The New York herald., 1875-02-27

/ ments OF unsuspectlng sumDerers.
THE SUPERINTENDENT or BUILDINGS REPORT TO
THE MAYOR.
/ Mayor Wlckham yesterday, early In Ihe morn
ing visited tie scene of the disas er and care My
examined the wall oil the uuiaing No. 20 Duane
street. part OF when crushed IN ne roof o the
church. He at once went TO his ONCE, aud as
Adams, OF the Building Department, telling tnat
gentleman to come down to the city Hail imme-
dlately, when MI. Adams arrived WIN the follow
ing report and accompanying documents which he
submitted 10 the Mayor
DEPARTMENT OF BUILDINGS, No. Fourth b avenue,
Hon. wMLIA1 II. wIcknaa, Mayor:-
lar this depa rieni accountable in The faina
the westerly wal OF building No e Duane street which
ing the death Of several persons the wounding
ssc% 5as hs len jsSSsry a?s sssaTSsS
aa'e 18th 1an
westerly wall was considered unsaf and notice 70 that
@ his
architect, Mr. John B. snook mat the would be i'm
drecea 10 visit the building daily ana report i any
%ae By was G ha w s
rS r N 'ii ed hs
building on the day o. the accident ano reports ,ha he
stry by mbers In justice 7. the officers Of tnis depart,
mong Sape peg whera 10 Is haa At the
M @ Sd IN IN that Since ne e apS s
as will be shown contradict tins statement and would
s.n s Sa iSyfs @
hey are suaHea by expe IS not mot Connected WITH the
department. would also state that under the lawI
and ey s certified R % Their Willingness Comply % torShwh
S did Tie
% a y % Of Mor % o d e nny %
lime sacient to warrant an me in further
hest Of my niormation in the usual way.whieh in
done Ate present time am unable to see any cause for
the rr arsr na aS n not a YIN to a"
copy OF the notce ana reSponse referred to anoye IS
lion Was ed on the 2otn instant to repair the baidns
in accordance with the presept Building law Very re
Superintendent OF Buildings.
THE DISTRICT INSPECTORS REPORT AFTER THE
FIRE.
OF s CITY Ss Sss
In the matter Of the Unsafe sailaing No Is Duane
To S'i W. ASHas, Superintendent of buildings
amined the building located the front Of lot on the
north side OF Duane street about seventy rect from he
an Known No. 25 duane street in the eitv OF New
S asies sH m and
pied s anS a tine same to be
Twelve inch wal on nth ana sixth stories OF wes' SIDE
cracked and sprung; iron pe rSd girder supporting
'A'' "A'' 4. 4. FilzPATRICK. Inspector
THE OFFICIAL NOTICE TO THE OWNER.
DEPARTMENT OF BUILDINGS Y Tay oaT o,TY & 9s MY
In the matter of the unsafe building. No. rs Duane
70 JAansM: SHAW ESD. Owner es:,M M ,n,,,.. .,.,
about seventy feet from the northeast Of city
street city New York has been reported to
unsafe and dangerous in the following respects to
that the twelve inch wSll on the Hah and sixth
buged The top OF the wall is crack ed and sprung
the the DE-
int
entirely DESTROYED By fre leaving the entire height
You will take thai you Immediately
Sd Eug S ins win be
the reon US the law directs and costs expenses
Buildings
THE OWNERS REPLY TO THE NOTICE.
OFFICE OF SUPERINTENDENT, NEW YoaE, Jan u lsa
DEAR shaw has reeed your
notice relative to Snsss walls Ill IN his Isl, Su@dins @ No Is
A"sA''N w. -' john B. sNooK. Architect
WHAT THE MAYOR SAYS
Masor Wicknam had long interview with
superintendent Adams, OF the Department Of
Buildings, when tie latter called upon q m yester
day to hand IN his official report as to the action
he (Mr. Adams) had taken to prevent the falling
spectors had reported 1t IN dangerous condition.
The interview was entirely private; but 1t Is un-
very closely as to that part VI his report In winch
he states that on the very day OF the accident the
district inspector found It thoroughly Draced on
Inspectors statement was correct any part OF the
wall could have topped over as It aid. MIR. Wick
ham, IN conversation ABOUT what action II any, ne
would take 10 ascertain who was to blame for the
accident, was very retcent, but he remarked tnat
so lar as he mad any power TO act. there wou!d be
a thorough investigation. and he by no means so
lar as superintendent Adams report was con-
cerneu, considered 1t nal that, in TACT, alter Mr.
Adams should institute an otiicial inquiry 10 learn
II any one In his department mad been Ia the
slightest degree TO blame he would expect another
report he preferred not 10 talk about what
course he himself would pursue In order 10 see 10
It tnat the parties real; & a. anlt @ Should @ be se e.
lie, the Coroner would, OF course, have charge or
the investigation, ana tue mayor did not therefore
think 1t becoming Tor him to express himself Uii
cIaly as to whom he thought was 10 blame for the
disaster. He ADDED, however, tnat II the verdict
OF the jury inculpated any official over whom
ne had control MS (the Mayor's) action would be
prompt.
Father Mooney, OF St. Bridget's, and Commls-
soner Lynch called upon the Mayor during the
day, II Is sad TO urge MN 10 order an lnvestlga-
tion into the alleged neglect or the Department OF
made so secure alter the fire that there could be
no possibility OF Its falling. certain official VINO
had heard tnat superintendent Ada MS in MS re-
port 10 the Mayor, mad stated tnat tue wall was
pronounced all right 10y an Inspector IN MS depart
ment the very day the accldent occurred, re-
marked ION, yes, that's the old story. Every
body who ought to nave done something officially
TO prevent accidents OF this Kind always nave a
good excuse Tor themselves. TO JudGe rom the
reports as to falling buildings during the past lew
years one woull think tnat 1t was only the real
solid walls that ever tell over"
SUPERINTENDENT ADAMS VISITED.
"A HERALD reporter yesterday called upon
Mr. waiter w. Auams, Tue vi
Buildings. TO ascertain what action ne mad taken
IN reference to the catastrophe and what IniorIna-
ZION nis department mad as 10 the condition oi Mr..
Shaw's building prior 10 the accident. Mr. Adams
stated that he had made no report to the Mayor
on the subject In another portion OF THIS artlcie
VIII be found what purport5 To be q cOnmunlca-
tiOp rom Mr. Adams TO the Mayor on TINS SUBJECT.
1t given the press by the Mayor and seems To
contradict the superintedents statement L0t the
reporter. IL was learned at the SuperIntendentS
of1ce that the 18Th oi January Ins ector Crolts
reported the Walls oil the upper stories unsafe On
January 30 he reported that he walls were being
braced preparatory 10 repairs Since the lst OF
February Mr. Croits has not mad charse OF the
district.
February 13 Inspector Murphy. reported "the
work on the building IN progress"
February 20 he again reported progress.
Yesterday, after the catastrophe, t1ls same ln-
spector Murphy reported verpally that ne had
examined tue building the preceding day, and
mad noticed that the preparations Tor rebuilding
the walls we're continuing under safe conditons.'
Tue "saetyn OF these conditions was sadly
commented upon on the night following TINS In
spectOr's careful EXAMINATION.