New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1852-12-08

OF Hemp could be made Some very tine drs"lhssOl
the Caouiohouc and B-odia and several descriptions Of
Bubous Roots also laid before the Club, ehctins
much attention. Mr., Shelton remarked in the course
OF his observations that in the interior OF the country
dew fell during the entire Of what was termed tue
dry season On the coast however, there was Away
amount Of fog and moisture. Mr. s also gave some
interesting Particulars relative 10 the growth OF veg
etabes in California He spoke especially OF the
Onion. the cultivation Of which had been attended
with The most triumphant success The same might
be said Of tie Beet. which grew to an enormous SIZE
|; would be no exaggeration were he to say that
Bcets weighing one hundred pounds each could De
grown in California In the places were the largest
beets were raised il should be remarked that the sub
soil was moist The sycamore and buttonwood trees
grew with great uxurAnce throughout the country-as
also the ssh and alder But there were many variees
Of trees in California unknown in the Atlantic S'aies
lie had not noticed any species OF elm or sugar maple
though there was however very valuable sagsr-pro-
ducng tree known a. the sugarpine, which grew 70
great size and produced good timber in appearance II
was similar 10 the long cone pine. The general plant
Ing season throughout that country was IN March and
April-.trdeuing operations commencing in February
as here.
Rev Mr. Fitch observed that he had discovered
during HE iourneyings in California, six varieties
of goeseberres superior he had ever before seen
The and strawberries were much superior
70 ANYTHING we had and the latter were even superior
70 the English strawberry. There was also berry OF
very delicious flavor something between the raspberry
and the blackberry which called the salmonoerry
That name was given il by the Oregonians who o.
served that the berries which fell from bushes over
hanging the rivers were eagerly devoured by the sal
mon
The Chairman observed that he had made good
deal Of inquiry relative the cultivation OF the grape
in South and North America west andfrom what he had
ascertained on the subject it appeared there was no
grape that was worth anything cultivated in those re-
sions that was not of European stock
Rev. Mr. Fitch coToborated the statement remarkins
az the same time that there native grape in Cali
fornia worth cultivation.
Some further observations relative TO the fruits OF
California were offered after which the Club adjourned
to resume this subject at its next meeting.
IMPROVEMENT OF THE STEAM ESGNE.-A
mechanic oihis City has constructed and set in motion
steam engine on the novel but very obvious plan OF
working the inlet and outlet valves by the direct
action Of steam instead of deriving the requisite power
from the main shaft at secondhand and through the
agency Of a train of working gear, as has been the
practice hitherto The vslve-openngs are placed in
the ends Of the cylinderthe valves those most ap
proved (pHppct-endt the working is easy precise and
rapid to degree in any other mode OF working impo'-
sbc In the old modes OF working the valves their mo
ton continued during the passage of the main piston
through the length OF the cylinder in the new mode OF
working with the disadvantages nciden, TO the hrst
construction the inlet AMI outlet valves are fully
o. ened in one twenty fifth part of the passage OF the
main pi.tons through the length of the cylinder and
that 20 easy a not to 10 heard when working TO an hun
drcd and fifty revolutions per minute. The effect OF
the new mode of working the valves is 70 greatly re-
duce the bulk weight and cost of the engine which il
rendered more simple effective and durable, and the
obstacles TO the working of locomotives on common
roads are in great part removed
FALL OF New BUILDING Three Mn
Killed and Three Seriously hJwed-shortly after 10
O'Clock Yesterday afternoon, large five story brick
building situated in the OF Thirtysecond-st, nolr
Lexington av fell with tremendous crash. burying
under s ruins Fix men who were ENGAGED upon 1t at
the time The building was in process Of coastrdc.
ton but nearly completed the last story having been
laid and the workmen were preparing to put NJ the
ralters II was 80 feet front by 81 fee, deep aud had
been between four and five weeks in building the
foundation however was laid about two months since
and was 90 inches in thickness the other walls were
y inches thick The carpenter and mason who super
intended the construction OF the building That the
mortar and other materials used in it of good
quality and that proper care had been taken to erect
4, FIRMLY and further that the cause Of its falling
the ping up of large quantity of raitcrs upon the
wall and girders This is probably the case, but had
there been center wall constructed, is usual when
buildings ofthis size erected the occurrence would
probably not have taken place.
six men, two Of whom were masCns and the realin
der carpenters upon it at the time and were all
buried among the bricks and tmbers. The fall created
great excitement in the no;ghborhood Can't. Whiyam
Of the Eighteenth Ward Police with section OF his
men, Engine Co 40, Hose Co. - and Hook and Ladder
Co. No 9. were quickly tie spot and worked hard
for some time 10 rescue the sufferers. Geo. DOherty
mason was taken gu, dead and conveyed 20 the Dead
House at Bellevue pital. Acarpen'er named W-av-
CT and German carpenter whose name could not be
ascertained also taken ont dead John Dorsey,
mason. Geo Bowyer, mason and another young man
were rescued, very seriously Injured The two form
cr were taken 70 the Bellevue Hospital their limbs
were dreadfully crushed and they were otherwise
farully injured that their recovery l. almost imposs
be II was feared that others remained under the
ruins but though tie Police and remen labored until
Late hour lac. evening removing the rubbish they could
ind no others.
Among those who were very active in the good
work were Henry : Davis and David Daley OF Engine
Co No i6, and Edw. \. Moore, Of Hose Co. No 9
Much credit is due to the Eighteenth Ward Police for
the active part they took in the matter Coroner Ives
visited the ruins in the afternoon, and made arrange
uenis for holding inluests upon the bodies Of IRE de
ceased today q, which time investigation VIII be
made relative to the OF the falling OF the building
Il was inendcdto be used as smorocc0 dressing estao-
Hstment. canal through the LOT, upon which the
building stood, extending from Lexingtonav 70 the
Et River in operation we are told about IL years
snce and il is supposed BY some that The aling in OF
tie ditch was not made sufficiently hrm 10 adure the
WEIGHT Of 20 large structure Whether tbs re so or
not the vacant lot adjoining springs and SHAKES ior
yards around when person crosses Il, and IN RAINY
weather il Is generally overaowed BY wdter