The New York herald., 1878-07-08
PERILS on INPR0VEN nj.
Tribulations of the Residents of
East Forty-second Street.
THE FALLEN ARCH.
Pubic Works that Have Dragged on
for Seven Years.

The Coroner will resume to-day Investigation OF
the causes which led to the killing OF two human
beings by the falling OF the archway iE East Forty
second street The Jury composed of experts, and
considerable light Will no doubt be thrown on the
way In VIII ch public works are constru 'isd To this
taxi ridden city. Tho attention Of the HERALD having
been caiict to the uneuarded state OF the embank
meut surrounding tho thirty fest docp cut which
tends almost along the entire block a reporter was
despatched to the scene OF the late disaster
yesterday, and, in company with several ex.
perts, examined the state OF the block OF buildings
For seven years improvements have beon going on in
this neighborhood--lrst IN digging a cut. next in
building sewer seventy-hve feet below the street,
and last the building Of tho Ill fatoa archway Resi-
dents had their houses shaken repeatedly, numerous
windows smashed, parors and furniture ruined by the
falling plaster and since tho recent accident the
probable time for finishing the distant that
has already abaadonod his house; another 10
gong to surrender to his mortgagor, all OF them
are anxious 10 sell move away from the neghbor
hood. Houses that rented there only two ana three
years ago Tor $1,000 rem. Tor $780, ana nobody
actually cares to remain unlogs compelled to-
uxGuARpKp PREciPIck
81 am afraid 10 let my children 60 ont oi
DOORS" said Mr. Knus yesterday ''Look ~ this
miserable fenco around about thirty Deep"
The reporter walked along tho fence, which offered
bat little protection and before several shers
was NO fence whatever.
'Oniy last night wh,e standing at my window"
said Mr. Kitls, 81 noticed u drunken man leaning
against this Iath which they call fence. old not
wish to tusslc with drunken man and moved away,
rs did want to another accident Last fall
nice lad fell from this embankment, broke his wrist
and his leg. | took snch interest the case that
visited the poor lad at mis- homo Second avenue
He mover recovered cent OF damages from tho con.
tractor. and his family poor Institute law
suit. on another occasion heard my wife whoa
she noticed another young ia headIong oown the
embankment Fortunately he did not strike rock and
fell on soft, sandy place, and he came OF with
slight bruises do desire the HERALD TO say, IN nv
and In the OF all the residents here that the
which the work is prosecuted is outrageous
and the fault does not ic only with the contractor
but hrss above all with the Depart OF Public
Works. Here thrce different works going
right in the midst OF our street, all AZ the same time
That is to say, the department knows thar work
is going aud Is ping others, resulting first In
contractor another and leaving respon
sbiity nowhere. Instead OF making the operate
as they are all working under the authority OF the
department, and permitting section TO be com.
pletciy finished before smother Is begun. the confu.
sion is great tha, see end all this work
You have no idea how VIC have suffered. Shortly
ter Tweed left the depar ment and we thought had
u reform government committee OF citizens called
upon the Commissioner OF Puohc Works aud
were promised tuat the improvements should be
prosecuted with all possible despatch. Instead OF
this homes been shaken by tho blasting
OF rocks sleep has been disturbed at night by The
houses have been barficadod oy DIRT for years,
| SO that no coal, no furniture could be
our chlidroa 70 60 out Of doors Tho sswer IS no
benefit TO "a here whatever IS an outlet to tho East
west as Fifth avenue aud this sewor cou.rsctor nav.
ing possession OF the street prevented Nj. Williams,
who has the contract Tor digging the cu to 90 on
liked Tor his contract tho contractor stopped
IN put his machinery and tool shop right where the
cut had to be dog aud stopped him ene middie oi
his work. Then came Byron with his arch tract;
he began building II and went along slowly, and here
work on that. Have We a. c,uzcns and taxpayers no
rights that the department is bound to rospeciY and.
II not, We certainly have the right 10 the protection
OF our lives"
| THE RUINED ARCH.
| While Mr.. KttIe convsrsIng In this Ia
expert builder residing In tue nsighborhood stood
looking at the 100 feet oi the arch st standing he
saic, ''rhc jury tha, ought to order
The whole thing TO be takon down Look sI the stone
walls there on which this arch rests. They should
have sianting stones ut the back toward the
| rock, that tho arch could safely.
Again. see how these bricks are laid. There 10 not
one hcsder' IN them. An arch, In order to DO
haiciy constructed, should at equal dssanc n have
bricks laid IN perpendicular manner they should
all be laid nor zontaiiy, as these are While this
|
CONSTRUCTION Of this several architects talk
ing about II IN this very spot, and offered 10 bet
several thousaLd dollars that tho thing would not
stand. believe now that Notwithstanding there s .
| layer OF asptaitom there that with the very hfst
heavy ranstorm the rest Of tho structure viii come
| down."
| Two young men In buggy driving spirited
horse nero came da,hng along me corner oil prospect
place and turucd into the feet narrow paths way
that has been cleared the northern side OF tho
street Every house along tho road immediately had
ITS stoop lull OF people, anxouslv watching tue
horses movements, every on, expecting W see the
spirited animal dash over INTO the precipics. 'rhey
have evcn takon the watchmap away tnat used 20 10
around hero and warn people of, said a German
gentleman who stood among the groop ~ suppose
since tho has been stopped has work and
| gets more money he cares not to pay out any"
| cRUxDLiSG gNnASKnESr.
The reporter Was asked 10 VISIT MI Laws resi-
doLce In the same street, and there shown the par
or, wncre several feet ot heavy ptssteriug
down IRON tho coilng while the blasting OF the cut
| window" said Mr. Law. had she been a minute
later she would have been killed. But" no con-
| tinued ''bcrc IRON my window you have the best
| evidence how scandaiousiy the work Is performed.
Look at the ON nosnk meni across the way. OWING to
now for seven ysars--this cmbsnkmsnt has beeo
worked back fully eight icet by the elements that
Mr.. Law ID an ex-balaer ana said very plainly that
this WAS not the coaractots isu.t the very tardi-
ness With which the work was perfor ormcd, tho loug
time that the contractor had been exposed 10 al
sorts oil weather had caused tho earth slide dowa
l,ced that at least hundred ieet OF the embang-
mcnt fronting seven houses had gone righs
into the eurbsione and was already working
ns way slowly into the sidewalks Fory teet OF waier
ppe Was exposed cutting oil the supply o water, aud
the same crumbng away OF Garth WAS actually work.
ing slo~ly under tho stOop ''In another year" said
MI. Law 'n all probability the sto0p OF this house,
pointing to one winch had been almost underm cd.
will fall aud endanger tho trout OF tho building. one
po OF wnter pipes has already been carried away bv
tho sliding OF tho caftD. Now, Is all nonsense TO
say that department 10 not responsible Tor tins
slovenly work. IL ~ simply caused by
want Of thorough administrator, one contracted
working against another. There waste vi money.
too which you may as we'll notice Nov, " these con-
tractors had all worked together they ght have
sisted one another Instead OF tuis tho sower con
tractor instead OF handng over MS nne rock and drs
to the ot her contractor carts nii OF aud sells Tor
new ROAD IN calvary Cemetery. The msn who digs
the cut has also taken dirt away. Now, The otnef
contractor must bripg II all back from Harlem o.
wherever he get H. IN bargss or carts. AZ an snor
nous expense. DO yous.csii tins efficient admins