The New York herald., 1878-01-17
THE HUNT-STEVENS SUIT.
TESTIMONY OF AN ARCHITECT ON PILE-DRIv-
ING-cAUsEs THAT LEAD 10 THE SETTLING

TESTIMONY OF AN ARCHITECT ON PILE-DRIv-
IXG-CAUsEs THAT LEAD 10 THE SETTLING
OF A BUILDING.
Tho suit instituted by Mr.. Richard NJ. Hunt against
Mrs. Paran stevens TO recover balance OF compensa
ton alleged 10 be due him Tor his services as architect
in planning and experimenting the erection OF The
Stevens apartment house resumed yesterday be-
fore Judge SANFORD In tho Superior Court The test-
mony for the plaintiff continued.
Edward Il. Raht, an architect, who has been asso
ciated IN business with Mr.. Hunt testified that as
rule the driving OF piles will jar tho fouu cation OF an
adjoining building and particularly u ease like the
one at issue where tho soil is composed OF wet sand.
The witness also testified that he assisted tho piainn
In drawing the plans and experimenting tho construc
tion OF the Stevens House, ana went INTO u minute
detail the plans Tor the lower portion OF the build
ing to show that tho foundation was amply sufficient
to sustain the weight OF tho superstructure lar
human foresight or architectural science could have
provided. .
On crossexanina.ion the witness stated that IN his
Judgment the twenty seventh street wall had sottcd
down about two and one-nuli inches; that the injury
10 the Fifth avenue 'front.' duo 70 inc driving oi
piles Tor the foundation OF un adjoining buiiuins;
ordinarily the jar produced from tue driving o piles
would have shaken The building hlty teet back was
possible that this Earring had sunk the LIQUIDATION IN
making the plan founlution oil the Stevens
House tney had considered the difficulties that
msht be encountered; the plans may have
so,l mad bcen ascera,ned During INC cross exam,nn
ton OF the Witness by Mr. parsous the latter asked
him question ~ when tho witness repned
by saying "Aay ask you u question Y" Counsel
having NJ once assentcd Inc witness put to him an
absiruso question relative 10 arcbtectural SCIENCE and
the Lawyer adnitted amid sUme laughter, his gnor-
rance OF the subject The witness tnen statou that
his own position IN regard 10 the question asked by
Mr. farson was exactly similar On Tue rediroct OK
animation the Witness said that ne would not have
adopted tho course aiterwurd pursued consequence
ot inc settling ol the building, and that no diu
think u was necessary To remove tho arche. because
hey had Uuiged Tho Dulsne, ho thought was causod
by Tho stones oi tho arches having hecn improperly
BET by tue niasOna
George b. Post, another architect, on being recalled
BY ar Choatc, testihed that constructive plans
never gwen up ny Tho architect, Bot even 10 the
details oi Tho construction vi building and the
act location OF the pipes used IN CARVING water
through ~; such plan ~ sometimes naue Ut tho
request oi an owner, who Is charged extra tor 1t.
Here the witness was asked question by Mr. Par
sous, relating 70 tue general CAUSES which supcrnduce
The sottng OF building, the answer to which did not
prove exactly satisfactory, when witness said, Let
mo explain" Counsel repiied:--,l understand.
sr.n WITNESS added :--'.Wol, aou't think you do
(laughter)-as you are not an architoct. /"
Richard NJ. Hunt, the paintiL. was recalled, and
testified as oilows:'Was taken III in March, 1874,
utter the completion oi the Stuvens House; II was
severe illness; went 10 Europe, and remained thero
until juno, 1875; lott my oico ana affairs charge OF
MI RaLt ana another gentleman during my absence;
never received notco from the Stevens estate in re-
gard TO the proposed work on tho rwonty-seventh
street wall did not receive request 10 glvo up the
plans; remember Mr.. Melcher coming " mo about
Tho building alter IL was completed; he said "
difficult to neat IL; alter that had an Interview
with Mr.. Nasen, nun OF expericGcc IN steam
heating; this sd TO my having estimate mado Tor
adding an additional radiator, which wo concluded
would be- with those already IN tho building, sutn-
Gent 10 heat IT; do not know why Il done
never Received any INSTRUCTIONS from Mrs. Stevens
any one else put the additional radiator IN; the
commenced 10 prepare plans ior the Stevens House
~ the spring OF lS7O from tho time began
ing plans until our contract was signed saw Mrs.
Stevens almost daily when no was In Town.
Iho case Will DO continuod tU.uuy