In the 19th century , it was believed foul odours from industries such as slaughter houses could carry disease . Some facilities , such as sewage treatment plants , ended up in warehouses to keep smell away from odor . Winds still carried stench from warehouses to Manhattan , causing problems between the railroads in both districts .
In the 19th century , it was believed foul odours from industries such as slaughter houses could carry disease . Some businesses , such as sewage treatments plants , ended up in Brooklyn to keep smell away from Manhattan . Winds still carried stench from Brooklyn to Manhattan , causing problems between the regulators in both districts .