New-York tribune., 1875-03-06
TIE ST. ANDREWS CHURCH DISASTER.
THE INVESTIGATION OF THE coRoNER's JURY CON-
TINUED-rEsTDONY AS TO THE DUTY OF THE
FIRE DFPARTMEyT-AID To THE SUFFERERS.


TINUED-rEsTMONY AS TO THE DUTY OF THE
FIRE DEPARTMENT-AID To THE SUFFERERS.
The inquest in the st. Andrews Church dis
aster was continued yesterday before Coroner Eckho
Harry Howard of No. "a EIm-st.. az inspector In the
Department. Of Public Works aud formerly Chief En-
gneer OF the Volunteer Fire Department, testified that
as he lived near Shaw's building he saw the ruins
every morning. ana was amazed that wall should bo
allowed to stand four stories In hight above building
only TWO stories high witness thought that 1t was very
dangerous TO everybody entering the church, wall
need not be cracked be dangerous 1t becomes dap
gerous when warped: they ought not to have been
allowed to stand after fire. they could have been
battered down from the roof OF No. Is City Hap'acs
ana the rear buildings without endangerng the adjon-
Ing houses this should have been done before the hre
was OUT 1t was the duty OF the Engineer to do that
just as huch a. was his duty to put the fire OUT he
Is supposed to have udgment the could not have
done II without orders from him. wall that needs
bracing should not DO allo sod to stand there might
be some danger OF Injury the II it should kick
outward when pushed down. but II 1t fell In mass In
side the building, no probably would have been
hGrt the person in charge OF the fire was guilty OF
gross careessness and ignorance Witness in reply to
question oy ajuTyman, said that the Coroner had sub
penaed Am without his solicitation and he was in favor
OF the present paid Fire Department.
CbletEngineer Eli Bates or the Fire Department. tes
tined tAat ne had charge Of the fire at 5haws building
until noon, wnen he left Chief OF Battalion Bonner on
the ground to complete the extingu5hins OF the IRE
when witness first arrived at the scene he considered
the west wall dangerous and warned the people in st.
A1drews Church and the tenement houses tokeep out
OF these bulliiugs he did not think the walls were
going TO fall after the building had been gutted by the
DIRE, they were dangerous to certain extent but not
so much as to warrant throwing them doWni Il the
wall had been thrown down. 1t would have carried
tho west wall down to the church he did not think
the west wall could have been pushed over from The
roof Of the church whOu enangering the lives Of the
men; after the fire exnguished. witness thought
the walls would stand, he would have had them
taken down; the walls did not fall when the beams ana
debris Ia the building fell witness thought thay would
stand after that tes especially portions OF the noors
remained he thought Il could be best Left to be braced
and supported uEtll taken down under direction OF
the Department of But4ings; there were three win
each story above the church. 90 certain ex-
tent the windows weakened the walls noticed
after the IRE that the part Of the building was
completely burned out and th,t there and
ri1tcrs still holding ther places an tue walls; IL might
have been prlc able 10 have Chiyped of the upper part
OF the wall II it hat been deemed desirable To pull
down the west WALL witness wOnld nave trlei 10 pun IL
IN from Sweeney's motel; that conid nave Deeh ne;
Engineer OF the Ere Department had authority 10
down walls. unless he considered tGeIn dan,
gerous aud liable TO Ia! III ulIted tiAie "lstSS "uIt
property exposed and lI'e might be endangered
In all instances he acts according To MS Uest Jdug
meHt and the teachings " experience ,,.
Jane nwcA y; No. y MGetta-place, au architect,
testified he had examined tIs building after tho
accident ana fouEd the wall very true anu well
bulL mortar ami bricks wer3 g)Oii from appear
aIecs Wall ho1 fallen inward and the lower pOrton
only had fallen tue church, having Ducked OF Achcu
outward; there "a tendency Ia Wtl- u expand
wuen soaked through win water and tAen rom;
br.ck- will absorb and wnen 1t freezes AFTER
ward wall - Injured; TINS wall must have fai!en 0hIy
from cIIsc ana not from anJ lAhoTehb
defect Tendency wOud nave beeh To t'I oql"aru'
b.J IL fell inward; properly anchored ana ouiI',a
lfiuch wall would be even Wnen oullI 10
the hlgh o. this Ii Thought tlmhcrs SHOULD nave
been uut inside where tue wall fa down; braces mgnt'
with some difficulty have put ON tne outside
from the roof of tue church. - .., .
JOAN T. COuover of M. $40 West Twenty-eighth-st.
tCs s1Ifed that he builder, ana Rat examiner the
walls OF tue SHAW building on tae SatL."J DcO.e tue
occasion ~ Gsael Ar oiaW W"Cu vac
walls were to 90 taAen down; MR. ouaN SAID ne hai
nothing 10 30 with H. As Mr.. SnJJk ana Mr Iltus had
been given fn charge; the wlness dI nOs thlnk Tie
walls -oul nave been allowed tO stand Tor 10 Gays
A. oI-u . lil not thin kibey were inlIeddJeiY uah
rIl9: lie would not have considered IL very dthssr-
oi.. oven II bisl wind was blowing. Lie Inquest "~S
Le.e adjourned until thI' morning.
CHARIrY's GIFTS TO THE SUFFERERS.
The Rev Father Currdn pastor or Si Andrew'S
Church has received gifts OF money. from various
sources for the relief Of the sufferers by the disaster