The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-09-05
The WALLSOf The BROADWAY THEATRE.
Operation or the SEQ. ping Machine-Fali or
a Portion or the W all Of the Theatre
Excitement IN Broadly yay.

broadway there fell about half past oclock yeste
day mcrnng As its fall howevA r was expected ever
precauon taken TO preveAt D ury fofhose empoye
| In and about the premises. Our readers are aread
aware that suiding 10 q urse OF erection
Messrs. Bowen McNamee on the Ia adjoining the tn
atre and thai the wo,kmen have ccra engaged for SON
i weeks in txcSating fr the SoundgNoa The work wa
commenced about the lster part of spr Il but in cons
i Gnence Of diff suty between NJ. Mars T. the lessee
the theatre, and Messrs. Eowen McNenA It has bee
subject to frequent Interruptions. The erI a. cause an
progress OF this difficulty fully ss5 orth In tn
suojoined state m.nts OF the conte-siA It's then
selves. From tsese statements 1t sos ears tbf
Mr. asrahall refused 10 allow the workmen needle
into .s walls, on the ground that thy wosiA nterfer
with his business. These needles large cams
wood, used for the srpport of walls Of buildnA whe
their foundations are SeDg undermined ecs yatet
Mr. Marshall ntimated his willingness, however allo
them tc 20 with the work, il kcssrs. Dowen 4 Nj
Nance would agree to ind ,mniy hu the ra
by the closing of bis thea.e during rs progress 1t
parties, however refused tc agree to the terms o2n
By each, md SO the needles not put in, and
workmen di the next best taing which to sherc a
the walls. Dat il still deemed unsafe the
men to 20 en- with the excavations, hc'wais we're
considered insecure, and might fail upon them White
engaged in their work. Under these circumstances y
machine called scoop procured. This Is simply a
gigantic shovel, worked by eight men, ty
Of handle some twenty thirty feet long with this
the process OF excavating resumed On Slondsy
last the workmen had dug largo hole under SIDE
wall OF the theatre at the distance one hunre
feet from the front The portion Of the thus under-
mined fell dewn, leaving yawnpg chasm about thirty
ieet IN height by twenty i've in width side of
building. Fortunately, have said, every precau.
ton was taken 10 prevent those who work about
caused the building itself At half past
ten O'Clock, that portion of the wall which had
been undermined gave way, falling outward, with
q terrible crash and ing with fall portion
OF the scenery. Houses, castles, forests, dungeons,
coudsai came tumbing in dire confusion, and II
seemed the last day had arrived for the mimic world
which lay behind the curtain OF the Broadway theatre
One Of those comets which, according TO
mers, are perpciuay lying through space with evil de-
signs on peaceful planets, could not be destructive
,tan was = the scoop" on na mimic world There lay
the splendid castles in which kings and mobiles held
Their banquets aud drank cir draughts from golden COB
lets; there, too the dungeons where prisoners
had suffered the torture OF years in single night;
there the ruins OF the great cities yerlce and
Reno and the gorgeous palaces OF Easter onarchs all
lying IN one confused heap and in utter disregard geo
graphical distinctions The whole my stcri OF the stage
open TO the eyes OF the unintiaed hidden
secrets revealed 10 the light Of day And instrument
by which all this accomplished which produced this
terrible earthquake, was common scoop; but like the
his ears, II lay buried beLeath the ruas
As was feared that the rest or the building would fall
during the day the Mayor ordered portion Of the police
force TO keep watch IT, and to prevent vehicles
running within too dangerous proximity. portion OF
the front wall was cracked, and tenement house
habaton, and deserted by all the inmates During
the day thousand assembled about the
building, in eNpeca ion Of seeng fa but with the
cepon Of the damage TO the side well, it remains II
was yesterday morning.
The following al the statements of the contesant,:
srATENgST BOWEN Z MSAMEE.
On the 18th OF May Bowen NcNamec, through Mr. j. C
varg and offered to shore the theatre wall at their ow
expense Hearing nothing to the contrary they
for anted permission was given The wokmen accord
rgy merced preparations their premises shore
up, but application, atout the 2aih OF May pierce
AGAIN gwen an hsy y s mere ode to enter and a
and preserve the wall from injury 1t their expense
p lded they afforded the license tar
as requisite for such purpose They reques'ei ,hat
such license might be given On the eth OF June Bowen
Asaamee sa usnns S "n ana
they houd employ competent persons TO Uphold the al
in the bert method OF safety, and SO as to interfere
with his business little migat be necessary.
