court, calling their attention to ‘this matier, but without effect, Justice Spaulding, of the Marine Court, testified that ho offered @ resolution to remove Power, ag well as Rice and Ryan and four other useless and idcompetent ‘attendants, who were simply holding sinccures. Tho resolution, however, was voted down, ho and Justice Joachimsen’ deing the only’ members of the court who voted for it, while Me Adam, Shea, Gross aud Alker yoted against i. Subsequently Ryan and Rice were removed, but their places were filled by the appointment of a brother of Fernando Wood and a brother of Chief Justice Shea (Laughter.) Dr. Merkle, who did no duty whatever, Was lot assigned to any work as witness had moved in his resolution, Justicd Spaulding took occasion to say here that the power of patronage should be taken from the judges by the Legislature, as it was a great annoy- ance to them, The Marine Court had for years been only an asylum for DILAPIDATED RELATIVES OF THB JUSTICES and broken down politicians, and the political parties made up the “slates” of the appointees regardless of the candidates’ qualifications for their respective duties, Justice Spaulding gave it as his opinion tl the Legis. lature should an act confiding th pointment of the court clerks and attendants to some other Jocal authority, while the justices should only have the power to remove those who proved in- competent in the dischargo of their dutie&? Were the Marine Court managed on real business | aivsed ge it woold be run for half the present coat, hen asked as to how much the fees retained by Power would probably amount to, Justice Spaulding said he did not know exactly, but they must be very considerable, a8 under Power's predecessor they amounted to from $700 to $1,000 per month, and since then they must have doubled. Judge Spaulding having concluded, the tnvestigntion of the Dock Department was resumed. Mr William B. Aitl a young draughtsman em- ployed in the department, testified AS TO PRIVATH AND LUCRATIVE WORK done by Keiller, Niser and other draughtsmen during ollice hours. He admitted that he himself had gone with Coione! Meehan to Bridgeport to survey the har- bor, had stayed away ten days, but drawn his pay on his return just as us He made a report to General Graham of the waste of public time by the employés of the Engineering Bureau, which contains some ludi- crous passages, showing that they gave tmnoch time to preparations for balls, games, &¢., which should havo been employed for the benefit of the department, Mr. Thomas Murphy—not the celebrated Tom, but Superintendent of Construction in the Department of Docks—was closey examined in regard to his qualifi- cations for the position he holds. fie was asked where he had been educated, what works on submarine con- struction he bad read, &c.; but he failed to show that he was familiar with submarine construction. He also admitted that he did not write his daily reports to the Board, but simply signed them. He had abrother and two sons employed in the department, but, he stoutly asserted, no other relative whatever. (Laughter.) President Wales, who bad listened to ail the testi- mony, said that he desired to explain that immediately upon his entrance into office last January be took the advisability of Colonel Meeban’s removal into serious consideration, Soon after, he offered a resolution to remove Mochan, which was voted down, his two colleagues voting againss it = In when the new Commissioner, Dimmock, came into office he made another attempt to have Mee: han removed, bat this was frustrated by General Graham’s sudden resignation, which, in the opinion of his colleagues and of the new engineer-in-chief, made it desirable that Meehan should stay in his place until the Battery pier, of which he bad always bad charge, should have been finished. President Wales hinted strongly that now that the Battery pier was nearly finished Mechan’s official head would not rest long upon his offictal shoulders. The commitsee adjourned until Tuesday morning at hatif-past ten. RECORD OF CRIME. There were 455 persons arrested by the police in Brooklyn during the past wock. On Thursday night river thieves boarded the schooner George Alien, Captain Cintes, in Flushing, and, pres- enting a revolver to the Captain's head, compelled him w give them $5—all the money he had, Last evening @ man dressed in woman's clothing called at the residence