The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-04-30
TIE BROADWAY CALAMITY.
IL C0RONER'S INVESTIGATION CONTINUED.
he Evidence ofMessrs. Jennings and Richard
son, the Occupants Of the Building, and
the Janit0r Of the City Hospital.
|OST EXTRAORDINARY DEVELOPMENTS
THE OBSEQUIES TO-DAY,
&c, &C., &c.
,ORONER'S INvESTIGATION-TH DAY.
BEFORE CORONER HILTON.

At 10 O'Clock Yesterday morning the Coroner continued
10 investigation at room No 43, Astor House. The
mes of the jury called and all being present Mr.
enin the Foreman and said-Mr. Coroner, before
ng to business allow to call your attention to the
ry disgraceful state of the sidewalk in front of the
,rnt building 1t is now nearly week since the fire,
hd authorities have not yet thought proper to clear
way the rubbish therefore earnestly hope you will
rect the attention the authorities to this obstruc
on.
CoRoNKR-Your suggestion Mr.. Genin, is good one,
nd have often called the city authorities in similar
ses but able to effect anything. The gen.
here (ponting to the reporers) have much more
cites in bringing the city authorities to sense Of
heir duty than have; and presume if notice Of
is made by them, it win have the desired effect.
Mr. JENNINGs-Mr Coroner am prepared to say that
the dirt and distractions will be removed by my order
efore night
CoRoNERGentlemen of the jury may possibly before
conclude this investigation deem it necessary to call
CUR attention to other buildings which are known to be
nsafe: but 1t appear that until building falls and
uman life is destroyed the public authorities omit to
AXE auy action in the matter The first witness will be
dr. Jennings.
EVIDENCE OF MR.. JENNINGS.
William T. jennings sworn, says-l was the occupant
bf the building No 2s1 Broadway, previous 10 the fire.
bur firm is T. Jennings Co.; the company consists of
Henry X Richardson; have occupied the above named
premises since the alteration that was in 1872
Q-Who owned the property ut the time?
A.-Mr. VIM. b. Cozzens made the alteration and
Miller think Mr. McVickar owned the building at that
lime; occupied the store as clothing store; never
heard any intimate that the building was not saIe
NAMED in it day at that time only rented the store,
the upper stories were occupied by the hotel.
Q.-fIow long did matters 60 on in this way-you oc
cupying only the storeS
X-Ibeiieve we took possession about eighteen months
ago of the rear extension which had been used by the
hotel as the ladies' ordinary and about three months
after had the alterations made the walls were taken
built TO make Il long enough was extended the main
building this ordinary situated on the second hoor
putting in Of the iron grders it was about is4l or 1872
previous to that we took out window, and erected
small building in theIe this was about lS4o or there
out formed the doasuAy this building, which
used as cutting room; in lS49 this cutting room was
taken down give way for the alterations made which
remained up the time of the fire. the lower two stories
were removed and the iron arch pu. in to sustain
the wall these alterations made by Job raber, the
proprietor Of the American Hotel at that time; Mr. To
Der now in phadeipha keepng ,% hotel we hfed fa
premises and does now believe.
Q-Was it one of the conditions oil your lease that MI
Taber should make these aterations2
AIN lS49 Job Taber conceived the idea TO make a
ladies' ordinary, and proposed to US TO bud the ex
tension in the rear and offered US lease ol ye years a.
ence wished to convert the that were then
occupied dining room into bed rooms and to make
ladies' ordinary the extension; he would then extend
our store and give lease of eight years and half
that was all that done at that me- accepted the
eighteen months since made the alterations in the
front Of the buildings have had nothing to do with
the upper part until within year; Mr. Taber then made
proposition to buy lease Of the upper portion of
the building for eight years bought the Lease there
was n conditions in that lease for alterations.
in is4oa -
A.-Mr. C. j. Ketcham, of Brooklyn, was the carpen
ter and Mr.. Frost the mason; don't know where
Mr. Frost resides when took possession about year
ago of the second story Mr. Kecham was called in as to
the removal of some of the partitions; it ath and
plaster partition which extended into the Here the
witness explained by diagram to the Coroner how the
Witness contnuedZThe rear building extended into
the front building Of the second story twenty feet
the general alterations made about the latter part
Sof lS49
Coroner-Now describe about the new beams.
Witness-In getting from the American Hotel to
building there were steps 60 up and to pre-
vent that the floor of our building lowered and
new set of beams put I'M that is as far as recoect
the lowered from two to three feet when the
partitions were removed columns were put up or sup
ports; within the last year have occupied the whole
Q-What did you have in the second storyp
A.--Ready made clothing, summer clothing, of no
great weight there iron safe on this hoor nor
was there any stove.
Q-on the third floor?
Alt was used a cutting room; there had been two
three piles Of cloths taken up that story within the
past week should suppose thousand pounds weight,
exclusive of the stove these cloths not deposited
in place: they scattered around; there
safe that floor, nothing but counters, &C., large
the other the floor: in the fourth floor had
winter stock of pantaloons and overcoats slowed
away also talma's they did not amount to much.
Odd you consider that building dangerousS
A.-No did not IL had should not have remained
in IT, goods in the fifth story, in the sixth
story.
@ Did you ever hear complain of the danger
GUS condition Of the building? A. No.
O. You don't consider yourself judge in these mat
ters, do your A. Not exactly, for would not have
stayed in the building IL thoug ght it dangerous
O. What was in the fourth storyS A. There were no
O. What in the sixth story9 A. Nothing.
o. What you say in reference to the alteration
A In to o.
pretors OF the American Hotel with view Of building
deeper basement had the walls on our side propped
up within the last six months To effect this object the
foundation had to be lowered several feet and the build
ing bad to be raised upon pns-under pins (screws)
O. How many feet above the basement was the build
ing hoi. ted A. Several.
O. How many9 A. could not say.
O. Was this done below the basement of the American
Hotel2 A. 1t was performed below both easements.
@ How was II proeped ups A. So many feet was dug
away and granite blocks placed there instead thereof
O. How many feet was it dug3 A. Could not say ex-
|. sctly.
O. At whose expense was the work done A. We had
The work performed in building done at our
pense
O Did the wall settle any during the operation? A.
O. Is that all in regard to the alteration3 A. 1t is
O. Lid you notice any cracks in the walR A. lean Z
TO tell you all about this matter than can
O. Were you in the store the morning OF the fire
r. How long had you left the store before the fire
broke out A. left the store about four O'Clock that
@ what time we're you informed the store lre'
A. About 104 O'Clock.
O. When you got there the walls DOWN. A. Yes;
and the fremen were work digging the bodies out.
O. Well, what followed9 A. staid there all night;
having thorough knowledge of the locality thought
could aid them in the performance OF their duty better
than any else, and direct them properly.
O. Can you say where the fire took place-what floor
A. No
O Was there any FIRE in the buidingS A. None In
the upper stories. -
O. what story was the FIRE in first A. Mr. Mills
told me he saw the fire in the hfh floor; above the
fourth there had been fire since the Saturday
previous neither had there been any In the third floor
mp to Saturday; think however, there was fire in the
stove Saturday night but not since. want u to be
understood here that not giving positive testimony
being only what understand and believe TO be true In
regard to there being any fire in this stove.
Coroner-So understand you, sir.
O. Was there any thing of q combustibe character In
the buildiugs A. No, sir.
q Have you any knowledge Of the way the FIRE ORR