New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1865-08-09
THE FUnMAN.sT. DISASTER.
ycrdie, Of tho Coron~r's Jury.

lost their lives was Dnauy conciuoeu ia1t e'ehhe' Anu
annexed additional evidence was taken, and, followed
BY the Coroners charge. the verdict was rendered.
| David Board. sworn: Reside No. 2,s West Forty
third.s., New. York; carpenter and builder; have
been in the business for IS or 40 years. have built
store in Dey ST. and ore in Fulton st, New York. for
Mr. Merritt; employed by him TO do the carpenter
work on the buildings In Furman-st; drew plan OF
the front OF the buildings the plan now shown Is the
one drew for Mr. Merritt; Idrew the plan from the
suggestion of Mr.. Merritt under his directions do not
always draw plans for buildings; sometimes the owner
employs an architect to DO nj the arches %ess shcp
think the lower center arch was four inches tnch
Mr. Bunting said twice that ne did not intena
to put the upper center arch in the buildings bad not
drawn the plans before ir. Bunting commenced MS
mason work; think heard Mr. Bunting say mat en9
lower center arch should be inches thick heaia
Mr. Merritt say he would be ona NJ Mr. Bunting
consult about the upper arch; DO not KNOW wv Hn5
gested the upper arch Mr. Bunting thought the quiz"
ing would be better without the upper center Mch te
centers for the arches made by my men, ,se t
ters were taken ont about five or SIX days aier ,"s
arches were compcted the center OF the uppsr oo.,
arch was pever taken down. do not recoilect Oh
any conversation with Mr.. bunting In regard 10 .hc
arches; Mr. Merritt had an idea that inc upper
arch would earth on the bu llng anu ~, n The
have less weight on the roof; the tin ers pnt III t
building were and l2 inches; there was one IRON co.
umn in each building. on the first story on Tue o
stories there locust posts DO not Know "se a
Mr. Merritt acting under instruction Vi nni
architect or not; / think the upper center arcn
weakened the building Mr. Merritt once or Twice
week during the construction OF the buildings INNS
M Merritt made the remark about being Responsible
wien the finch arch being built; do not thnk nc
yould know as much about an arch rs mechanic;
there was nothing but the hips of the lower arches 10
support tho upper center arch think the building gNve
way on the Furman-st side on account OF 10 eai'n
! being on that corner - c- CT
| Thomas j Chubb sworn: Reside mt No. 2o5 SCUM
Fourth.st f. d. an practical engineer; my place OF
business is No. 90 Furmanst have been in the OuidhB
during it, constructions; occupied No 10 previous 10
the fire in April last; constructing machinery loI
the building as intended to occupy ~ sshi" nndaS
the construction l asked Mr.. Merritt II he intehdea
to construct the building on the old plan. anu
he said No; he going to put two arches
on the roof similar 10 building at No VI rurnahsti
called his attention TO the fact OF there DeihB TWO
wall, and thought IT wonld require sohetnns tey
Mr. Merritt. said he intended to pat some OF the pieces
Of the old iron beams that were in the building IN tne
lower 4.inch arch: sometime after l heard that thry
were going TO pnt in brick arches and spoke to Mr. Mer
rift about il; he said he woui put another arch ABOVE
the main arches; thought the lower center srcn WIZ
thicker than il really was; it was or feet IRON inc
front wall, Mr. Merritt said he would increase the
thickness of the walls which was donethe Was peag
built 10 inches Thick there was chimn run up ~ tn
l6nch walls they run up both walls and were arcned
M the ton making chimney; the chlhl'
ney run up some distance above the roof the upper
center arch. IN ny opinion. sid os aa an ,cbsy ~
keen the walls from coming together except thc ch-
ney spoken Of and the hips OF the arches the upper
center arch had tend,-cy to cave III the main
John J. Merritt recalled: Thought when put up the
upper arch thst IL would strengthen the bui.dingi
would rot have put II IN II thought W hAd Deeh tOu
that !; was rot safe.
