The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-03-13
MILITIA MANTRAPS.
The Fall Of the TWenty-Sec-
ond's Armory Roof.
WILL MORE LIVES BE SACRIFICED ?
The Rotten Old Arsenal in Sew
enth Avenue.

The tragedy attending the falling wall which
crushed the lives out OF the communicates OF st.
Andrews church has not yet died out OF the pub
nc mind when 1t Is found that the entire roof OF
the gymnasium attached to the Twenty-second
regiment armory. in West Fourteenth street, gave
way in the night, aud the occurrence is kept q
secret from the public, although reported next
day TO the Department OF Pubic Buildings
IS THE ARMoRY sAFE'
There is 10 regiment more favorte In New York
man the Twenty second, not even the Seventh.
Il numbers It's friends by the thousand, and Its
saturday evening concerts. led by Gilmore, are
attended usually by multitude OF the bellies OF
that portion OF the city. On sunday night, March
:, at halfpast nine O'Clock, the northwestern end
Of the building, which was built before the arnory
proper ana was used as concert hall, Tell In
borne down by the accumulated weight OF snow
that had been gathering for weeks. Jacob Peth,
German or about iorty-eight years OF age. whose
intellect Is not OF the brightest, heard noise
axe unto thunder, caused by bursting beams
md falling mortar and brick, as he was awakened
IRON seep in an adjoining apartment lie rose
hastily and with considerable trepidation made
examination into the source OF the crash. The
building known as the gy mnasum has q frontage
on Fourteenth street OF about fifty eet, ana the
.xtent OF the breakage was about seventy oy
orty feet. This building Is used for squad drills,
ma had there been q hundred persons in the
building it is not probable that one would have
escaped alive from the ruins; Tor, unlike ST. An
drew's church. where out small portion OF the
roof fell. here this armory crash hardly irag-
nent remained Of the roof.
WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN.
The evening before the accident there was
grand concert in the Armory, at which about
1850 persons consisting OF the beauty and fashion
OF the metropolis, were assembled. Now, admit
ting that the main building in which the concerts
take place is O strong one, and there are many
doubts as TO this, what would have been the
result had the assembled guests at the concert
While listening to the music, heard the thunder
ng crash in the adjoining section OF the building
when the roof fell IN Who could have quelled
thousand delicate and thoroughly frightened
wemen2 VINO would have bid the irresistible
DID THE POLICE KNOW TIT
Inquiry mace at the armOry IN Fourteenth
street by the HERALD representative for the facts
Ill The case but the anitor refused TO give any III
enter he building. stating that ''Such news should
not be printed IN the papers, because IL would
night.n TINS was the opinion OF Mr.. jacob Peth
The concert referred 10 Will be given by Gill
IN res Band at tne arinory TINS evening naa
at rhe twenty ninth precinct police station house
which is located IN West Tnirteth street, between
seventh and klghtn avenues IL NAV be men
TONED mere that tue northern side OF Fourteentn
street is IN the Twenty-Dintn precinct and that IL
would naturally De supposed that an "fcer or
that precinct. which Is under the command OF
captain steers, would be on post in the vicinity OF
The allen ROOF either at the time or INN. edlateiy
alter. But the lacts In the case do not bear out
tnat supposliion. The HERALD Representatives
found CaptaIn Steers In the station house
and asked ann Il he knew anything
Twentv-second regiment armory, and he stated
that he ad not heard OF IL. although II was Ia MS
precinct that the accident occurred. He WAS then
asked Il ne nsd an oficer on post Ia the neignoof
hooo OF the accident at the time 1t had occurred,
ha-past nine O'Clock sunday night, and he
stated that Cticer Trip was on that beat from SIX
O'Clock In the evening unit twelve O'Clock MID.
night, and that 0t1cer Tripp was relieved
Oh post by Oflcer Reynolds at midnight,
and That ne Ia his turn reported 10 the
station house al six A. M; but neither or the
enlcers said anything about the falnng OF the
roo. The Captain produced his olotter and
endeayored TO ind entry to the falling IN Of
roo In Fourteenth street, but could not IND any.
thing oil the KIND. Then the Captain staseu tnae
Ofncer Tripp had very long beat to travel. and
That he might have been at the other end Oh II
when the ROOF Tell in In West Fourteenth street.
"How long Is the beat. and where is II ~ was
the next question asked.
Captain Ste ers stated that Oflcer Trips post
Oh the night IN question CONSISTED OF tue north
side OF Fourteenth street. from seventh to Fourth
avenue. 10 Fourth avenue TO Fifteenth street,
down Fifteenth street 70 Seventh avenue, down
seventh avenue 10 Fourteenth street, ana again
around tue block, al libatuDt.
ms is TREMENDOUS post, and 1t Is hardly pos
slbie Tor one man 10 w0cn IT, 1t Is oest Illustrated
by diagram which we give below, IN oroer tnat
the pubic may realize Inc length OF this pollcs'