On the request OF Mr.. Marshall for explauaon, as
to TIE Manner in which they proposed 10 do the work.
they obtained the services Of Mr. diaper, architect j. W
Goodwin house mover and Alderman Tucker, President
81 an insurance company, and formerly an extensive
buildcr-a gentlemen OF large experience and known
ability 10 Judge in such naersto examine the theatre
ts walls and internal structure, and give their opinion IN
writing The following is their certtdcate;-
NEW yoRK, June IL, 1856
GEsTirsKs-rn compliance with your request have TO
inform You that have carefully examined the south wall ot
opinion the only way snoring up the said wall with
many iSSn rem q ~ six 70 ssS fset Very respectfully,
To BowKS & McN.srr. }. W. GOODWIN.
ON the 18th OF June Messrs. Men handed this GER
tlncate TO Mr.. Marshall, and again requested the
license, so that they might be no longer delayed,
a, The came time assuring Mr. assos'l ,ha,
they had motive de- ire TO occasion neon.
yebicnce or Injury to hts interest beyond what
would necessarily follow from hc due course Of
proce edpas on their part They also gave him notice
that II he continued TO withhold the license, they should
be relieved Of the responsibility aud expense OF uphold
ina tie wall Mr. Marshall In reply stei that the wall
,eaid be uiheid without the aid Il needes-that be hai
tie certificate Of compaeni persons 70 that eitctwh'ch,
however, on request, be declined showing 70 3 hcN.
a. Op and "A
his ay their expense provided he would assume
the rick Of rs success which, On the goth, be refused 70
90 lie also stated that Mr. Trimbc Of the persons
referred who had given him certificate, had offered
shore UP according 70 his vrws, aud take al the
responsibility OF ioss ind damage A. soon as they
coud they had an interview with Mr. Trimble when be
fused To ake the job and assume the responsibility aud
eenhi That he bad thered io Ar sssha 70 90 " som
tec huperntend the shorDg up and under openiag Of
thc wall according TO the plan Mr. MARSHALL had said he
bad recommended lew Gays aterwMus ne poeiuVey
refused 20 and tupcrntend, as be had agreed.
On the 2o,h June Messrs SMcS gave Mr.. Marshall
notice that he had refused the sary license they
shoud EXPECT him 10 uphold walls Of the theatre
that they shoud not he responsible Tor the result ne
dd NOT, On the 2sth OF June Mr. Marshall answered :
The pcepse necessary to enable you 10 20 down
into the choose alongside AMI under
The south wall Of the Broadway theatre has already been
untrue that have refused any proper license W
ycu keep NJ and maintain the wall The lease Of the
theatre 10 Mr. Marshall expired July IL un the 25th
they commenced the s'rensth OF his let
ter of June Is md after having worked some twelve
reached be corner ana cot tho under prepara
tory TO making rm and secure, when they were met
bv an INDUCTION. 70 not deemed SAFE 10 leave the
wall in that condition, and pcrmisson was asked TO
continue the work for three or four hours when
| could have been done without any injury 70 Mr
Marshall and the wall made secure This permission was
refused Mr. Marshal At the same time stating that ne
expected the wall would tall into Broeisay before the
| next Moncay mornipg-lhs was on saturday evening.
1bc Court dccced that th0egh Bowen McNamee IN I
tone all that they could Mr. Marshall had given thcm
no such permission the law contemplated, and tha
therefore, they must be restrained IRON song upon his
prsm,sos Consequently, the 18th OF August they
again requested the necessary license 70 uphold the wal
at their EXPENSE and giving notice that 1t was not
accorded Mr. Marshall must uphold the wall hi mscf or
failing 90 10 do must be responsible for all losses da
images and injury 10 them. Mr. Marshall refused 10 up
hold tie wall himself 70 give them permission TO do sc
Al lhcir own expense Had he consented 10 give them
permission the work would have been accomplished
weeks spce during the time the theatre has been closed
| and OF course without any considerable nconve
nee 10 Mr.. Marshall The delay has been greatly u
the damage Of Mcssrs Bowen McNamec as their walls
l yhhh might have been built in warm weather, must
row be Put M mid cold and FROST and hesoccupsncy o.
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