New-York tribune., 1873-02-18
LOCAL MISCELLANY.

pppu oIrs CONGREGATIONAL ECONOMY.
Rims OF THE HoUsToN-sT. CHURCH--rhk WALLS
TOO THIN AND THE ROOF lNADhSOAlhLA
SUPPORTED.
Deputy Superintendent w. w. Adams OF
.Ae Dsrartment Of Buildings made, In suftance yeser
av the following statement to arepor~r oil ihk IKE
- no called at the superintendent Office for official
s,o,a,ion concerning the falling OF the New'Nork
.esny,orian church at Thompson and West Houston
Ais at la y. m. GA sunday
We have no record of this Essurch IN tlIe Depart
ent Of Budings has it ever been inspected by our
direction since the organization Of our Department IL
oud have been inspected soon, had IL res falen' oy
,he Inspeetory now viewing all buildings Nthe city, but
,he psptors at work in that section Of the city had
not vet reaCed it, and report had eeeS received "noh
Would induce the making of an mmedSse Inspection 10
the exclusion Of other buildings.
have made an examination of the ruins ne aooeu'
.na found that the building erected in 1885 1t was
60 feet wide 20 feet Deep and boat IS feet high Inc
ans were Of brick and inches thick from the ounda-
tion 10 hight OF abOut eight feet above the Sidewalk at
xxbi,h po,pt was she floor OF the main audience room
Above this the walls were only l6 inches thick Inc
roef was what ye call doubeptch roof and unusually
fat for roof Of so wide span. 1t was supported by
eight made OF separate pieces Of scantng,
each two inches thick and 1--WE inches wide. and ooted
together with oak pins. These raers were originally
diaconally traced with spruce planks but additional
braces oi hemlock boards had recently been
put ia 70 sueI@tncn Vno oiu0A N'"OS
The roof was originally covered with
wooden Thiucles which we're lately covered with O
heavy coating Of tar and gravel found the walls
nearly al TO within few feet Of the level OF the
oor which. though covered with heavy
MASS og broken building material and snow, was fortu
naev strong enough sustain the great weight thrown
40 suddenly upon s and the lives OF the persons
who we're in the Iecure-room below. If the roof had
fallen while the congregation in the audienceroom
nearly all would have been instantly killed or horribly
crushed and manged From the appearance Of the ruins
1 think that the rafters of the north or Houston
ST. eide OF the church were the first TO break be
meath the weight OF the and water which hao
accumulated on the roof the atness Of which and III
gravel covering undoubtedly assisted the accumulation
when Part OF the roof fe it threw out the north
wall into West Houston-st, and dragged the remainder
of the roof it, causing east wall TO fall into
Thompsons aud the south wall to toppe over into the
body OF the building The rear, or west wall, was left
standing and practically uninjured.
could fad rotten ratters, and the oak pins VIII
which they boted appeared to be perfectly sound
The walls were such would be permitted in a
building Of this class erected under the present law
thick from foundation 10 roof instead OF only 10 inches
thick above the basement these The bricks aud
mortar were Of talr quahty ana the sOulh auu "es
walls were reasonably well constructed, but the NORTH
and east walls facing upon Houston aud ThOmpson-sts
faced with selected bricks which were Improperly
and usecurey joined the backing" or main portion
Of two walls. shall make another examination
of the rufus, assisted by three OF our Inspectors win
view preparing thorough and complete official report
as 10 the cause and circumstances of the disaster
A meeting Of the trustees and the members OF the
church was held night decide what action should
he taken TO the rebuilding Of church reso'
luton adopted that, IN humble reliance on Divine
Providence the Society will attempt at once the cree
cation homeless by the disaster over $4,000 was
subscribed toward new ebnrch, and resolution was
passed that subscription list be given 70 all tine mem
lers Of the congregation.