of Mr. John Loetler, on Clinton street, Stapleton, and asked for the lady of the house, While the servant was gone up stairs to call Mrs. Loetler the man went into the kitchen end was in the act of stealing the silver when he was caught by an- other servant, In the struggle the sex of the stranger was discovered, as he had a man’s clothing unter the woman's, ife vscaped before an officer could be found, Burglars effected an entrance into the cigar store M. Rickman, at No, 183 Spring street, by breaking rear window, and carried away $100 worth of ciga ft | and tobacco. Sneak thieves stole from the residence of Elizabeth | by tcm No. 169 Thompson street, clothing valued at $12. Twenty-five dollars’ worth of cigars and liquor was stolen from the liquor saloon of J. Spronman, at No. 306 Eleventh Die ah sneak thieves. ‘A wagon, valued , belonging to A. Long, while standing ob Third avenue, near 10éd street, was stolen. Thieves forced open the basement door of tho res- dence of Joseph Hoffman, at No. 434 Kast and stole $10 worth of property. While a team belonging.to IL PB, Claflin & Co. was standing at the freight depot of the Hudson River Rail- road on Varick street, the driver being in the depot, an unknown thief jumped on the seat and drove off with it, Tho truck contained five bales of brown sheeting, valued at $400 and marked, “L. M.D. 0. F. G, Oe torn Wisconsin,” Subseqnently the police , o Fourth precinct found the team standi South street, near Barling stip, it having been deserted by the thiet oe goods had disappeared, n organized gang of thieves, composed prinerpall of New York outiaws, have for the pest de ptt carried on their dopredations in Hunter’s Point to such an extent that hardly a night passes that some erime i9 hot committed The boldest attempt perhaps ever com- mitted {n the city was that which occurred on Friday night, when thieves entered the house of Mr. Authenrite, on Third stroet, They gained an entrance by chloroforming the watch dog and made their wi to Mr. Authearite’s apartmenta They then ministered chloroform to that gentleman and his wife, When about to leave, after secoring a large quantity of clothing and jewelry, Mr. Authenrite recovered, and, Jomping from his bed, seized one of the roughs and sounded an alarm, men, bowover, had decamped. Harry Thorpe, alias “Bugiish Harry.’ who was can- | ae | though the Merchants’ Dry Dock Company, the ownet 15th street, | 4h | dock is ten or twelve years old. It was built cerned in the bu of Hulshizer's store on Pavonis avenue, Jersey City, was sentenced yesterday to sit months tu the Penitentiary, while one of his accony po 1s serving & term of ten years in the State Prison. ‘he mercy shown to him was due to his revelation of the conspiracy to break Maggie Walker, the dishonest servant girl who w: employed at No. 300 Fourth street, Jersey City, and who lavished stolen Jewelry on a young man she loved, was sentenced yesterday to four months in the Hudson County Jail. The young man was dlacharged, At two o’clock yesterday morning W. Solomon, residing in Thirty-second street, Bayonne, was aroused by a noise in the lower part of his house. He awoke bis son, procured a revolver and went down stairs. A rear window in the parlor and one in the basement were open. ‘The pockets of his pantaloons, which were hung on the stairs, were rifled, and a pocketbook con- taining @ large sum of money bad been abstracted. The empty pocketbook was found on the parlor floor, ‘Joseph. Pacivi, the burglar who broke into the store of Peter Costa, at the corner of Jefferson and Second streets, Hoboken, on the 2d inst, was sentenced yes- terday to four months in the Penitentiary. ‘Samuel and William McShane, canal boat thieves in Jersey City, wero committed for trial yestorday by Justice McCoy. ‘A liquor dealer named Richard Dooley was arrested in Jersey City yesterday and held for trial by Justice Roberts on the charge of committing an atrocious as- sault on Bartholomew Moriarty, who owed him @ liquor bill, jomas Donahue, who was nearly murdered b7 his wife Bridget, and her brother, Martin Dullian, on Fri- day morning, in Long Island City, remained yesterday in a very condition, His wife was réleased on bail, but Dullian fs still {n Astoria Jail. George Balfe, aged twenty-four years, was arrested by Officer Curran yesterday, on a charge of committing a burglary on the tailor store of F, Gremete, No. 169 