The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1851-01-16
TERRIBLE CATASTR0PHE
TWENTY-FIRST STREET.
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FALL OF Six NRWFIVE-SToRY HOUSES.
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NUMBERS BURIED I'M THE RUINS.
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SIX MEN TAKEN OUT DEAD.
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Many More Supposed to be Killed.
~.
SEVERAL MORE on LESS INJuRRD.
NUMBERS BURIED I'M THE RUINS
SIX MEN TAKEN OUT DEAD.
Many More Supposed to be Killed


oBvERhk mVRE VI Lkbo MJUhHUs
Yesterday afternoon, at half past o'clock one oil
those terrible accidents occurred in city which have
become 30 frequent Of late ard decidedly the
suit Of reckleness Of human life and an inordnats
desire to grow suddenly rich at the expense Of hEms-
nifty that citizens becoming seriously alarmed
or their personal security not knowing the day the
hour when they may be overwhelmed In those rotten
fabrics which are called houses There was no wind
no storm nothing to cause the fall bythoss buildings
but the absolute insufncsncy of the materials and
the insecure manner in which they we're built Yet
they to have brown stone fronts and to be yery
elegant when finished like the whtsd sepulchrss mem
ioned In scripture outwardy beautiful to look upon
but within full Of rottenness. The misfortune is that
these houses notsn isolated case; all through tho
city the ssme ert OF work Is being up to tho
ger Of the lives ofthe workmen the pasers BY or the
inhabitants, should there structures stand so long
The six buildings, which the of the loss Of
so much Of human life, were being built on what is
called speculation that is they to be sold or
ceased as soon as completed. They are situated in
Twenty third street (south side, between Fifth and
Sixth avenues. The proprietors were Thomas A. Em.
nett and Mrs Pe the former being tie owner Of the
ground The agent was Mr. James b. Glsntwor.h, who
contracted with George Spencer to be architect build
and carpe inter- They were to be paid for by install
ments at 50 much per story, each story was COM
plstsd and the lsst payment had been just made The
rear and end walls Of the range flashed also the
party walls and yesterday they laying the roof
beams, but the front stin left open, the brown
stone, OF which 1t to be constructed, not having
arrived; and this bander was, in great degree the
cause Of the catastrophe had the front been built
with the rest the walls would probably not given
from the manner in which they fell the party walls
giving way In front and holding in rear where
we're built without mortar or At least without mortar
having lime in IL The bricks after the fall were as
clean as fore they were pu into the building The
outside OF the rear vail was built partly with lime and
sand; but IL was like veneer, for the inner part
which Was built with clay, crunbled away from 1t. and
left y standing when the remen and the police after
wards prostr ate with view the better to extricats
the dead frem the ruins.
The brio ks Of the worst description and the small
portion Of line used slso very inferior The ioi.ts
were only three inch hemlock, and every thng ind.
Gated the non-substsntial nature Of the work. Had
the frost continued till the front wall erected,
the building might possibly have stood for time rhs
thaw, however, proved It's unsoundnsss to such .
degree that tbe walls bulged ut the foundation and
was necessary to prop them. foreman builder pass
Ing by TO his work yesterday morning. looking ct
those buildings, raid they would come down before
night, and HIS prediction proved true
@ ysrs Ts .assc u %,sons and t.sny iaborer. at
one at work Besides these thirty three workmsn there
was the foreman John Fleming, and the contractor
At the time the building fell Fleming and Spencer
we're In font and thus escaped spencer took 70 bis
heer ana Was not seen after Had he bssn iound, he
would have been arrested.
