The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-06-19
THE FALLEN TENEMENTS.
CONDITION OF THE RUINS YEsrERDAY-How
THE TENANTS ARE LIvINa-wHo IS TO

CONDITION OF THE RUINS YEsrERDAY-How
THE TENANTS ARE LIvINa-wHo Is TO
BLAME?
The general appearance OF the ruins Of the three
tenement houses Twcntythird street that fell last
Saturday night unaltcred yesterday. The front
wall Is almost completely demolished, and the rear
wall lies In heap in the back yards Tho partition
wall between Nos 342 and 344 had sunk about ten feet
evidently from the sudden giving of tho founda-
ton Toward this wall leaned throateningy portions
Of the roofs OF the two houses and The floors OF the
different buildings, forming a sharp angle with the
side walls which are as yet The mantcl pieces
pictures ana wall in the different rooms are
still in position, and form curious contrast TO the
scene of confusion on the floors themselves fow
chairs and tables all that Is left standing on the
slantng floors. Bureaus are thrown forward and
smpted OF their contents dinner tables are upset and
The dishes broken and scattered about Here and
nero could be seen a bundle OF things tied up
q cloths, though the inmates, fearing danger, had
Begun 10 pack up what they most needed, but which
In their haste they were obliged TO leave behind.
When the HERALD reporter visited the yesterday
afternoon he found two engaged in picking their
way carefully through the debris the ground floors
and removing from that part OF the ruins whatever
Of value. The work OF clearing the upper floors
will be very dangerous from the slantng position they
in and the imminent danger of their falling to the
ground at any moment The work OF supporting the
parts of the walls that remain standing will BIO begun
to-day. The walls OF tho adjoining houses wero yes
lcrday propped up by heavy beams Of wood in order
10 prevent similar catastrophe happening to them
The destroyed form only part OF
row OF buildings that were all put up at the same
timo and is feared that tho houses yet standing may
DO found on investigation 10 be In very dangerous
condition.
AT THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT
Al tho Department OF Buildings the reporter was in
iormed that would be al once put to work 10
shore up the buildings, such portions AS were consid
cred being torn down the work procee
All the walls will have TO be torn down and completely
cleared away. Then examination will DO made Of
the balance OF tho block 10 ii any OF the other
houses are IN dangerous condition. II So they viii
be at once condemned and repairs will be ordered or
II necessary they Will be torn down. The fallen tene-
ments had not been Inspected internally Tor nearly
three years They situated tho Fifth lnspec-
tion district which embraces all that part OF tho CITY
Thirty fourth streets the inspector passes around
this district every day ana reports. 70 the
the senemenss in question several times a
week. But there external indication
that thore was anything the matter with them, nor
did tho tenants make any complaint The cause OF
tho accident said TO be an improperly constructed
foundation wall Instead OF laying thick ana heavy
foundation tho stones were set up on end, and then
filed between with gravel, mortar and small stones
Thus outwardly they would look all right, while in
reality they were mere shells When the foundations
settled they split open like peapods.
NOR BUILT ON MADE GROUND
The story concerning the uneven nature OF the
ground is denied at the Building Department. and the
cause Of tho accident attributed wholly 70 the faulty
construction Of ,he buildings According to Egbert
vicles ola map Of New York, the land where these
!cnemcnts stood was not made ground, but good
meadow land, little higher than the surrounding
blocks Kpp's Bay set In from tho East River about
opposite Twenty-third street. and where that
bay Is now made ground. But this
did reach far First avenue and the shore OF
the river was rather high ut this point The ground
was perfectly suitable for building purposes. The
buildings erected In 1851, twolvc years before the
present building law passed and before the Depart
mont OF Buildings was created.
oUsTED TENANTS
Mr., Felix Antoine, the owner OF the buildings ar
rived In town yesterday and held long consultation
with the builder and the authorities oil the Bulding
Department., He is about TO begin forthwith tho clear
Ing away OF the rubbish. The poor tenants have been
very hard pushed TO find odg ng Ono old man told
the reporter that he his family had been Obliged
sleep in the Tor Of money buy place to
sleep in Some ol the Ienants IN the houses that are
lett standing have begun move out fearing that the
condition OF their habilations also dangerous and
anticipating an enforced removal by the Department
Of Buildings.