The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1869-02-11
The accident on 'Mardi GraS and its
a.-',e Causes. % % --aas at 1'a
GROSS NEGLIGENCE SOMEWHERE.

The unfortunate wounding of several persons on
"Mardi Grss" evening. by the falling of the shed
in front OF the stationery store of Paul j. Christian
on Camp street, has given rise to many comments,
and induced us yesterday to visit the scene Of the
casualty. Before proceeding any further, We
would state that some persons very unjustly find
fault with Mr.. Christian for allowing ladies and
children to occupy the top of the shed for the
purpose o. viewing the procession of the Mis-
tick Krewe. These very persons would have
been the first to oroak against Mr.. Christian
had he refused to comply with request to lend
the use of the she'd. But there is no gainsaying
that negligence lies with somebody in this unfor-
tunate affair. Had the shed been set properly,
and supported by sound iron rods, the weight OF
could not have broken 1t down, although in our
opinion the safest plan would have been not to
have hardened II with more than half the weight.
The shed. which was about eighteen feet In length,
although not old, was not new and had been
transferred q few months ago from the front of
the store Of Mr.. II. d. McGinnis, next door to its
late position, and through carelessness the iron
rods which supported 1t from above, extending
at an angle of about forty-fve degrees from the
brick wall to its outer edge. had not been exam.
ined and the she'd was destined, sooner Of later,
to fall by Its own weight 4
An examination of 1t yesterday. as 1t lay on the
sidewalk, revealed that the shoulders OF the four
beams of the frame work. towards the WALL pro.
truded only about an inch and half and rested
simply upon protrudng bricks, and rendered the
shed very dangerous even in that respect; for q
arrangement of little more than an inch would
have necessarily precpitated it to the ground. The
four iron rods are round and about an inch and
half In diameter all the way TO the edge of the
shed towards the gutter; here the iron Ia attened
and about half an inch thick by about two inches
wide, bent in and secured by clamps screwed
to the inner portion of the cornice. Every one OF
the rods is squarely snapped off within a couple
OF inches from the clamps. The rod supporting
the end towards Gravier street has, beyond q
doubt, been broken for some time past, with the
exception of bright spot as large a small pea.
while the other three bear evidences of being of
very poor material, badly wrought, the rust being
visible over the whole surface of the segregated
parts. We would be inclined to believe that the
side OF the shed nearest to the WALL slipped from its
resting place by the rush of persons from inside
the building, causing an oscillating motion and
acting in reverse direction to the curve given to
the rods near the clamps, hence the swapping of
the iron which otherwise would not have been
broken in SO uniform Q manner as mentioned
above. In any other country this affair would be
Investigated, and the parties to blame, if any there
are, be brought 10 account for their negligence or
incapacity. which might have cost the life of sew.
eral persons But this is fast country, in O. fast
age. To morrow the casualty will have been for
gotten, like that which occurred at the Orleans
Tbeater several years ago under precisely the
q