badd hoon Bropkiyp. and stealing slothing Sixty @ stolen propert; found, it is alleged, on the prisoner, ee John Harmon, thirty-five years of age, was arrested on suspicion of burglary while endoavoring to etfect an entrance to the house of Mr. Hardenberg, No. 62 Houry street, Brooklyn. On searching him three night keys, two brass keys and several pawn tickets were found in his possession. A man who gives his name as George McKenna was arrested on a charge of attempt at burglary at an early hour yesterday morning. Ho was seen by Mrs, Jobn Ryan while trying to break into her apartments at No, 93 Nerth Fourth street, Brooklyn. A revolver, loaded and cocked, was found in his possession. The examination of Conductors Bopp and Dongiass, of the Atlantic street car route, Brooklyn, whoare ac cused of using dummy bell punches, was continued be fore Justice Walsh yesterday. Judge Moore, of Brooklyn, yesterday sentenced George Thomas, convicted of burglary in tho third de- gree, to Give years’ imprisonment in the Penitentiary. THE CUSTOM HOUSE PANIC. HEADS TO BE OUT OFF AND SALARIES TO EB REDUCED. A perfect panic reigned in the Custom House yoster- day among the officials In reference to the proposed reduction of salaries—fifteon per cent—or a reduction of fifteen per cent of the officials, at the option of Cobh lector Arthur. That gentleman admitted to a Heratp reporter that he feared very much the reduction in question will cause considerable hardship. It is con- sidered, however, that no action will be taken for some days, till further correspondence has taken place be- tween the Secretary of the Treasury and Goneral Arthur. Upward of ton officials have been discharged within the last fortnight, and all applications tor post- tions in the Custom House are steadily refused by the Collector. When the axe does fall it is believed that the most removals will be among “politicians,” while hard workers and efficient men are to be retained. It 1s also reported that some of the overpaid clerks will be “docked” heavily, and that the laborers will have thetr wages reduced from forty cents to thirty cents an hour; also that for the future the clerks will have to attend to their duties from nine sharp to three, in- stead of from fifteen minutes past ten to fiftoen minutes to three, In conversation with a Custom House off cial, who knows whereof he speaks, he said:—'The whole of this allezed leak comes from the purchase of the Appraisers’ Otlico in Washington street, for $80,000 {formerly Panl Spofford's property), and the cost of ho Naval Offic ‘The rent of Post Building, where tt now is, 18 $30,000 a year, and the cost of fitting it up and furnishing it has been $40,000. This oilice was established in King George’s time, when a naval officer was sent over to examine the accounts of the Collector of the Customs, who had been detected in fraud, and this 1s the cause of the existence of the present Naval Otles, which checks the work done in the Custom Hous, Itis nothing but a solemn farce, and of no more ase than the fifth wheel of ‘a coach, The sooner it is wiped out of existence the better for the less cumbersome working of the Cus tom House. Then there are tho nineteen weighers, at $2,500 each. ‘T'wo of these could be dispensed with to advantage. The majority of the largo salaries in the Custom House are fixed by Congress aud cannot be altered. The salaries that can be reduced are clerks, messengers, porters, weighers’ assistants, gaagers’ mon, laborers and others’ The appointment made at Wash- ihgton lately of Mr. Leet, of Leet & Stocking fame, as Assistant Collector at Jersey City is a farce and gives that gentleman a sinccure. Some of the boys hope that when Congress meets it will make an appropriation for Secretary Bristow’s Custom House deficiency. It is thought in the Custom House that he is in error im smagining that this Custom House will run behind. ‘The general impression is that the reduction that General Arthur will make will be of salaries and not of men. The following facts in this connection will pro teresting :-— CUSTOM HOUSE EMPLOYEES? SALARIES, The following are the principal officials and salaries paid:—Collector, $12,000; Surveyor, $8,000; Naval Otticer, $8,000. "The following are the principal offl- cers:—1 assistant collector, 1 chief clerk, 13 deputy collectors, 1 assistant collector of Jersey Cily, 1 depaty collector at Castle Garden, 1 