New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-12-28
LOCAL MISCELLANY.
THE THERAPEUTICS DISASTER.
CONTINUATION OF THE INvEsTIGATI0N-ExAMT-
NATION OF EXPERTS.


new eightst building belonging to Joseph b. Hale, In
Thirty ATHEIST west OF Tenthave whereby several per-
sons Lost their lives.
John L. Hamilton OF No. 3ls West Twenty seventh-st.
testified that he did the carpenter woIk on the budng
1t was done by contract he to do the entire wood
work. TO spruce timber Sxi2 for seven tiers placed
u inches from the CENTER carriage beams ana mead
ers 6x2 the roof beams 3xll and IA inches from the
center resting four inches in the walls at each end al
the beams were secured In the usual three piers OF
bridges and anchor strips these are placed TO stay inc
front wall not the side walls these were secured
with anchor strips, furnished by the masons' las
tened TO the beams-every eighth beam on Doth siues
all the way lup; there were 362 WINDOWS III 'ho
building % each front and 159 on each SIDE; thero
were 20 in row. the roof built pitching toward the
center descent OF three feet from each 'front.' the
beams were built i'm the wall TO the roof; there
was no iron fastening except the arches which ran side
ways and scant boards were nailed TO the Deams there
was TO be gravel roof, which would finish 1t; there
were six openings, four for skyghts and two FOR scut
es there are different ways OF constructing roofs none
more secure than hs there Is no method better than
this to secure roof to the buding left the building
at O'Clock the day that 1t FELL the roof had not
then arrived; there were no wOrkmen in 1t at the
time to his knowledge; went to about the center
OF the building on that morning on the first story;
felt no shaking and nothing unusual saw no cracks
In the walls heard nothing said then about the trembling
OF the building OF any danger had heard parties say
II high building, and was In danger or railing;
don't know who the parties werenOt builder TO his
knowledge; returned about IA o'clock and found that
the building had faen In his opinion the wind caused
it to fall 1t was too for in its unfinished state;
the owner always wanted the building well b5aced ex
building standing alone had witness put up the factory
for himself he would have constructed 1t differently
preferred partition walls would have built 1t more
square more secure until 1t FELL however he deemed IL
Henry g. Harrison Of No % Nnth-st, an architect,
present and the building fall; was near the
river, between Eeyenhaye and the water on the block
between Thirty fourth and Thirty fth-sts Mr.. Armer
directed his attention to the building, and sald lt Is
falling" looked and saw the walls falling in, the upper
end and the Sides about 10 or 20 feet OF the side walls re-
manned standing; witness has constructed several large
Ffteth-st., and the Manhattan Market among them;
there was but one cause of the building falling that was
the wind IL fearful gale. certainly In velocity from
80 TO 80 miles an hour the building was much exposed to
the wind 1t was very strong building
John Dayic Of No. 20i East yninthst testified that
he did the work of the building twas commenced
between the 18th and goth OF October employed from IL
to 20 men, on an average worked every day except sun
It fell that day levced up between the ROOT beams
commenced, he suggested that must take extra
precauon account OF the hight and to suggest to Mr.
heavier did make the suggestion and he replied that he
was building according to law and was not going beyond
the law in the hight TO which he going had not been
out Of the building 10 minutes when it fell had been on
the roof that morning and saw nothing unusual; no
trembling he had been cOmplmented the strength OF
the walls to the day on which the building fell was
employed As working days Mr. Hale superintendent the
construction and gave witness all his orders; the hight
OF the building about ~ feet the Superintendent
OF Buildings there frequently. ,..-,-,- ,-,,.,
Francis Barry, dealer In building materials, furnished
part OF the lime used in the building; 1t was the best in
The market and used from the center OF the building
up IL does not set quick some lime, but makes
strong wall Thomas White, who mixed the mortar, be-
John Miller Of No 233 West Fortieth-s testified that
he a mason and builder; had examined the ruins OF
tine en aer be Ias 3 witness would cal
having been built too fast; from three to five months
n n
witness built the Fulton and Exchange Banks
the Young Mems Christian Association building, ST.
Stephens Church, and other large buildings; properly
constructed building placed in the position OF this one
might blow down in such gale as that on the 18th; the
mortar does not properly set short time; there
nothing to break the force of the wind except small
house; would use caution in building standing
alone in other the braces spoken of by Mr.
Cochrane were sufficiently secure; had three or four
months been taken to put up the walls do not think the
building would have fallen; The open windows would
floors been in, the building would not have fallen.
James H. Miller builder living at No us East Fifty
of the roof by force of the wind it very heavy
roof think the walls of such buildings should he heavier
oversight careessness in construction might make
lanes Webb mason and builder, OF No 81 mortonst..
testified that he had examined the building AFTER fcli
SO far ~ he could Judge the materials and workmanship
were good the wind was the Of the fall; had the
mortar had time to set II would have made no dferonce
had the windows. been closed, that would have pre-
vented the fall; il Is not usual to close windows until the
floors laid aud the roof on had the floors been n the
building would probably not have fallen; examined The
mortar and found it good; think the building could be
safely constructed in as days.
John Downey, q carpenter and builder, living at No
CT West Forty ,ffth-st., the building few DAYS
before fell the walls were plumb saw II after II iel
think II would blow down even II properly constructed
all buildings exposed in this way liable to fall there
means IN use to protect building IN TINS exposed
been laid would have saved the building the floors
laid until the roof Is on as they wonld be
exposed to the rain and storm there high build
ngs with less number of stories; an additional number
OF e a ns IN b case o e i
II Is customary to put two braces 10 each window the
materials and workmanship were good; two 3xl
braces would be deemed extra bracng have never put
up building so exposed as this one.
Patrick Muhearn helped to mix the mortar and
thought good had told Gregory Flynn that the
lime was made from marble; after the building had
last better; had heard people the building
unsafe account Of the hight
John I. COnOyer, a mason and builder examined the
building after it fell the wall for four stories stand
ing the workmanship and materials were good; they
eight feet six inches high; do not consider the bracng OF
sufficient strength II only braced TO the window
the building would be safe under ordinary circumstances
If the roof was lifted and fell down violently the braces
wouldn't hold out; would put brace on the piers as
have prevented the building falling; the construction
was too hurried three months should have been taken
for the brick work. 10 give the mortar time TO
Louis Burger. architect Of No. $50 Canas had ex-
amined the fallen building the fall was caused by the
have been blown down il properly built and proper
precautions taken: might have been prevented by
each pier he would not have done this il he had had the
construction of the building unless the walls had not re-
manned straight; transverse walls would have prevented
the accident the law should compel all factory buildings
Of 100 feet and more deep TO have cross walls
Franklin Goodwin, n house mover, had pulled down
portion OF the walls left standing Of this building the
workmanship and materials were very good, good
any green walls he handled; the mOrarlwas strong
and the walls were good as many old walls.
James w. r. Hill, carpenter, of No. $50 Prlncest
testified that the fall caused by the wind aud mper
feet construction it too high for the amount and
distribution OF the materials used il not properly
secured at various points the anchorage at the different
floors imperfect the walls too high and too
long without any transverse support the roof OF too
great for the bearing support and the walls
were weak from the number OF windows In them the
roof should have been anchored into the wall Il was
IL the wind under the roof, II II did not raise it, 1t
70 Yihrlte and these