The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1860-01-12

OF Europe 10 acknowledge his title. He has
further torn the treaty Of Vienna to pieces on
The plains OF Italy, and he will compel them to
acsnow ledge the validity Of that act iu the Con-
gress Of PARIS. And the beauty of all this il
that they believe, or affect TO believe that they
are playing voluntary and Independent part,
when they are all mere puppets in the hands Of
the Dictator Of Enrope, who is as great con-
queror in diplomacy as was his uncle in arms.
The Frixhtfui Msssacre NJ La wrencc-
Insecurity OF Modern Architecture.
The fearful catastrophe which has just oc-
cured in Massachusetts, and by which two
hundred people have lost their lives, brings mp
! again the necessity Of energetic legislation to
insure security in the construction of buildings
Out of the maay cases Of recklessness in this
| regard to which we have had occasion to trace
| similar casualties, we do not recollect one
which has been marked by such a wilful and
wicked disregard Of consequences. When
these mills were hastily run up, some seven or
eight years ago, ageneral impression prevailed
as to their insecurity, and before the machi-
merry was put into them we are told that the
walls spread to such an extent that about
twenty-five tons Of iron plates had to be insert
| ed to save them from falling by their own
weight. WHAT'S to be thought of the humanity
aud prudence Of men who, with such facts
staring them in the face, persisted in devoting
this shakey structure to its intended purpose,
aud crowding into 1t close upon thousand
buman beings They must have known, from
the precautions which it was found necessary
to adopt. the full extent of the risk and respon-
sbiiity which they incurred Had they been
| men of the least heart or conscience, the judg-
ment of no single architect, nor of half dozen
architects. could have induced them to expose
helives Of theirfellow creatures to such hazards
They would have reflected that scientific OPT.
uions are often fallible, and that there was suf-
fcient in the circumstances Of the case to
/, m.st'fy continued dis!rust of the building.
even after the steps that were taken to strength
| en- it,
We say unSesitatingly, then, that if ever
there were men whc have fairly brought them
selves within the grasp o. the criminal law by
their cupidity and recklessness, it is the men,
beers of the corporation by whom these mills
were erected. Public policy and private griefs
alike demand that they shall be at once placed
upon their trial tor murder, for certainly no
similar sacrifice of human life that we can
recollect has been more cruelty want0n, or
can have less eytenuation offered for it.
We are thus earnest in our denunciations of
The authors of this calamity because we see
H.. I'LL oT
prevailing in the construction Of storesa sand pub
lie edifices all over our own State. The recent
accident in Broad street, by which respectable
citizen lost his life, is an exemplifcatiou
not only of the little attention which is paid to
the adaptation of the strength Of buildings to
their uses, but to the warnings which are re-
ceivcd when their insecurity becomes manifest.
stores and even private dwellings,, which are
erected in go Himsy manner that the pressure
of any slight additional weight would imme-
diately bring them to the ground. As regards
our public buildings, the falling in Of the roof
of the State Arsenal, eighteen months ago, and
a similar accident to the roof of the Union Rail-
road depot at Troy, within the last few weeks, i
show that either our architects are imperfectly
educated, or that economy in construction is
but too generally consulted at the expense of
safety.
There is but one remedy for this state of
things. We may indict and punish property
owners for their sins of omission, but it will
not place us in any greater condition of secu-
rity. Accidents like that which has just taken
place at Lawrence are not Of daily occurrence,
and there will be plenty to be found who, for
the sake of sparing the expense, will willingly
incur the risk Of them. Nothing but rigorous
supervision, and the enforcement of penalties
for the infraction Of the rules laid down
by the law, will compel such persons to pay
attention to the dictates of humanity. In
Great Britain, in France, and in European
countries generally accidents of this kind are
rarely heard of, and that only in the case of
very old buildings. Their exemption from them
is owing to the stringency Of inspection which
is exercised over building operations by the
authorities In every large city there is re-
gularly appointed public officer, whose duty it
is to watch over and report to the magistrates
every violation of the laws in regard to such
matters No building can be commenced or
prosecuted through its different stages without
notice being formally served upon the inspec-
tor by the owner. The duties entrusted to our
Fire Wardens correspond somewhat to those of
this officer, but only to small extent. The
former examine buildings merely in reference
to the precautions necessary to secure them
against fire. whereas the latter is called upon
to see that provisions are made against every
other possible casualty. Seeing the evils to
which the laxity which prevails amongst us in
this respect is leading, it is clearly the duty of
| the Legislature to provide such remedy FOR
them AZ is indicated by the experience and ex-
ample Of other communities II it can spare
time from the elaboration Of the corrupt
j .la.>a - LIZ LIZ