The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-03-26
UNSAFE CHURCH DOORS.
ihe Building Department Inspectors in the
Footsteps Of Herald Reporters.
Only Five Safe Churches Out Of Twenty-Five
Examined-Are There 215 Religious
Death Traps in the City?


have been very actively employed in more critical
examinations OF buildings believed 10 be danger
GUS The result is that the number OF buildings
reported unsafe exceed By very large number
those reported Tor the same period last year, ana
the business mas so increased that the clerks and
heads OF Bureaus complain that they have TO work
night and day, and even then are unable TO dis
pose OF the labor OF the department as fast as
complaints come. The Attorney OF the Bureau,
Mr. Gedney, who prepares the complaints against
violators OF the law, reports that many cases
have been recently referred TO him for prosecu-
ZION IN the Courts that he had been compelled to
give precedence TO causes of dangerous buildings.
Among the recent suits begun by him are the iol-
lowing cases of
DANGEROUS BUILDINGS.
stable at No. PAS East Houston street, owned
by Charles Jourdan, the walls OF which are badly
ont OF plumb, buged and cracked The owner
vas on January so, notified to put the building
In sale condition, but has refused.
No. 604 East Eleventh street Is used as an
engine mouse, and the front pier is reported set
tied and cracked rom foundation to roof The
building is owned by the city. and as the Fire
Commission has promised to comply with the law,
the suit mas been temporarily stopped.
No. 40 Washington street, on the corner OF
Morris streeT, Is owned by Paul y. Spotord the
steamship owner. IL was damaged by fire. The
Morris street wall is badly bulged and the stair
wags are so burned that there is danger from
falling walls suit has been entered, but 1t is be-
neved that Mr.. sponord VIII comply with the law
Mr.. HYDE the Chief OF the inspection Bureau
was yesterday visited by the HERALD reporter
ana he placed In the hands OF Secretary Donald
ION a number OF reports made By his suDordnates
10
THE CONDITION OF THE CHURCHES.
Ia Sc inspections began on January and are
now being prosecuted with diligence by TOUR In
spectors Tne inspection, which is special one
relative church doors, sustains in nearly every
particular tue special observations made by the
HERALD reporters a few days after the St. An.
drewis church disaster. The worsh1ppers IN our
city churches should carefully scrutlnize these
Ofici2l reports, which are merely summarized IL
DANGEROUS CHURCHES.
Methodist Episcopal church, on Slxty-hrsG
street. near Third avenue-une rear door, swing
Inc outward; Two outer doors GA east side. open
ing outward, aud oae opening lnWardy; TWO
gallery doors, opening out.
CnuTcn southwest corner or Lexington avenue
ana -iXty-siXth street-Ihrec inside doors OPEN
tng out; three OUTSIDE doors, each hVe ieet, open
ing out: two SIDE and two rear doors. opening IN.
Protestant Episcopal church, northeast corner
OF Lexington avenue anu seventy second street
TWO inside doors, opening out. each five leet; two
middle or weather doors. opening out eacn I'VE
Ieet; TWO outside 'front.' DOORS opening III door
and stars 20 rear basement; 'front.' door oil base
ment empty1ng to street opens inwardly.
Catholic church IN SeventylOurth street, De-
tween Fourth and Lexington ayenues-One inside
door opens III; two outside storm DOORS, open in;
three feet doors, emptying the basement to street,
open m. All doors reported dangerous.
Protestant Episcopal church, at corner Eighty
second street ana Fourth ayenue-One INSIDE
door opens II; one outside door opens III; all doors
T1Ion African church. located corner of Second
avenue ana Elgnty-lourth street-one front door
opens ia one OUTSIDE storm door opens IN, and
iour WINDOWS open out on the ground
Church nOrtn side oil Forty-Second street, near
Lexington avenue-Two doors on front, one OF
which opens IL. the other out; three doors on
4Hfssrt IN nj
Cnurcn southeast corner OF Second avenue and
Forty-seventh street-Three lront doors open out;
door rom rear opens In.
