The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-06-17
A CATASTROPHE AVERIED.
Three Five Story Brick Tenements
Tumble Down.
N O LIV r S 10 S t.
Providential Escape Of the
Inmates.
WHO is TO BLA M E ?
LIVES LO S T.
WHO is TO BLAME 4?


tremendous crash O'Clock last night but fortu
nately no person injured, SO far, at
least, rs learned up the hour oil going
10 press. few hours later and the twenty odd fam
lilies sheltered within the treacherous walls would all
or nearly all have been summoned to eternity. Owing
10 the eariness of tho hour only few In
he'd buging wall attracted the attention OF
ono OF tho inmates, and be gave the alarm.
The situation OF the doomed buildings was
likewise fortunate. Within two blocks Of the
station house on one side and shorter distance from
an engine house the other effective aid prompt
in coming The OF Police Captain Alairc. OF the
Eighteenth precinct is deserving OF tho highest praise
Cool and determined quickly had his clear
the dangerous buildings all their occupants and when
the work completed he vigorously kept from with
out the palc OF danger many who to their prop
erty wore eager In their blindness to rush into the
laws OF death.
For fully sixty minutes tho police stood
grim guard, driving back tho ever-incrcas-
ing throngs, closing their oars TO piseous
appeals from the late occupants be allowed to
this that valuable cxpostulating with some, using
force with others, bat keeping uppermost In mind
throughout the knowledge that every moment might
come down the tottcrng monument OF brick. bringing
sure destruction to all within It's deadly reach.
Tho frcmen, too under the command Of Chief
vent loss life. Their long experience made it clear
that tho feeble walls were as tho pulsations Of the
dying growing weaker each moment and liable at
instanrs warning TO fall hcadong to the street. The
surgng crowds waited brcathless for the end and tho
excitement continued the increase. With each
fresh gust OF wind the spectators fancied that the
heavy walls swaycd, now topping like the leaning
tower OF piza now assuming tho perpendicular, and
again shiverng If in the final throes OF dissolu-
ton. Az last II came.
Shouts from q thousand excited Threats mingled
with tho gigantic crash only TO be drowned therein
floor work furniture Of oil descriptions, inter-
mixed With brick mortar and debris marked the spot
Tho people drew sigh of relief and the suspense was
PARTICULARS or THE ACCIDENT
Tho nrst intimation OF tho impending catastrophe
had BY Henry Walsh. who kept liquor store on
the first door OF No. 342. He was waiting on
his customers when 10 suddenly heard ,o,o, low
almost immediately by q crash twas fifteen minutes
past seven p b., Mr. Walsh having noticed tho time
= moment before. Hurrying in he saw tho mantel-
piece swavng outward, as II forced from its place by
great pressure, and just above the wall began
with g6ping seams. Walsh, who had little faith
IN tho stability Of the house 1t once concluded that
~ Sans'' 10 capsan Hao IN tho
street station house. Tho Captain appreciated
the peril Of the inmates Of tho threatened
ordered out In wash's store tho yawning walls
showed that time was to Be- lost and orders were
the streets and not TO allow them TO re-
main moment under any consideration.
rom their rooms no frightened were
hastily conducted into the street. vi course this
was attended with no little trouble. for as
IS customary In such cases, the attempt 10
clear the house was met with remonssranco, and in
desire to carry OF their little vauabcs many forgot
ihrce succeeded in coiscti6g a portion Of their
household goods but wero forced TO abandon them
and in a short time the occupants OF the doomed
hOu war cIuste n a
Gle savcd IRON ruin but the clothes they worc. Tho
next precautisn taken was TO cost men TO prevent
found A' TO be as task 81 no little diincuty,
several fathers OF families seeing tho building still
nen insisted going back TO their rooms TO carry of
what little effects they could. or course the police were
w,scy se ana ss %bs 10
the houses OF their neighbors to await the expected
ruin OF their homes In the confusion OF
removing tho people from the houses some
two or three evaded the police, but these
managed to make an exit through the
had gathered tho street and awaited the anticipated
crash. 1t was long delayed Tho line Of tho roof
seemed broken Tor moment the front wall swayea
and all mingled and fell with terrific
crash TO the ground. There was hurried scampering
space there still moro mighty din the entirc
portion Of the building tumbled into the yard at
s4a and s44 and portion Of tho roof aud
upper masonry of No 346 had fallen with
the first crash and the shattered interior OF The build
ing exposed Tho pariy-wall had sunk down and
the beams and flooring were resting obligucly upon
with tho furniture gathered IN confused masses
upon them. Evory article seemed shattered and
the ceilings and woodwork were all in fragments In
the OF the building tho distribution was still
greater. Here floors aud all had tumblcd down, and
a huge hill OF brick aud shattered beams WIS ali that
bad been left OF the structure. The ruin here had
been immediate and complete
At first II was feared that some OF the overturned
stoves In the fallen houses might set the ruined WOOD
to tho roof Of No. ase, found an old
woman there, who had climbed through
tho scuc OF the adjoining house, and who seemed de-
Raymond and q young man named Hanly mad a mar
row escape, beng only able to leap from tho ruined
house nj the moment OF its fall.
OF DISASTER
Tho statements made by the unhappy tenants last
The catastrophe IL appears that the row OF i've story
brick teneinents, OF which the fallen buildings were
part, wcro erected somo twenty-six years ago.
walls which last night gave way showed
strong disposition 10 tumble in. Braces wcrc placed
under tho floors and the walls were proppcd In some
way, SO that the disaster was deferred From
tho appearance OF the front walls before they
crumbicd II would seem tha. still more re-.
iron ''anchors' aud "sIars" IN them Last
winter cellars Hooded almost constantly and
agent, one Grower, IN West broadway, near Canal
street. Who the owner is the tenants do not know
but 1t is understood .hat the building be-
No notice was taken OF these complaints
and the allowed TO How In and find an out
let under the foundations II is believed that tho dis
astcr may be traced directly to that cause Tho
water, finding us way into the crevces OF
the walls, was frozen when The temper
allure became lower and, swelling In volume
in tho freezing process. split the masonry
and initiated tho process OF disntegration which
eliminated last night Ia the downfall OF tho structure
or the disaster az once gave occasion for In.
qurics as why the Superintendent OF Buildings had
not been notified OF the weakness OF tho wallis or II no
had, why measures had not been taken 70 avert inc
catnstrophe Inquiry went TO show that an inspector
or buildings had visited the tenements yesterday morn.
ing, but for what purpose or what he reported
arc matters only OF speculation. From all accounts,
Il would seem that the unstable condition OF the build.
nes was known Tor long Iime, and II Is said, 100,
that they were condemned several months ago.
AT BELLEVUE HOSPITAL.
Information OF the threalcncd danger reached Belle
vue Hospital few minutes before the accident took
nlsee ma the ambuanccs Immediately got into
readncsg Alta quarter past nine O'Clock sig nal was
.s~ai-sd and An Ambulance with Dr. Disbrow at