The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-11-20
FALLING OF THE STATE ARSENAL.
Great Loss Of Property-Tremendous Crash
Miraculous Escapes, &C., &c.

Miraculous Escapes, &C., &c.
The great State Arsenal the Of Seventh ave
and Thirty fifth street which in cree
ton and almost finished well nigh totally destroyed
early hour yesterday morning. by the colapeng Of the
roof which in rs fall crushed out three Of the walls Of tho
building % depth of about twenty feet and did other
serious damage.
The Arsenal hundred feet wide by two hundred
feet long the form OF paraeogram and the height
Of tho walls fifty five feet from the foundation n
ornamenicd by one square tower hundred and
eight feet high aud two ocaon towers each seventy nve
feet in height the two latter towers being diagonaly op
postc each other at the angles Of the building which
exclusively in the Seventh and Thirty htb
street respectively. The square tower stood the
OF Thirty 9th street and Seventh avenue and the but
resses which the building rested of granite
feet and eight inches In thickness and the walls OF
brick, their thickness being twenty inches. There
three stories in the building Tho contract for tn
erection OF the Arsenal awarded hessrs. Cleveland
and Backus the 21ft OF September 1857 and the work
20 have been completed S67 600 he lst of OcO
ber 1858 The structure would have completed the
LIST Of December next had not been for the accident yes
terday morning What the cause Of the fall 1t is
impossible to learn, but the general impression
weight Of the beams which formed the connecting nk be-
tween the walls and the roof and the pressure Of the roof
on them, crushed out the walls a little, and that when
WV WIEN bfCh moVeo, the Wuoio Ahjacent pOfhOn
of the edidoc gave way and rolled down together,
knocking everything before IT, The is described by
one who stood within few feet Of when il fell,
sembling at first very distant roll of thunder which
gradually increased D oudness for half mnute-then
died away and was heard no more Tho upper story Of
the building and the roof and about twenty
Of all the wall, except that facing Seventh ave
nue., lies in heaps OF bricks and mortar
in the streets. The towers however, not damaged
The entire loss estimated at s25 900 TO the Arsenal Itself
Fortunately in the edifce when il gave way,
and IL is equally fortunate THAI passing by In
Thirty nth street when the accident occurred or they
must have been killed by the Of falling brick
This circumstance owing to the hour at which the build
ing FELL which was about o'clock A. NJ, when the
streets must have been almost deserted The building
insured TO the amount of sl5 00 against fire. the
contractors but there was no other insurance w.
that is believed thai the contractors will suffer tho
whole amount Of the loes
Adjoining the Arsenal, Thirty fh street. was small
wooden sbanty in which slept named Gould and
her daughter Somo of the bricks from the top OF tho
arsenal fell upon this house dashng their way through
the roof killing small dog, inurng Mrs. Could slightly
in the foot but doing no further damage The escape Of
the inmates almost miraculous, large, ponderous
OF brick and mortar strewed every spot the
floor of the shanty which they slept horse, which
in a shanty adjoining the already mentioned
killed by the bricks falling through and striking him.
The roof OF large honse next 10 the arsenal seventh
also received damage by the showers OF brick
mortar, to the amount OF about $500
ADDITIONAL PARTICULARS.
The private watcbman who duty tho
Arsenal when fell states that ladies' passed round
the Of Seventh into Thirty dth street
about hall minute before the building fell, and that
they have been killed and buried in the ruins
Another watchman, who also the spot conradcs
this however and states that he had full view OF the
streets, both mp and down but saw wuhn
reach Of the falling brick considerable portion OF lbo
rubbish IL now removed YET trace Of anything lead
ing towards confirmation OF the above statement has
been discovered, and the general impression the
wachmsn who made the statement have made a
mistake.
The stable N which the horsc was killed also con
tanned two nne dogs, which among the victims and
the loss oi the whole to Mr. Caldwell, the owner, is
about 500, The damage 10 the house seventh ave
nue, which al drst believed to be of tri6ng nstur
found to amount 10 about $500.
Mr. Goud's loss in property " about $50, and ber
wound consists Of confusion Of the heel
P,ceolon,ini and the Three Hungry French