anditor, 1 assistant auditor, Lchief district clerk, 1 cashier, 1 assistant cashior, £ storekeeper of the port, 282 inspectors ($40 day), 122 night inspectors ($3 a nfght), 19 weighers, at $2,500, each of whom a clerk and foreman is attached; 8 gaugers, 9 moasurers of passenger vessels. In addition to this there are a large number of other officials, mak- ing an aggregate of some 1,600 men. There are four clerks at $3,000, 11 at $2,500, 1 at $2,400, 28 at $2,200, 23 at $2,000, 1 chief cigar inspector at 83'at $1,800, 49 at $1,000, 62 at $1,400, TS at $1,200, at $1,000, genera! appraiser, $3,000; 1 appraiser, 1) assistant appraisers, $3,000; § examiners, $2,200; 15 examiners, $2,000, and 7 exarainers, $1,800. ‘The total cost of the “machine” 1s about $2,200,000. CUSTOM HOUSE NOTES A Treasury commission is to be take further evidenco in the Scbuloff crape frauds. Collector Arthur held a long consultation with Sur- yeyor Sharpe yesterday afternoon on the subject, it ‘was reported, of the reduction question. A DRY DOCK SMASHED. THE STRUCTURR DEMOLISHED WHILE RAISING THE SHIP THOMAS LORD—THE VESSEL NOT INJURED, ‘The sectional dry dock, at the foot of Market street, Fast River, was smashed like an eggshell on Friday evening; and the ship Thomas Lord, which it was then hoisting out, was, for a time, tn a perilous position. 66 disastrous was the accident to the dock it lookea yes: terday morning as {f nitro-glycerine or giant powder had been the agency to demolish it, The débris filled the slip, and a crowd of idle speculators lined the bulk. head, anxiously inquiring im regard to the wrock or loudly advancing opinions as to the cause and how tt could have been avoided. The Thomas Lord arrived in this port from Calcutta, via Maaritias, October 21, and having been badly strained in a hurricane on the 8th of that month, her ownors, after her discharge, desired that she be taken up, examined and ropaired. For this porpose she was towed to the dock, and about dusk, riday evening, work was commenced to raise her. ‘She was partly out of water when the pump of section Four, so it 1s reported, gave out, This caused @ shafe to break, and immediately after another section of the dock giving away, tho ship settled at the stern, and was, of course, immovable. Had there been a compe tent overseer of the company on hand—or rather such is the belief of experts—the dock could have been saved, as the remaining sections were yet unin- jured. Unfortunately such was not the and the vessel, resting with her bow about five out of water, and her stern ia ity peng in that position for nearly three quarters of ap hour, when gradually she carcened to starboard, all tbe Market street side of the structure away. The jower portions were instantly involved in the when the ship and all that was left of the dock were together in the water, presenting a scene of great de- uction, Much excitement among the workmen en- ed, but order was goon restored and the ship found apparently uninjured. This will be ascertained, how- ever, whon she is taken out on the large Balance Dock, which is soon to be done. The Lord is of 1,316 tons burden, and at the time of being raised bad several hun dred tons of ballast in her. HISTORY OF THR DOCK. The demolished structure has quite a history, Al ime ir has been in existence but about three months, sti ew London by United States government officials, and cost nearly $300,000, It was used during the rebellion in raising transporte and tron-clads, but had been dis- used and neglected since, it remained in New London fF unl a few months since, when it was purchased for $7,000 or thereabouts by the present owners, aod towed to this port In sections Of necessity extensive repairs were made, the slip dredged and the docks then lo cated. The company did but little business until re- cently, and bad luck seemed to have closely followed it, as tho'doek once before came to grief, but tho injur then was not of aserious nature. Tho structure wil ‘ve raised, the contract for the Job being awarded to the Now York Steam Derrick and Wrecking Company late yesterday afterwoon. Work will be commenced to- morrow morn.ng. Mr. Georgo Roosevelt, of the firm of Messrs. Roosevelt & Griffiths, is the President of th Merchants’ Dry Dock Company. IN WINTER QUARTERS, The life-saving crews of tho different stations on the south side of Long Island have all gone into winter quarters. a k