The New York herald., 1875-09-15
heen co6nsctea Woe tS depGfEnent for seven years

been connected with the department for seven years,
and leaves a widow and three children.
Maus was also fine looking man, about thirty-six
wears old German by birth and carpenter by trade.
He was only connected with the department for year.
but has done good seryice He leaves widow and two
children.
Hughes was young man OF twenty eight, American
by BIRTH who had been connected with the department
hve years He had only been married few months
ago and his youthful widow perfectly distracted,
tearing her hair and giving other distressing evidence
THE WONDERFUL LADDER
The ladder one of four which had been built at
Concord N: H., by the Abbott Downing Company, for
very hghtest pine timber All day yester-
day splnters Of the ladder were carried about
by people and exhibited as mark Of the prepos-
recklessness with which these ladders had been
built Chief Bates declines 10 state the cause OF the
accident any further than that the strain upon the
ladders n doubt too great He said that II had
put together properly and that the accident
in wise owing TO caTelessness on the part Of the
men. IL n probable that none Of these ladders Will
ever be used again that the loss the city foots
$33, 600 Nash had made frequent experiments with
the ladder and II Is OF touching and pathetic interest
at this date 10 read his report on these experimental
NAsH's REPORT ON EXPERIMENTS
The report Is dated August 2 1875 and addressed TO
Eli Bates, Chief OF Department The first experiment
which he details was at the very spot where he met his
cruel death. He says:-'I raised her TO an angle OF
foryhve degrees the point resting the roof OF the
six story tenement No III East Broadway, the truck
being about in the middle OF the square, in which po-
stion walked over passing the railroad cars double
track with perfect safety to the roof Then raised her
with four sections with man weighing l4O pounds TO
angle of sixty seven degrees and shifted her in
various directions with this weight the top at an
elevation Of sixty feet and made complete circle in
the square with apparent safety This was repeated on
several different days at the same place"
The next experiment was at Moer's sugar refinery,
at South and Montgomery Streets where he rased five
sections with man weighing ITO pounds, to angle
of sxyseven degrees at an elevation of seventy feet
and with this weight on top shifted the truck
plete circle double railroad track and placed the
point against building" He adds these sadly sig
nihcant words s-'This consider, without guy ropes
10 M TOO m IN mn uEp RATER
for experimental purposes" At an experiment in De-
ancey slip he had thirteen the ladder but the
ladder was resting against roof AT the next trial. in
Attorney street. six mon were on the ladder, and he
says that 't bent and twisted like monster fishing
pole but still seemed to have no suspicion of its un
safety The report concludes follows 1.-THE
quickest time thus far is about six seconds per
foot, which is, when height and the weight
which these experiments have shown her to be capable
of bearing is taken INTO consideration think pretty
rapid transit in upward direction for any portable
ladder to make and with officers and men drilled and
disciplined for this especial service feel quite conh-
dent could be very greatly improved upon"
The victims will probably be buried together to-mor-
row. Their families will receive $1,000 cash from the
aid fund and pension of $3.50 per annum.
HISTORY OF THE LADDER
In the year 1872 Mrs Mary Belle ScottUda applied to
the Fire Department TO introduce her new invention of
the ''aeral ladder" The ladder four wheels,
and by using crank the hind wheels were brought
forward, each movement raising the height
of the ladder When the two hind wheels were
brought forward TO the fore Wheels the height
of the ladder increased TO about 100 feet and then
'1y" added of about twenty five feet AT the first
exhibition of the ladder in 1873 in the City Hall Park
a fireman named Leary, attached to engine No 81 was
severely injured by falling from the Sly" Leary is
now member OF No. Truck, one of its members be-
ing killed yesterday.
In course oftme the "aeral ladder" was adopted by
the Fire Department and the of $25 900 paid
to Mrs Scott Uda for the privilege of building the lad
der Each ladder cost about S5 900, and was built
at the old Fire Department shops Elizabeth street In
the beginning of the present ascertaned that
the Secretary of the Department, W. b. White, had
hand in the sale of the ladder to the Fire Department
I called
consequence was that Secretary White dismissed
When four ladders had been built and ready for
service 1t was found that they were too large for the
engine houses and therefore if the aerial ladders
be adopted houses would have to be erected This
would additional expense of from 81, 900 to
$50 600 to alter or build the new houses
Then came the grand d6nouement and Mr. Secretary
W. White was found to have received SO 600 out of
the $25 600 privilege to introduce the ladder. Since
then nothing has been heard of the ladder until recently
when two sent out duty. The trial of
the which disastrous yesterday shows the
result
Mrs Scott Uda's maiden name was Mary Belle Scott
She formerly music teacher in Chicago, and went
to Florence Italy, to finish her musical education In
Florence she met Signor ida Then marriage
and a return the United States She personally at
tended TO the aerial ladder" "
THE FIREMENs IDEAS.
visit paid yesterday 10 the fremen and men,
bers of tho hook and ladder companies in the city.
Each and all severe in their condemnation of such
aerial flights. They recalled the first trial in the City
Hall Park, when Leary, of Engine No. 81, now of Hook
and Ladder No. g. nearly lost his life by falling from
the '1y" The remon protested against the adoption
such ladder knowing that ii unsafe and yet II
under ORDERS would mount it to the very end pur-
suance of their duty.
The excitement among the hremen was very great,
and if the inventor or Mr. exSecretary White was
recognized throughout the City rough times would
ensue. The d Hermined not to recognize
the matchwood ladder, and will not ascend it except
under orders.
The families of the deceased lremen will soon COM
mence suits against the city for the loss tf their hus-
bands and fathers
:, TOUCHING SCENE
In the parade OF the veterans of the Mexican war
yesterday was an old man named Hughes He left his
home joyfully in the morning in anticipation of the
days parade. Down Broadway the procession
marched amidst cheers &C. of the sidewalk Spectators
Mr. Hughes felt glad and JOYFUL and his step young
and buoyan notwithstanding his years To the lively
music Of the Governors Island Band, the procession
entered the City Hall Park. Suddenly youth who
had watching the parade jumped Of the crowd
and approaching Mr.. Hughes said, Your is dead 1"
Mr.. Hughes left the parade to find out the particulars
In few moments he informed of the terrible lad
der disaster and that his among the dead The
old soldier wiped a tear from his eye and then went
straight to his home No. l31 Madison street. His day
of enjoyment over and he returned home TO weep
over his dead SON
ron rrrrr rNrsar rrAN