New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-12-23
LOCAL MISCELLANY.
THE THIRTY-rIFTH-sT. DISASTER.
CONTINUATION OF THE INvEsTIGATION-TEsrI

CONTINUATION OF THE INyESTIGATION-TESTI-
MoNY OF THE BUILDER. --.I
The investigation into the causes which led
70 the fall Of the eightstory building In west Ihrty-
fh st. ON the 18TH inst. resulting In the death OF rour
persons and injuries TO several Others was continued
yesterday by Coroner Keenan, and jury The owner,
Mr. Hale was unable 10 DO present In consequence OF
nness Assistant District Attorney Fellows appeared
ON behalf OF the people. There crowd In attend
ance including many builders and various friends ana
relatives OF the killed and injured Only three wit
nesses examined.
Samuel Cochrfrne OF No 81 West Fifty tbIrdst builder
testified that had been that business for II years IN
ths city during this time had erected 400 or 800 build
ngs among these are the Jewish synagogue III rory
Churches and wsrehouses the extension Of High Bridge
and other structures the e s IN or
and averaged IN feet hight, extending through the
block from Thirty to Thirty xthst q feet up
ward was "a inches in thickness II eight storie.
high and had rock foundation that had Doen oas'e1
With stone, making an average wall OF about two feet
high feet wide the brick wall was started on tins
we're used; the sand was from the beach on Staten
Island and was OF good quality about double me usual
to the window frames were temporary intended to keep
the walls straght the building was tmbered with three
by twelveneh spruce joiss placed twelve inches apart
from centers the usual distance for placing such timbers
Is sixteen inches from centcrs IN dwellings, there Were
tho walls four inches; they anchored eight feet
apart, eighth beam had hplhfu lnto
1T: these used to keep the walls fron spread
ng witness considered the quality OF the work on tho
building and material used rstclass the contract
for tho building made October IS never saw any
plans or specifications for the buildings work was begun
1t October II; according TO the contract ne was al
lowed his own time In which TO erect IL; the walls
were finished floors laid and roof panks on Dec u.s. the
day II fell John Hamilton did the carpenter WORK; the
walls were begun Oct IL think tho building fell from the
wind lifting the roof; the walls fell to the eastward
think the roof was moved In such manner as to strike
the tier OF beams underneath understand that plans or
pecifcations sketch OF the building had Deen
submitted the Building Department. cannot cay posi-
lively whether the Inspector visited the building or MOI
think the building might have fallen even had the walls
thicker; there think the walls
were not sufficiently Thick before the bek work was
begun told my foreman that thought the walls
should be thicker refused at one time ~ put on more
because the work was going on as fast as saiey
would permit.
The Assistant DistrictAtorney here stated that he
compelled to leave to attend an Important trla IN
the Court Of General Sessions and asked that no more
important witnesses be examined.
Gregory Flynn, who owned blacksmith shop which
as crushed described the fall few bricks first came
OF the buildings witness then noticed
that the east wall bullying outward, and lmnedl-
ately the building fell with n crash.
The further investigation was adjourned to Tuesday
next