New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-01-21
THE LATE CALAMITY.
The Investigation.

Thomas 4. Emmet, sworn-kesdes at "a Unit
yersity.place last Summer Mr.. Ferris Pell made
an agreement with Mr. Oatoot for the purchase OF
the lots in question he told me that the price
at which he could buy them would enable them to
be sold at fair profit in the Fall; be said he had
not the money to make the first payment and II
would do it the title should be in my name and
we would afterw ard divide the profits Of the sale;
| scceded to this, and in October they were sold
10 George Spencer, under contract to advance
to Spencer moneys upon the buildings as they
progressed; Mr. Pell died ia Now the cellars
were then digging out Mr.. GlentworIh, the broker
who had sold the lots then called upon me In rela-
ton 10 them looked at the contract and said
would continue the advances as Mr.. Peh hao
done; the contracts had been drawn out in the
names of Pell and Spencer, but had not been
signed; Spencer afterward told me he thought be
did not get enough advanced on the houses the
loan under the contract was to be $500 on each
house; they were to be finished in as good style
as the houses in Twenty second.st.; atterward
increased the loan to $1,000 on each house, and
the contract was drawn ont in my name; Mr..
PeIl had also negotiated loan of 1880 on the
houses with the Seamsn's Savings Bank; also
assumed this responsibility l aiterward sent for
the architect Mr.. w. Thomas; told him what
connection had with the buildings, and that IL
was n new business 70 me, and asked him
TO give particular attention TO the buildings;
I reSuired certificates from him as the building
progressed; Mr.. Thomas promised 20 attend 70
the buildings every morning; MIR. Spencer used
10 draw on me for small amounts; the store bill
now produced declined Ia pay until had the
certificate of Mr.. Thomas. also paid Mr.. Thomas
$3.50 on an order OF Mr. Spencer Mrs Peh en-
- Al aNka N
Of her late husband; that was all he had 70 do
with the building; so 1t went on up TO tue osy
before the accident; that ay Mr. Davenport
Of the Savings Bank. came up TO my Once ana
told me that had better look after the buildings as
they had got a bad name he said the beams were
too slight; l sent for Mr. Gientworth and told him
what | had heard; | asked him to see Mr.. Thomas
and get me certificate in relation TO the buildings
the next morning, between 10 and III, Mr. Client
worth came down with the certificate which
handed to the Coroner the day at.er the accident
Messrs. Thomas, Glentworth and Peck came TO
the Office; asked Thomas how he could have
given the certificate; told him had published
il; read IL over TO him and asked II he could
give no explanation as To the cause he did not
deny the certificate, and said he could only ac-
count for it by the wOrkmen having neglected to
do what he had ordered which was to run the
partitions fore and aft as they went on he had
also ordered them % bridge the beams. for, as the
fronts were not going up, he considered It neces-
sary precaution; he thought the walking on the
beams had caused vibration and brought on the
accidents l asked him to write his explanation
down and have it published.
BIZ JlrOr-The houses were not to cost less
than $4,000 each; they were 10 be equal in
workmanship to some houses OF Mr.. Pells in
Twenty secondst Mr. Thomas had nothing to
do but to superntend the walls / had every re-
lance in him; have made advances without the
certificate of Mr. Thomas the certificate Of Mr.
Thomas has, as | understand, been written by
MIR. Glentworth, under the direction of Thomas,
in the presence OF Capt Peck.
Mr. GientGorth, who was present, said that he
had written the certificate.
Nm CrusSeL, sworD-Raside at No. 1871 Twes.
tieth st.; am a mason; ! worked on the fallen
buildDgs worked there two and a half days; l
worked on the rear and rough walls the mortar
had too much loom in it TO make it strong saw
loom put into it; judge there was more than two
barrows to load and half Of sand the work
was not done in good manner; / heard good
deal of complaint by the men in regard TO the NOR
tar heard them say " What trash Of mortar this
Isl" left so seen because j could make more
money in another place; L thought there were
not sufficient anchors in the west gable wall saw
braces placed on the rear did not think the work
men competent to carry mp wall loom is put
into the mortar to make Il work better | thought
the beams were insufficient. for | broke one by
merely walking over it,
Nathan Peck, sWorn--Resdes at AZ Leroy.st.
am brick carman carried brick to the buildings
In Twenty -iirst.st they were hard brick Of good
quality; went to Mr. Gientworth's office on the
morning Of the 18th instant Mr.. Thomas came 10 !;
Glentworth and he spoke together they then
went TO the desk and Mr.. Gent~orth wrote
something and read it over to Mr. Thomas; all [
could hear was land unhesitatingly say do
not know If Thomas signed the letters after
that we all went to Mr.. Emmets office; Thomas
left us for moment, Glestwortb gave Emmett
the paper. which 1suppose was the letter he had
before written; Mr.. GebtVorth bought the bricks
OF me-
John Beacon, sworn Am a carpenter; COM
menced work from the first start of the buildings;
worked on windoW frames and floors | think
the timoers used there were strong enough for
buildings OF that class the two rsr storfez were
9x3; they were from IL TO 20 inches apart they
were not "A inches apart the timbers of the third
story were inches apart; AIR. Thomas made
"orAlng plan Tor me there were eight anchors in
every wall Mr.. Thomas was frequently about
there did my work under Mr Spencers orders;
did not see the bulge ia the walls
Wm. w Laurence sworn-Am a housec arpen.
Ter worked at the buildings on Twenty. first st.;
did the framing there / considered the timbers
TOO weak they were pine and spruce the upper
tier were nearly all spruce, hemlosk AMI pine
the I'd and Sd were by o, and the 4th 3 by 8,
MI Thomas drew my plals his son told me so.
Albert INLAY sworn.-Am a carpenter; worked
on the buildings from the 2sth DecemberSill they
fell thought the timber used there good enough
One OF the Jurors asked who furnished tho tim
per Tor the buildings. Mr. Emmet said IL was
Miller Sherman who furnisheait 1t.
Mr. Stevens was recalled asd testified that the
hemlock timber was worth 40 shillings hundred
and the pine and spruce - 60 II shllines a hun
dred. The timber uv~sliy put into such bouses
was worth Is shill1gs hundred.
Ii was suggessed 70 get the names of ths con.
tractors who Idilt the houses in Twenty se,ond.
st. which vSret to serve ss pattern for tns ones
built BY spencer. 1t seems that they were built
by tire Contractors Brady, Ray and Michael
Seorge Tubs. sworn Reside in Txentv. third
q. near Eighth av.; am carpenter /: was fore