the jury; -
10 b. If nquesis upon three persons who came 70 their
death by the falling Of the buildings known as Nos rs
and IS turrlan.e On the sih Of Aprl last inquests
were held upon the bodies Of several persons who came
10 their death by the falling Of buildings upon the same
premises which at the tine were on IRE ana veriict
Of "nohOdy TO blame" was rendered. which was As lar
as We could tel at that tine In accordance win the
eyd, nee But this time there is someone 10 blame
- say the least Of H. for gross negligence Aitar thc
hre ~ April T. Mr. Merritt proceeded to rebuild the
structure md employed Mr.. Charles A. Bunting os
builder and superintendent during their erection, ana
Mr. David Board To do tie carpenter work. MI. Bun.
tag testies that Of the was-thc northerly wall
TOT ths adjoining buil1ing-was 10 ieet thick'
and the sou'horly wall was five feet thics.
lie also testified that he built wan adjoining
the sopthery wall 10 inches in thickness and TWO cen
ter walls which were 10 inches thick aad connecting
with portion OF tie old wils which ere left stand
ing after the Ere OF tie ith of April the arches were
sprung about one week after the said walls were I'M
shcd and that hard brick ana The pest Tnahy OF ee-
ment were used IN constructing TIE buidlngs Inc
witness further that five men were employed IN
filling up the yard which was on the ROOT OF the ond
lug and tina, thoy had been employed % wheeling eat,h
upon the roofs Of the buildings abol. three weeks hat
one man could wheel about seven loads OF earth day
witness told Mr. Merit. the owner OF the bmdings'
that the center arch was not strong enough ann ar.
Merritt suggested TO Mr. Bunting TO bnid another
the witness acquesccd. the arch was bniIt us Only
support being tie fact of resting on the hips OF he
main arches. The witness inrthsr STATES tIat nc Do
eyes the arch suggested by Mr. Merritt had grea-er
tendency TO weaken the mein arches than 1t had 10
strengthen them or keep them up; witness saw small
crack In the brick of the old wall the competition
Of the work; nothing bit tho walls supported the
arches there was about "a inches Of earh on the Top
of the crown Of the arch in tie valleys between me
arches there between four and h'e iect OF eart
the witness did not think that the walls had settled
any, VIM H. Hazard. "a builder OF this city for the
last IL years. testcs that the cause Of tie falling OF the
building the result oi the iauts OF us afcnec'ur
constrncton-that the workmanship and materials
were good be is positive that the upper center
arch was tho cause of the falling OF these
buildings Mr.. Hazard described very inteligently
TO Won the mode Of construction OF those buildings anu
the position of the arches and has explained 10 you his
OPINION the cause Of this calamity He also testihes
that was safe to put any earth on these arches
and further states that II he Ind erected those bald.
pgs he would consider himself responsible 10 God and
men for the lives Of the men who were killed James
Lock another builder Of IL years standing testified
that the cause Of the falling OF tho buildings was the
uniting up Of the top central archthat the center
walls were not thick enough for such bLildings mat,
instead Of adding strength to the main arches the cen
ter arch weakened them The witness says that TO
make the buildings safe the center walls should have
new good arches between them at each story and be
well anchored together with iron anchors John D. Mer
rtt tho Of the building testified that be employed
Mr. Bunting superntend the erection OF the building
and Mr. David Board carpenter OF New-h ork. drew
the plans o thinks the center arch strengthened the
two main arches and says there four feet Of earth
in the valleys between the arches. He thinks that II
q ere had been earth put the arches they would
| not have fahen Mr.. Bunting stated to the witness
that he did not think the finch arch was strong enough
Witness then saw Mr. Board. who said ii was strong
enough Mr. Murphy states that Bunting told him that
he did not think the small arch was strong enough 10
hold up the amount of earth that was being put upon H.
but could whether bunting told Merritt OF this
or Bunting told witness TO build the arch III Mr.
Merritt thought that the dirt should not have been
placed upon the buildings, it was his duty. as
IL ha AL Pint