About hafpsst O'Clock the party walls gave way
towarcs the front falling alter the other, from
west 10 east with fearful crash, burying the
have mentioned beneath the ruins, amidst . wild
shrek Of despair and cloud OF Dust that assembled
men were ell huddsd together in chaos. The scene
all quarters The women in the ghborheod shrisk-
ed snd some or the wives and female relatives OF the
slain or OF those supposed to be killed were soon on
the fpot and filled the air with their Iamsntatious
shiis others looked ON In mute agony-between hope
The csptain and assistant captain Of police OF the
Eighteenth Ward, ln which the disaster occurredl,
and the captains AMI assistant captains Of the Ninth
and Sixteenth Wards early at the scene With the
men hom their respective stations, and we're most
active and sfhoitnt Mr. Mstsel the Chief Of Police
Who is ever At his poet such occasions on the
ground 10 very short time after the occurrence and
TOOK the dir elton Of the whols affair He discharged
his duty in the most creditable manner and was ably
assisted By his CLERK, AIR. MacKelle
TIE hremvn who are absent whom danger Il TO
b. encountered were promptly In action. The msm-
bcrs OF ss Engine aud Hook Ladder we're nrst at
the scene, and rendered powerful assistance The fo
lowing we're also IN early sttsndance III Hose ~ In
eine " Engine; 81 Hose; % Hose 10 Engine; 30 En-
gins; ~ Hose; Hose, and Hook and Ladder
These brave fellows aided BY the police went to
work With hearty good vill; and any Of them dash
ed In among the ruins while the fragments Of walls
chi.f Of Police hore1sr' io..ea soen hs,as tbo..
lettering wallis pulled down Mr. Gi.ntworth VINO vas
on The spot did not object and he also consented to
the nremen prosteted by OF ladders and ropes
tbe rear wal and the portions Of the party walls that
~ere tin standing Foremost In this peril was Tuth
Bsdnsld, foremsn OF Hook aud Ladder Ne Q, Who |
showsd courage and coolness which casts into the
fhsde the yalor which seeks the bubble reputation
at the csnnen's mouth This hfst great necessity
was accomplished without loss % Ii. leaving fev
fragments still standing and thus the nremen aud
bish without danger.
We ,heuld mtntion that tWo men escaped unhurt, |
and we're lett standing on the summit of wing OF the
runs one Of them lesped dowu stories aud was
severely hurt. The other climbed ao~n without In |
piece of tebsceo to i,iow vorhDsn when the a. ash
came and dsvn the latter vent lie vss killed Thus
"ene wss taken, srd the other lett
The followirg bodies we're taken out dead =
Michael lynn Matthias Rooney,
William Hiesine, Patrick Gray,
Bernard Tr-suor.
The two nr,t we're taken 20 the Eightsesth ward
station house, and Higgins and Gray 10 tn. Sixteenth
wsrd station house fnques,a were held on these
bodies by the Co-cnsr in the eve1ipr -ho permitted
the friends 10 take them away, Only the body
Hiegirs, hewevtr was removed till advanced hour
vas fcsnd With the hod In lie hand.
The icosing taken out alive John McDug-
Walton. Edward Collins samuel La~rencs, james 1
Q 'Nehl, Nm. Fogsrty, Thomas Hogan Thomas Kenny,
hckenstan, Hugh Trevor Thus there sixteen, out
of the thirty. the building ascertsnsd TO be
se.e; snd eve being found dead. balance Of twelve
missing remains te be accounted for.
Edxafd Collins cut severely the sias Of the
head, and wa. fosnd With his bod beside him. lie
went down with II when he vas taken out Of th.
ruins he able to sslk away himself and ent 70
adjoining drug store where his wour a. we're at.
tended 10. The other wounded we're convsyod to the
sane store and their wounds also dressed.
John McDugTan and Pat 0'nrisn we're conveyed to
the City Hospital.
ore q those taken out Of the ruins stated tba. he
let man dead besds him, with piece Of wall upon
him.
Another was found under The ruins By the sound of
HE voice ara taken out. aud another had his legs
sticking out but bis body covered aud Il supposed
he vas dad as he could not OF did not tpeak. Yet,
when be was taken out, be was found to be almost
unbuft.
At o'clock the Chief Of Police ordered the pro.trs-
tion Of the remaining portion Of TIE party walls aud
called nom the ruins those who were engaged In the
search. The manner In which these walls literally
cfumbled at the very touch OF ladder art cent up
dust. showed Of vhst sert ot stua they we're de,
thoueh they we're twelve inches thick.
This accomplished, arespite was taken, ami the po-
lioe and ffemen, many or whom haf not ea.sn any-
thing sincc morning proceeded to the Fourth avenus
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