The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-11-22
1--WE fremen lost their lives in this appropriately
named man-trap.

i've hremen lost Their lives In this appropriately
named man-trap.
Atthe time when the unfortunate nremen were
crushed to death beneath the heavy tmbers and
EARTH the cause attributed solely to the archi-
'ectural defects In the roof. It shown that the
arch forming the roof was not constructed with
suEicent strength to bear the weight OF the earth
put upon II 10 form garden patch for the residence
on Columbia street. II tins defect could be over
come IL was thought that all danger IN the future
"ouiu % aVerted, and the owner Mr.. Merritt.
REBUILDING the buildings took unusual precauton to
have them made strong. Notwithstanding these
precautions, however there seemed to be fatality
hanging over the buildings for when the roofs were
nearly completed they again fell in carrying with
them three OF the unfortunate worNmen who were
crushed to death. That they should be turned into
an for the roasting OF humen beings was neye
dreamed OF, and therefore no other egress from the
upper story than that or Tho stairway was prepared
The building in which the Wallace family occupied
apartments, a. before stated IN the HERALD, is In
FGrman street. al the foot OF Orange street. and
quite the foot OF the Rev. Henry Ward Beecners
residence. II IL on the east side OF the street and
faces the west. The back n built against the heights,
and That With the arcled roof forms solid piece OF
masonry. through no part OF which IL there an out
let The roof Is covered with from two TO six feet
OF earth. The party walls on either side are or stone
masonry, ana The only openings therefore are the
doors an1 windows on the 'front.' The stairs formed
otplanklng, ana those leading to the second and
third floors run east. while the one Leading TO the
west ihese stairs leading TO their floor appear 10
have been burned first and before they were aware
that there was any fire In the building. The question
has been asked BY thousands OF people II IL not
possible for these unfortunate people have escaped
II they had mad presence OF mind and exercised
great precaution. when the stairway was cut on
every avenue Of escape closed them, ana they
at once comprenended the result that OF being
ROASTED ALIVE.
AS the IRE increased beneath them volumes Of
smoke must have assembled through the hatchway
and stairway, sutrocating them until their reason
casks or nseed oil and from forty five to fifty empty
oil barrels stored beneath them. and when this
cracking sparks and felt the ioor under their feet
growing hotter and hotter, their resolution to accept
the desperate alternative OF being dashed TO pieces ia
jumping from the fourth story window in preferences
TO being roasted alive IN that oven cannot be Won
dcred at. Nothing Is known as TO what their condi-
ton was just before taking the fearful leap; for
Wallace ana his son were killed and
MRS. WALLACE
has not been entirely conscious since the sad caau-
ity. The physicians say 10 Will be impossible FOR her
to recover. she has q henorrhage OF the liver, her
skull and limbs are fractured and she is Injured IN
ternally. The wounds UPON the side or her head
have been sewed up and yesterday she complained
OF soreness oil the breast she said she had fallen
over water Fail and hurt her breast she has
recollection whatever OF the IRE or how she re-
ceiyed her injury.
fire Marshal Ready resumed the investigation yes
terday afternoon and examined the following wit
neS5e5:-
Patrick CAREY. sworn-I am foreman in tho
factory OF Anderson, Douglas Pierce Nos. 90 and IS
Furman street; knew Thomas Wallace, who with
Ills wife aud child, lived on the fourth floor OF the
building No. 93; he moved there IN April last; had
charge OF all the men 10 the pace on the third floor
or No. SO we kept a soldering stove heated by gas;
John Murray, aged about eighteen years, worked as
the stove on Friday don't know whether he put the
gas out on Friday night; There was also common
stove on that noori there was IRE IN that stove on
Friday: Murray had charge OF II; / DON'T
know whether the fire IN that stove was put
out on Friday night the orders were to
put out fires IN those stoves YES az night nas stove was
it; that floor used for storage OF empty barrels
and cans; and also kept three casks OF lnseed oil
there; 1t was also used for packing colors; there
were three large zinc covered tables on That floor;
the empty barrels were TERED up IN the back end OF
the ROOM there were about fortylve or fifty bar
res; the oil casks were on the north side, the
hatchWay; the barrels and Oil casks were on the
floor just under where Wallace lived; those barrels
were about eight or ten feet from the stairway;
there was other way OF getting up or down stairs
except by the stairs or hachway | put the barrels
there because ] had no other place to put them;
there was no rubbish or sweepings there; don't
| know that wallace had been told 10 remove from
| the building.
and work in the white lead factory OF Ander-
| son, Douglas 4 Pierce, Furman street; am ac-
Guainted with the location OF tue rooms in
III which Wallace lived, on the fourth noor OF No. o3:
lie occupied the entire floor; examined the pre-
misses since the Gre; the part occupied by Wallace
4 seems 10 nave been burned most; my instructions
apout fire TO be as careful as possible; don't
/ know whether there was any fire on the third floor
when we cut work on Friday night; 1t was Wal
Iace's business to that; he was very careful
| sober and industrious man; there was no possible
OF getting out q! Suits
| were burned except by the window or hatch way;
| don't think the fire originated on his floor.
George H. Burns sworn--I live at No. II Hicks
street, Brooklyn. and served the family Of
Thomas allace with milk at NO. o3 Fur
man street; on last Saturday morning, about
twenty minutes before six O'Clock | drove up In
front OF No Oh FurmAn street and rang the bell and
gave the usual mikmans CALI Mrs. Wallace opened
the window on the fourth door and lowered down
her mix pau with cord or string; found ticket
IN the pail. which took out and put IN d pint OF
MIX whereupon she hoisted the pan up again and
took IL in the WINDOW: she made some joking
remark when put the milk III the pail; after saw
her take the pail in the window then drove or:
| got no smell OF fire, did not see any and did
not notice anything unusual about the building
while | was there; went home TO the depot after
that. ana served few customers on my way 10 No.
II Hicks street; soon as got to the store heard
the fire bells; this Is all know about the fire.
TINS closed the investigation.