The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-12-30
BARCLAY STREET FIRE.


BUILDINGS ADAMS ON THE CONDITION OF
no Co.
Six men were engaged yesterday in the rear or Col
lege place section OF the Greeneids factory turning
the blackened in the hope Of discovering
the remains OF some OF the missing persons who are
supposed to have fallen victims to the disaster Tho
body OF the girl, Josephine Shepherd, especially
looked for, AS it SAID that she last
the rear Of the "Lp building; but every particle OF
debris turned until the wall reached
without discovering any truce oil q human body.
Then the turned back. and, throwing tho
debris In ts old place, began to work out
toward College place. There Is immense mass OF
stun hcre and II will be days before they cut
through to the front wall. Similar forces oil
engaged on the other buildings. ALI the wool taken
from No. 81 has been removed and the men are now
taking out a large quantity OF packages Of brown
wrapping paper partially destroyed BY lire and water.
This they ping IN the front part OF tho building
In the form OF immense cube about twenty ieet on
zach side. In the main building OF the factory the
men working back IRON the sidewalk TO the rear
wall They have got about half the entire depth Of
tho building, throwing tho debris behind them Ms
they 20. The present work being conducted
mainly tor the purpose OF finding any bodies that may
lie buried In the ruins caro- being taken to remove
Inc debris until that question first settled. The
full Keenly examining every piece OF cloth found
10 soc If they may not portions OF garment. Not
a single RELIC was, however, found yesterday.
Barclay street Is now so lar open as 10 allow The re.
sumption Of travel lhat portion OF the street be-
Church and Greenwich strests, recently blocked
up ny brick burned lumber, IS open TO traffic, The
Police Commissioners having removed tho obstruc-
tions. About nifty sixty mon can be seen ut work.
but tho crowd Of spectators mas largely diminished
Various spccuaions INDUCED III by the lookerson
TO the numuer OF bodies 10 be taken from the ruius
HERALD reporter called At the oilice OF the super
tam The acls IN relation 10 tho last inspection ny tho
Building Department OF the store, NO. 20 Barclay
street. The books containing tho record OF the IN
specton could not be ound as the clerk VINO had
them charge Was out OF town; but superintendent
Adams gave the reporter ali the Information IN his
power The building No. 90 Barclay street, which is
a five story brick structure, was last inspected, he
sald by Inspector John Hughes, in February, 1877.
IL was then occupied by the Greennclds a candy
manu- factory. AT that time the building was reported
to be in good condition Dir. Adams had heard the
theory about the wall OF tho wool factory door
having caused tho disaster by falling in on
the candy factory and throwing It's loors
outward so tina. tho building mad suddenly
collapsed He had caused the report TO DO investi-
gated and does not think IL probable. There were IN
the building $4,000 pounds OF wool aud other stock
about equally distributed the a00ring Tins
would give eghtytwo pounds 10 each square foot OF
hooring-by means IN unusual amount Tho gross
weight Of all the material IN tho building was nrst
estimated III this calculation and the size OF the tim
bers and material Of which they were made was
",s 10 ns. wssn. Of 400 ner ssuaro foot
the actual STRAIN to which they worc subjected was
only eIgnty-two pounds, leaving plenty OF margin Tor
the increased age OF the building or other circum-
stances. examination oil the beams and tim
bers of all the buildings IL being madc by
Messrs Dudley, McGinnls ana Owen, employees oil tho
depar, ment, and fu report oil their investigation
VIII be given TO the Superintendent by Wednesday or
Thursday, when II viii be made public Alderman
Coils, VINO was also ut the oaico OF The Building De-
partmont, seems inclined to believe IN tho theory Of
an explosion. Ae says that ho sitting in office
IN Murray street when the fire broke out, and he
tinctly telt the shock OF an explosion.
Az ESGixEEa's DEFER.
Tha foIl Inf rita Al fha
Office oil tho from an engineer at NatIcs,
Mass, who also seems 10 believe IL the theory OF
explosion by gaS:- ),
Superintendent ADAMS, Department Of Buildings, New
DEAR sn.-I by tho papers the Department Of
in the Gresnae ID sons candy factory ii question: Of
% should %i 81 IL e "s
ut to stood within ten rods OF building
n ns ras ' which got into me- r"m essnr M
muse In tue house was stove heated with coal which
let to se hot enough 70 ignite the gas Il exploded
that saw ana il was very ,erae shasin the whole city
this, tInhing that You msit ike some nicr%as.oa
IL resaaa TO rs opsr1ns o1 y mads very n''ns I'm
time. and am now living in NascS Mass Yours truly;
The following letters give tho record OF a former
inspection Of the buiidngs:-
NEW YORK. April 3, 1874.
s"cd At No. s. a1cry street oecapse IS s"o cnsg e
- front rear 80 feet
deep. five stories 80 cet In height HAT root tin metal
corncc walls COPIED; provided irlp.doprs iron smut
rear. scute stairs. line OF stairs feet
wide. Employ IN building, Is men, This building con-
(ou rst hoor ouly) with building College
place Is good chance OF escape anjon-
Ing roofs. y. ". FOkr.
APRIL 8, 1874
SUPERINTENDENT gulrpisGs:-
sin-i have examined premises stuatcd at No Col
lcge place. occupied candy factory Il. -. Baocock,
owner and respectfully report thereon follows: The
building of marbic 2, front ana rear
100 deep, i've stoos 10 feet hcignt. flat OF
Tin; walls COPIED building is provided with trap
iron shutters scuttc and ladder line
80 feet wide. Employees, 40 The scuttie opening IN
and the ladders leading thereto both
directly stairway. fnero chance escape
crai adjoining roofs, which ars of same height.