The New York herald., 1869-11-21

story: the matches were generally closed In e5; we
rented the building originally from MI Merri.. ,s ous
soners for the Improvement OF Brookyn heignts,
they have had charge OF 1t about Two years anu We
nav a rental OF 81 800 annually Tor the puuu-
ing; don't know who the Commissioners are;
our loss we estimate at $40, 0oo out may
be more or less: insured for about $40, 600
on mncninery and sle 900 ON stock; kept stove
on the third moor OF No 90 for the purpose OF heat-
ing IL; don't know, but rather THINK there was
ten feet from the 'front.' window; there was tin set
in the place OF the glass, and the pipe ran out
through this n there was no stovepipe hole IN that
door; 1t was used every day; considered 1t per-
fecty sale; a gas stove for soldering, which,
think, was In use yesterday.
TESTIMONY OF Mr.. JOHN j.. MERRITT.
John ], Merritt sworn testined-I live at No. 70
Columbia street; owned and erected the buildings
In which the nre occurred; they were built in the
fall OF 1885, on the nor.h side is strong wall ten
feet thick, which IS on my premises; on the south
side Is wall six feet thick-a party wall Of stone
and brick; they are four stories in height and the
roof Is OF brick, framed OF q single arch for each
store; tho arch Is sixteen inches in thickness for
about one-thrd OF It's exent the remainder Is twelve
inches III thickness; the rear consists OF a brick
areh for each store, and is two feet thick; the In
termediate wall between the two stores Is
inches at the bottom and at the top thirtytwo
lnches the front Is brick sixteen inches In thick
ness; the arch forms the roof; there is about two
1eet OF earth on the crown or the arch, growing
deeper as the arch descends and between the arches
and on each side OF 1t is filed IN solid with spande
bacKlng' OF solid masonry TO about one-thlrd the
helghth OF the arch.
Q. Was there any outlet by scutte or otherwise
through the roofs OF those buildngss A. There was
not, except the chimneys.
q. II the stairs were cut off by fire or otherwise
persons ON the top floor could not get out except
through the Window A. They could not except
tarough the windows.
q. Did the Board OF Health ever direct you to put
fire escapes on those buildings9 A. They never
did; have owned the ground since lSf5 until about
three years since, when it taken BY the Legsla
ure and the title was vested IN the city; think that
at the re which occurred IN April 1862 there were
live Killed and Others injured by the falling
OF the roof when the building was ON fire;
/ attempted TO rebuild the stores, and before It's
completion IL lei again, burying three men IN IN
other persons were killed there this morning by
jumping out OF the window; the grounds over the
buildings are now IN grass, under direction OF the
commissioners and take care OF them; ! do not
pay for or use the grounds they are fenced In from
the adjoining property; own building at No. 81
Furman street, thar ls arched III a similar manner
and without any means OF eRress through the ROOF;
there are many more than dozen buildings there
without means OF egress through the roof; none Of
them are dwellings, or occupied as such, to my
knowedge; the buildings were worth from $25,00O
to $4,000; lrented them for sl.5oo four years ago
this building was not designed Tor dwellings,, but Tor
storage and manufacturing purposes.
TESTIMONY OF OFFICER JAMES wHALEY.
James Whaley, an officer OF the forty-second Pre-
at six O'Clock, at No. 93 Furman street; was IN
Furman near Fulton street when heard the alarm;
| went to the fire and found Thomas Wallace, q boy
and Ann Wallace lying on the sidewalk; neither the
boy nor the mother were dead; she was taken TO q
yard on the opposite sde then went TO the station
house ana reported the fire; when | first saw the
fire lt was on the third floor: at the hospital she
exclaimed when we were removing her from the
stretcher "Oh dear, don't touch mel" her head and
cheek bone on the right side are all stove In Mr..
Wallace was cut on the forehead, but the principal
wound seemed to be on his breast; the boy was cut
on the fore part OF the nead passed there abou.
hour and nalf before the fire; know nothing about
the origin OF the lire.
THE DEAD BODIES
Of Thomas Wallace and his son were removed TO the
M0rgue, and Coroner Jones proceeded TO empanel
jury. Inc inquests VIII oe held on Monday next.