The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-01-22
THE BROOKLYN CALAMITY.
The Catastrophe at Public School No. If
Conclusion Of the Coroner's Inquest and
Verdict OF the Jury.

Verdict Of the Jury.
The investigation into the of the destruction of
school house No. H. the of Concord and Navy
streets the afternoon Of Tuesday the 10Th inst was
concluded before Coroner Smell and jury yesterday af
ternoon number Of witnesses were examined, and
additional evidence taken, when the jury rendered their
verdict generating the principal and assistants from
blame recommending in the future construction Of
heaters buildings of this nature and commenting the
Coroner for the in which he conducted the case
The following additional evidence was taken:-
Samuel NJ Main sworn-Resde in Connecticut busi-
ness at 400 Broadway; am employed by Geo. l. Can
for the sale of hot furnaces employed TO put
in the furnaces in No "A last fall the contract accept
ed by the Board Of ducson and soon AFTER received or
ders to put the works. this was about the 18th OF Sep
TENDER, 1857 the specification did not call for REIN
specton Of the hues examined ths ues myself about the
LIST September to fix the pipes TO put register stones
soap all the registers in the wainscoat
ing walls the registers in the floor were surrounded with
soapstone; in my examination came across row Of pipes
leading from the furnace to one OF the rooms on the second
floor, which came in contact with beam; was the Sc.
cond from the extremity OF the building on Concord
street, in my examination found in some the pipe
lay close to the wood work. and few were half an
inch more from it; in almost every case
the wood work was covered with tin; in the
fronts Of the pipes there nnothng but plaster;
floors, the pipes were close to the wood work; should
think that IN most Of the the tin pipes came close TO
at all, minimum put in tin in these cases as to
guard the pipe; cut of the beam on the floor above
the cellar where put in the furnaces cut it nearly
inches off the time the furnaces put up the
defect remeded and that not the origin Of the
fire. IL gsS possible in cases where the pipes come in
proximity with wood, even when the wood covered
with tin knew fire 10 occur IRON this cause,
however, in case Of building burning down ii s i'm
possible to investigate IT, the registers were not so ar
ranged TO allow chance for the circulation of cool air
between the pipe passing through the floor and the beam,
or in other words, there was around the pipe space
not think that that would cause ignition to the surrounding
wood work; there were only two registers ar
ranged in this manner, in the floor, in the
whole building; all the pipes from the furnaces up
the partitions for the sliding doors; the pipes up
the pastered as closing all the registers suddenly has
tendency concentrate agreat of heat the
fues; closing part OF them would not have great
effect; 1t rendered the circulation eQuable have
experimental this point have tested that the pipe be-
very hot TO DO unbearable the hand heat
becomes more intense by confinement don't Think
in this case, hot air could be made hot enough to burn
through wood when made If double tin and properly
cured directed by Mr.. Harris to make the building
entirely safe when found the tues in the condition they
were in was shown ndsputabe evidence that there had
been fire there before; shown pieces Of wood and
lath which were almost charred when examined the
pipes found that the pipes single of light tin
and without double scanning the ends, and altogether
it was bad job to make safe he tn ought would be safe
il made safe around the register heads could do that
easy enough but could not secure them when they
in the partitiens made all safe down far the
bottom of the ceiling when put in the furnaces made
all safe the pipes passing Though the partitions
made safe possible without tearing away the par
tiions; thought there danger in the walls; made
all safe above and below in these partitions the athng
might have Rugged the pipes; the pipes in the ceiling
might have been DOUBLE for all that know learned that
Mr. Samuel Sale put in the pipes Mr. Harris directed the
timbers to be cut away--al timbers where there
danger could not if there hugging of the ath
ing the pipes they passed between the foors If the
pipes doubled they must have left very thin space
between the pipes and athiDg.