Church southwest corner OF Lexington avenue
and Flfty-sec0nd street-rhree inside doors open
out; one 'front.' door sliding, with storm doors
'ChuTcn at 1879 AND 14l East Flty-anh street,
-Four inside doors. all opening out; two outside
doors, suaing: gallery doors open out.
Cnurcn az Us East Fhteth street-fwo inside
doors opening GU; one outside door, opening IN.
Church az 1sG FRANKLIN street-lhree doors open
info main hallway; u ain doors open out,
Mariners Baptist church, on northwest corner OF
Oliver ard Henry streets-four dOols open out;
Two yesubule doors open IN; centre doors are
snding -, ,..,,.
and FORTY fourth street-Une centre inside door,
Opening out: TWO slOe doors, opening out: one
centre OutsiGe door opens IN; two side outside
Caarcn a. corner OF Madison avenue and Forty.
seveDrh street, Couldn't gam admission. one
ironi door uiue !eet VIDE.
Cnurcn ~ southwest corner OF Fiy-third
street and Madison avenue-Ihree inside doors
open OFT: three outside doors, shdlng; one door
siae street, opening inwardy one rear door opens
-. pali's church. az corner or Broadway and
yc.ey stfrei-ihrcc doors from body on east end
am from west END two doors, al emptylng INTO
ve-flnue. and Uu tle cast eud two doors from YES
rIUuc 90 street; nom WeSt END one large door
emDues tIe ve-lnule INTO the street; All inner
doors open ont and toe nam BrOadWay entrance
inward; tNo doors from east gallery and one door
~ west open inWarJy
cry Mission chapel located az No. l35 Green
wien stfret-Outer doors open In; inner doors
open oui. , ,.
Barclay -treei-trom Basement there are Tour
doors Al one side and two doors az rne north end;
side doors open INTO an 500 the eud doors lnto
len oot passage ana lhence lntO an alley an we
nOOr-. Wnich are Tour ieet IN WidLh, open M
wardJ; there are also siding doors across tue
GENRE OF the basement; the cody OF the church
has three aoors opening out ana gallery opening
Dut
Jewish Temple, located corner OF Si1ty-third
stree ana Lexington avenue-tlve inside doors,
all OF when open Gus; three outside shding doors,
wisn storm doors, openlAg outi Two gancry doors
'TIpr-b. located corner OF Lexington avenue aud
FOrfy-siNth street-Tnree ins.Ge doors. opening
out one OUTSIDE DOOR opening out; Two gallery
doors openluq out and a rear doOr opening out.
thurcn. located northeast corner OF Madison
avenue ana tOrty-second srreet-Ftve inside doors
opening out; lour 'front.' doors, opening OUT
Church, located southeast corner OF Madison
avenue ana Forty-ritn street-fwO inside doors
teacu ten feet wide), sringing botn ways; three
outside sil1ng' eacn nine feet Wlaei one rear
door.
Church. located corner Of Madison avenue aud
Futy-reVeutn street lnFee INSIDE unoTr. opening
out uye and q hail Ieet broad; three sliding doors
On the outside, with dO.Is "a rear.
~ ALABMISG EXHIBIT.
The above comprises an the reports made MP 70
TWO O'Clock Yesterday 40 Wal Dee seen that out Of
twenty-five inspections already made only five
are Officially declared sale. IHc building Depart
ment H. pushing THESE inspections rapidly; ana lf
the results shown IN the above continue go De de-
veloped according 10 THIS RATIO out 0 about $50 Of
our cly churches uly Z15 OF tncm must 1e dan GER
Gus WOrsnlppers who attend them. This rcpIrt
Certalny supphes material iOr careful study % not
NfAUNt
devote many hours per week 20 attendance a. tie
services OF these churcncs.