New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-01-11
DANGER FROM FIRE.
A SOLEMN WARNING.
SWEEPING VERDICT IN THE CASE OF THE CEN
TRE-sr. VICTIMS,

A SOLEMN WARNING.
SWEEPING VERDICT IN THE CASE OF THE CEN
TRE-ST. VICTIMS,
The inquest over the seven victims OF the
Centre-st fire was concluded by Coroner Herman
yesterday The only witness exsm ned was Walter W.
Adams Deputy Superintendent Of Buildings Iu'his
opnion the falling OF the building caused by the
breaking OF some OF the overheated iron columns in con-
OF their sudden contraction from streams OF
cold water thrown upon them by the iremen.
In submitting the TO tho jury, the Coroner re-
viewed the testimony in fu and particularly directed
attention TO the insecurity OF the buildings the great
weight of printing presses and other material on the
upper noors the fact that the building had been on fire
several tmes before that the had apparently
adopted additional precautions notwithstanding to
peated warning from their engineer; that tA"as
extensively injured by fire in 1870 ana reooh'
structed its old plans that the reescapes seemeu
inadequate and in imperfect condition; tnat
the employees were ignorant Of the location OF
the horoscopes and that there wasl lack OF pro
vision for informing tho Inmates of hre those WORKING
upon the upper floors having been ignorant OF IT'S ex
is,enoe til great Roadway had been gained; that DEN
zine was permitted to be used by careless boys whose
names were unknown even 10 their employers, ana 10
the fact that the Superintendent Of Buildings had
recommended amendments to the present imperfect
building laws calculated insure buildings Of greater
strength for manufacturing purposes providing the
same with hre-prOOf sairways and prohibiting the use
fur manufacturing purposes, of buildings not so con-
strueted and with walls OF the thickness required by
the present law
After about three hours the jury rendered the follow
Ing verdict:
From the evidence the jury find that Mary Jane Stew
art died from uOcaOn and burns In the IRE originating
in the third the houses Nos 81 So and IS Centre
St in the prcss-rOOm OF Dun, Barlow & Co.'s printing
establishment on the oath OF December lsI2 ana that
tact with benZine, article which Dun, Barlow q Co.
have been in the habit Of using for cleaning their press
rollers. The jury severely oensure said nIn aud their
foreman Joseph Payez and the practice OF lntruS4nG
such dangerous material TO Inexperienced persons Inc
jury condemn emphatcaly the continued use OF such
dangerous material IN any printing or any
t6e best precantonsfor the testimony clearly proves
that the OF benzne for cleaning presses aud rollers
slightest spark, coming IN contact with the hoor IN
stantly ignites an unmanageable fire
The jury also ceDsure Mess1s Archer, Anderson Co
for neglecting curing their entire occupancy OF this
building to call the attention their employees to the
and fof moi HAVING examined these escapes with the
view of seeing that they were kept in proper order Tue
testimony shows that those who had reached the lQwe
balcony BY OF the lire escape would have persisted
bat for the timely ana OF the persons W no came TO the
rescile from the rO0i the ao1nhg ouluuS iacs ue
ing shown that from the lower balcony TO The roof OF the
adjoining building distance of about IS feet or one
story there 10 IRE escape the dropauder lor inns
last story being secured that IL eoud not be brought
the Jury recommended that all employees should be in
formed uy their employers of the location OF the hre-
by the proper printed notices being posted in all the
wOrkIOoms IN al tie buildings where so many persons
az each floor the waterDipes and that their use be
fully explained the employees by proper notices to that
effect.
The jury commend to the Fire Commissioners par
tieulary the of John McGlon, who hanging 10
the lowest balcony Of the reescape, was the means OF
saving several work girls. The jury suggest that all
fre-escapes frequently inspected by the proper au
thOrtes, that they aud all other appliances Tor
saving human life. be Kept In good order. They also
suggest that the floors of all rooms where printing is
done presses used he covered with stone or on and
that the ceilings Of all factories should De OF corrngaea
iron. They suggest that all elevators be placed as
far possible from the stalrcases, as the
evidence shows that the fire was fntenslned
by the extreme draugbt caused by the proxinl-
ity Of the stairs to the elevators and
thus Off escape by the stairs. They would also sug
gest all factories starcases DO made OF iron In
conclusion they would commend Coroner Herman,
in his action in taking upon himself 70 exhume the
bodies OF fire, and would recommend that sufficient
authority he given TO the Fire aud Police Departments
10 proceed in such cases. and thus prevent the
recurrence OF the painful fact OF human beings
lying under the ruins of burned building Ton number
OF days .
signed Peter c. Banum Robert 9. Hoguet, VIM. NJ.
Feiss L. IL. Philips, George Kuster, L. keteham, and
Joseph L. WhtlOck.