New-York tribune., 1870-12-17
LOCAL MISCELLANY.
THE THIRTy-FIFTH-ST. DISASTER.

copovrR's INoUEsT-MR HALE'S STATEMENT.
Coroner Keenan, commenced an investigation
Yesterday in the cases Of the persons killed by the an OF
the building in Thirty ATHEIST Thursday. Patrick
Riley and Joseph H. Hamilton, the husbands OF two OF
the victims testified tLa they had never heard that the
building was dangerous These were the only witnesses
examined and the Coroner announced that IN conse-
Qucnce Of time required to summon other witnesses
Including James NJ Macgrcgor Superintendent OF Build
ncs he would adjourn the further investigation until
Thursday next Mrs. McCaerty, one of the injured, is
still In Bellevue Hospital in "A dangerous condition.
THE owNEk's EXPLANATION.
TO the Editor of The Tribune.
SIR: In the report published In THE TRIBUNE this
morning o the appalling catastrophe occasioned by the
falling Of building owned by me- there is the following
statement: Before the walls were halfway up, the
builder Samuel Cochrane No. West Fifty thrds'
Informed Hale that, in his Judgment they were en-
tirey inadequate to sustain the immense weight rests
on them He received for reply that 1t was none OF MS
business that the Superintendent OF buildings hau a
proved Of the plans and specifications ana th All 'a
t%nct Tie factory In accordance with his Instructions
wish to contradict this and also to state few facts
70 Iame for the terrible disaster AS as had de-
cded TO build factory, sent to the city author
tics for tho book containing the laws In regard to build
ING and having become acquainted with these, made
nv plans TO correspond with the same when my pans
were thus completed submitted them TO James M Mac
cregor superintendent Of Public Buildings, who de
cared them to be perfectly satisfactory and signed and
returned them TO then advertised for proposals
from contractors construct the building and accepted
nof the lowest the offered by those whom con-
sjdered most responsible and trustworthy.
The building was Immediately commenced, and every
dav its progress was watched closely by Mr. Sweeny,
Inspector Of the District, and by myself have noted
carefully every day all the material put into the building
and the mortar brick, and lumber have all been OF the
best quality The whole work has been performed In
manner perfectly satisfactory to me- and OF the three
factories and &c houses which have built during the last
Is years OF them has beenmOre satisfactorily CON
stucted than this After the building had reached the
sixth story asked Mr.. COchrane IL he was convinced
that IL perfectly safe and substantial in every part
telling him. il it not So would stop IL there. He
assured that he had not the slightest doubt OF its
being perfectly SAFE and that there could be no risk in
Feeling the mortar might have been softened by the
severe rain Monday last and that thus there might be
danger Of its falling the evening before the catas-
trophc inquired Of the foreman 10 It's safety and he
assured me that it was perfectly secure
think TIE fall OccasOned by the mortar DellS
sotened by the OF Monday and as the win
d0ws were Ou the wind rushing in through them raised
up the roof and thus left the long walls unbraced and
unable withstand the force Of the gale consider that
Mr. MacgregOr, Inspector Sweeny and all others inter
ested in the building have done all that IS required OF
them by the laws OF the State of NewIork, and II there
is any blame to be imposed il should be upon the makers
of those laws and net upon the executors The evening
after the calamity Inspector Sweeny came 70 me anu
said: "Mr. Hale, perfectly surprised that sucn
fall mas taken place The building was bult 70 my entre
.atisfactjou I'm every particular JOSEPH Z. HALE.
Netrl lorE Dec. lG. 1870