New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-08-09
TIE GAS HOUSE RUIN.

To The Edioy u The y. T. Tribune.
SIR: The cursory manner in which the nyestig alton
ives made by the Coroners Jury led to the belief that
some Of our civil engineers would have made public tho
true causes of the failure correcting the state
men,s OF tie witnesses before the jury, and have
ueyed the nubc mind from the idea OF the failure being
q wonderful mystery,
The fact that iron is becoming extensively used as
building material requires that correct notions OF the
limit Of lis strength should be more generally known
among architects and all who required to specify the
dime usious Of girders, posts roof, SC.
The want %, this knowledge has BORN manifested in the
present case tie of failure being not in the i0un
datiop as some supposed nor in the expansion OF the
metal rs the hot weather the great length
of the building because there were three roofs side
by side nor the weakness Of the castron CUTTERS on
which the roof rested The foundations quite suti
Gent The expansion OF the metal instead Of being
and-ahaf inches, testified ~ by house smith before
the jury could net have been the entire width OF the
three roofs mere hsn eighth Of inch between the
gresiest Of temperature in our climate. Inc
great length the building, and there being more than
building CAUSES not Of weakness but OF strength
inssmuch that block Of buildings are stronger than
isolated building. In roof framed mass be sum
Gent 70 support feet in length Of SAID roof success.
zion Of similar framed masses placed ten feet apart VIII
be sufficient 10 sustain an extension OF sad roof 10 any
length The failure therefore, could not have been Ia
consequence Of tie great lergth Of the building.
Upon examination appears these roofs were COM
posed Of raned placed about five feet TWO inches
apart and having clear bearing OF sixty feet and NJ
Of about sixteen feet The principal ribs or raiter Of
these OF wrought iron, h1 Dy Tour anu d
halt inches uoched for the stating ath 20 reduce
their effective strength a half By four inches their
length being about thItywo feet. These rios rafters
up edgewe without any tie traces TO prevent
lateral motion except some little bracing they received by
friction from the stating laih Other conditions remaining
as above, these raes should have been oaeand a.
hall inches thick instead Of half inch! But this would
not have been the best Of forming these rIites
Another fern Of section more economical should have
teen given them and braces added at proper intervals 10
prevent lateral motion.
One witness before the Coroner, and only oHe-Mr.
RaegL-stt Us 10 have had cor-ec. idea Of the matter
but bis tesnony had little gh with the jury, az
Il appears from their verdict. The Jury say; " There
deficiency Of the bracDg of said roof on account
of the eNelt OF the and ,he combination Of three
roof although believe that ~ braciTg cqs s9cteat
go SINGLE reg o. tss same coHst'fctioH Or IN
other words, house Nigh stand alone that would Ia
down L built IN connection with Two others OF Ike con-
strgction.
Whatever other defects there may nave been tie most
prominent the weakness Of Tie principal 70 or raiter,
e. above stated A. the of the failure these reiiers
in the northern roof Goab. bscked or moved Literally
q tie middle thcr .eLg;h al! thus &. down he Dad
upon he teods below depressing ite-e 20 much %
drag over uar'hw ardy tie two adjoining roof.
- tie .s.l1re no mystery Wa natural conse-
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