The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-08-07
CRASHES ~ TnE Custom house.
Brackets and n Block of Stone Failing on
Gallery mud Into the Hotuudn.

l. the Custom House safe % is the ques-
ton which is disturbing the eleven hundred
ollcoholdcrs in tho big granite structure at
Wall and William streets Their fears are ex-
cited by the discovery that Gen. William q. Stein
metz, who was for several years superintendent
otFcdcral Buildings in this cityani who assisted
in the design NJ the now Post Office, had at
one time officially reported to the Treasury De-
partment that parts of the interior OF the build
ing were faulty constructed and menacing to
life. lie made the report four years ago. but
until the past few days It's existence has been
secret known only to a few officials and to Gen
Steinmeiz himself. The recent tumhling down
of a block OF granite from the rotunda in tho
building led to the discovery OF the report. The
block fell eighty feet into the courtyard below.
The brackets und the galleries in the Gus
tom House are what Gen. Stcumetz has con-
dcmncd rs dangerous. There are four galleries.
ono IN each story. They run continuously
around the sides OF the interior between the
main building and the rotunda. They are
five inches in thickness. Ihey ar" nve iett IA
width The rallrrie rest on grant" brackets.
which are butt out from the walls mmd"rneath
ut distances Of three feet apart. They have
no other supports but these. Each of the brack
cts weighs about eighty pounds excepting the
corner ones which are forty pounds heavier.
| The, form an acute angle The bases OF which
are mas ned in the walls. The points rest close
| against the under side II the galleries. The at
tcntion ~ Gen StcinmeU was first directed TO
the hrack els four years ago this summer, by the
falling Of one on the fourth story in the corner
! near the entrance to the Law Division. He
found that u had been broken almost squarey
| on near the base. and had been shattered into
| pieces on the pavement ot the gallery below.
A. the result ~ his Investigation no recumended
| that the brackets should all bc taken down. and
! new ones II iron with stronger iAstrnings sub
| etituted in their places. The Treasury De-
| parimcnt ordered that iron brackets he hutlt
! under the galleries IN the corner where the one
had tumhlod down; but nothing Mis- done in
regard to his recommendation about all IN"
| Other brackets. and thVy have remained in
| thnii places
Gen Steinmei2 SAYS that In condemning tho
granite supports and advising iron ones IN
their stead. he was Justified hy the break ng ~
! thr corner one in surprising that the others
/ might crack and fall IN the same unexpected
| way az some future time That they have not
| done 80 yet. he thinks. does not signify that
they never will. In one Of the brackets under
| the gallery. near the Collector Office. quite "a
| long crack Is already noticeable. Al certain
| hours of the day the galleries are thrQngrd
! with merchants. brokers' and officials. While
! making his Investigation. Gen. Steinmetz dis
covered that the floor of the second gallery had
sunk nearly half an inch at the point where II
| opens into the rotunda on the west side.
| Mr. Jackson the present Superintendent Of
| Government Bull dings. pooh pools the thought
! that the granite supports 70 the galleries are In
| secure aud likely to fall He says that they have
been in their places thirty-thrco years. and are
| Likely 10 Ns there a. much longer.