John Simpson sworn-Went over 10 examine the work
referred 10 by last Witness went the place be-
fore went TO work; examined and found that there
put the tin work have good reason to believe the work
was properly DONE
Robert Mcmahon sworn-About three days ago saw
that OF the pipes unsodered; 1t Of the
pipes leading from Of the furnaces Navy street,
the end of the buildng very near the beam
where the pipe ran; il the floor the play
ground there were three or four holes that observed
where the solder had CT the pipe and left unsoder
ed did not think would vary three or four inches from
the pipe TO the wood work. spoke Of it 10 Mr. Smith,
gineer and Others saying that the building was unsafe
up see could find the head teacher, but could
not this the first that knew about the matter
heard that the teacher wanted get to fire up
in the building and being out of work went TO get en-
ployment
John Carpenter sworn--was in the building about If
teen minutes after II w& TIRE; went in en- the end on
Concord street went stairs and discovered great deal
OF smoke there children IL the passage way
up stairs turned to the right the second floor and
passed about ten feet fr the landing TIL came 10 the
rst partition Of the class rooms; saw are ao up the
skTting, and took and cut hole In the place;
threw the fire; five minutes after went down into
the basement or ground floor, and right under
not see how the fues were, as there was too
much SMOKE; the fire on he second floor was in
the second room from the stairway; cannot recoect The
81 laton Of the heaters with reference 10 the fire.
Charles ". Wolcstt, principal of the school No H. had
charge OF the furnaces jsntor Of the school well
principal employed Joseph H. Sturgs, Of a. Concord
street assist me; don't know how much fire there
In the furnaces that day don't know that have had rea
son TO apprehend danger from the building at one time
went 10 Mr. Harris in reference TO the chimney stua
ted in the hall Concord street, the end most remote
frc- Navy street; supposed there heater between
the brick wall and the plaster but assured that such
was not the case; was nauguraed principal 18th June,
1885, have had lack Of heat in every last winter
more on the primary foer than the one above; have
thought the because the furnaces not
good; not account OF any defect IN the pipes.
Mr.. Mar recaed-Thero was a separate pipe nom
each furnace each register and all Of the dmen
sons, vz with the exception Of ono ANGLE they were
five by sixteen inches.
woicott recaied-Tad not the furnaces tina, day
judged the registers all closed mostly In the whole
building, owing 10 the state Of the weather. should think
closing the registers would accumulation Of
hot air; had windows open, more less all day;
WA hearing recitation at tho time Of Dire; Miss
Farmer bad taken part Of the class 10 recite heard
roise and stepped to the door Of my room TO check IT,
supposed the scholars coming up, and at that
time heard Of children and also discovered m,kc
in the hall Of the third oos grammar department. did
not then where the fire was acted without ree
70 the are but aimed get the children of the
building; cannot where the fire started started N see
II the children got out o' the teachers 10 get the child
OF the entrance 10 get them away from
the fire. all NJ this time of the FIRE; Of
the children that passed down the main were
d Of be rs s
children at the main entrance clear went 70 the stair
at the Navy street side and saw the boys passing
down the stairs found the children piled on the platform;
fell after got there; attr butte the whole disaster To
the smaller children falling the platform and others
falling them persons trying 10 crowd up past
the boys the stairs stopped the balusters and
two at the foot ~ ne stairs who had hold OF
boy trying 10 pull him out then pushed back TO keep
tho crowd away OF those who had fallen; then passed
the boys tie balus,ers TO the below the ladies'
back Of engaged In assisting the chidren know
Of who seized with the panic and ran away;
all attended 10 their duty and passed some Of the children
out Of the window; should Judge that there was fun
hundred the stairs and PLATFORM out OF these not more
than dozen had fallen down the PLATFORM those who
down under the feet Of others passed many
hundred and 1fty the balusters when all had
been passed out returned 10 the floor above and the
floors all clean; teachers children there sxpe
riepced difficulty from smoke I'll passed back; am
certain that suiiocated by the smoke no
boy any Of the class that dead and had died
from suiiocaton positive that boy suocaied,
A. represented in tie testimony yesterday.
liss Sarah WVoorhes sworn principal ofthe pr.
mary department. the IRE In tho primary department
hetA and o. the Cnncord street side.