The sun., 1873-01-11
AN ENHIUsrTVE VERDIcr.
The Csnelusien Of Coroner HerrmRn's In.
vestisaiiOn-The Lessons Taught by the
Centre street Fire.

The Conclusion OF Coroner HerrmRn's In-
vestieaiiOn-Ths Lessons Taught by the
Centre street Fire.
Yesterday Coroner Herman concluded
the Centre street FIRE investigation. The only
additional testimony was that OF Walter W.
Adams, Deputy Superintendent OF Buildings.
His theory Is that the falling Of the building was
caused by the breaking OF some OF the over
heated iron columns, In consequence Of their
sudden contraction from streams Of cold water
thrown on them by the nremen.
The Coroner, In submitting the case To the
Jury, reviewed the testimony, and called atten-
tion to tho shakiness OF the building. and the
great weight OF printing presses and other ma
terial on Its upper floors. He added that the
building had been on nre several times before,
and that the lessecs had taken no additional
precautions. notwit thstanding repeated warnings
from their engineer; that IL was extensively in
iurrd by nre In 1870 aud reconstructed on it,
old plans that the fire escapes seemed made
qlate and imperfect; thnt the EMPLOYEES were
ignorant Of the position u the fire escapes, and
that there was a lack OF provision for warning
he inmates ~ IRE. those worki on the upper
floors having been unaware of its existence I'M
tl great headwny had been gained; and that
benzlno was permitted 20 be used by careless
boys, whose names were unknown even 10 their
Tho lur, retired. aud after they had been out
one hour sent word To the Coroner that they
were hungry and wanted To go 60 lunch. Tho
Coroner granted the request ald the jury sepa-
rated. After an absence OF more than two
hours they reasSembled, and returned the fol-
lowing verdict;
Prom, The evidence the Jury and that Mary Jane
sSe aoq In he ht oeE Of % Sauss SS z 'Gs and RS g
Centre street, In the press room of Dun Barlow
s1 and that the Ore Vas cSasI 6s csseles.ess bring
9s get N contact VIA eepal9e e an 1rtc,o M Shc zen
cleaning thgir res. ,oers The juS 'rSTr,y C. y X "
s~ld nrln ana U'lr foreman, Joseph rave anu the
praCc" q cnrustiug such dangerous material TO neI
The iGr, condemn, omphatlcally the continued use Of
such dangerous material In any printing estahsh.
used oven Win de boat the testimony
clearly n pT9Te' 'h", The ass Of 6snIne for eiGanPs
noor so nat Tue sighies spark coming IN contact with
The ars also esrsrs Mssss SaS %9cssf RndeTscn @Ts Co.
budn e s @ Sg t cq qSSgPhney o. 70 ms ,s
means q escape from the building by escapes
View OF seeing hat The, were Kept in proper order
=, The testlm9uy shows that ls few who had rsaehgl
have pcrishSd out fof The ic5 ali u he persons Who
20 6s . being .2 1Ha qfr M e % Sea
cony TO the roof Of the adjoining building distance OF
ne drop ladder foT this a.t story being
The Jury recommend that ali employees should he In
formed bS their empoyers of ne location o. the nre
by proper PRted p2ees being posted n al The sors
e@poysd thai re pass and hose should be Sttsehe az
each noor 20 The water pipes and that their use be fully
sagsned sao to the employees by proper notices to that
The jury commend to the Fire Commissioners par.
culafly the services OF John McGloin who, hanging
TO the lowest balcony the nre escape the
Of saving several work girls.
The Jury suggest that all nre escapes be frequently In
sPecte6 by The proper snlhorIies 90 tina! they and
kept In good order. They also suggest the noors OF
all houses where printing IL done presses used be
covered with stone OF iron. and that the ceilings Of all
factories should he of corrugated iron They also
gest that all elevators be placed possible from
the stAircases the evidence shows that the Gre
intensified by the extreme draught caused by the
unity Of the stairs TO the elevator and thus cut on the
escape by the stairs They would also suggest thai in
all factories saircases be made OF iron, with
rugated iron, In conclusion they would commend
Coroner Herman for hla action In taking upon
himself to eXhume the bodies from the nre and
recommend that sufficient authority be given 10 the
Fire ana Police Departments to proceed at In
cases aud thus prevent the recurrence Of the painful
fact Of human beings lying under the ruins OF
burned building for number OF days.