The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-04-26

Unfounded Reports About the stevens'
Apartment House.

Apartment House.
Reports have been in circulation during the pas,
week concerning the safety OF the Stevens Apart
ment House, on Twenty-seventh street, between
broadway and Fifth avenue. 1t has been freely
stated that the entire building was in danger from
settilng and that the walls were Of such an inse-
cure construction that the whole edihcc was in
danger OF coming to the ground. 1t was also
added tnat the tenants were moving out with pre-
cipitation ana that a carriage warehouse on the
ground moor had felt compelled to remove to safer
quarters. me stevens House Is an immense build
Ing, eight stories in height, and was built
some three years ago by Mr.. Paran
Stevens, the famous hotel man, who died
shortly before seeing the contamination OF his
EFFORT. The widow OF Mr.. Stevens mas since run
the house on the system originally intended, OF
letting out the apartments In the French style OF
"nats," UNFINISHED. While not being much OF
success at first, the building appears to nave flied
q little under $1,50O,0oo and at present an addi-
ton Is building on Filth avenue on the same
original plan OF architecture which characterized
the first.
Yesterday HERALD reporter, In consequence OF
the alarming reports which were spread concern
ing the safety OF the structure visited the house
to ind out the exact truth. On the Filth avenue
side are to be noticed Immense upright joists
supporting that portion OF the building between
the first and second windows in the third and
-four til noOrS In the brick wall which runs be-
noticed crack extending for
distance oil some four feet. besides displacement
of bricks which caused bulglng out on one side
OF the pief and q consequent depression on the
other, three or four bricks having been forced
completely out OF the wall. Any further settling Is
at present prevented BY the posts supporting the
stories above.
The clerk Of the hotel, Mr.. Cole. who administers
matters Tor MIS- stevens. showed the reporter TO-
the rooms facing that portion OF the outside
structure which has settled. The rooms do not
appear to have suffered, there being merely
crack in the ceiling OF one OF them, which the clerk
attributes TO the natural sinkage OF any
new building and not TO the effect OF the settling
OF the wall outside. He states 1t Is untrue that
any families have left the house in consequence OF
the setting. The brick column mas been settling
for some time and in consequence 1t had been de-
be quite strong enough to support the weight
above or late however, the brick settled more
rapidly than was expected and the joists were
put in to support the upper stories while the work
was going on OF putting Ia the IRON pillar. Mr.
Cole denies that the foundations nave settled In
the slightest ana says the only setting Is between
the third and fourth STORIES The architect OF the
building was Richard NJ. Hunt and Mr.. Cole says
he does not yet know whether any pro- eedingS
Will be taken against him or not. The carriage
warehouse on the ground floor las not
moved away, and the stock Is In the same place as
before, directly below the cracked wal. 1t does
not strike an eye inexperienced In building that
there Is any danger OF the building SINKING AZ ALI
The trouble appears to be that the brick space De-
tween the windows was not originally MADE,
strong enough to support the i've stories above IT.