The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1879-09-11
CR0WNER'S QUEST.
THE THIRD DAYS EVIDENCE.
Mr.. Halves, the Contractor, on the
Stand-He Gives a Reason for
the Buildings Falling
Other Testimony

.Stand-He Gives akeason tor
the Buildings Falling
Other Testimony
According to adjournment, Coroner
Lee and his jury assembled yesterday
morning and renewed taking testimony
In the investigation as to the cause of
the deaths that resulted from the dis
aster Of last Friday night. The wit
nesses are reported in the order of their
appearance.
ALBERT E. HALVES
sxamined-Am a carpenter and build
er by profession; was a member Of the
firm Of Dawson & Halves, carpenters
and builders, in 1875; built the build
ings that fell on the night of the 9th
inst; claim that the best material in
every respect was used In their erection;
as far as 1 know all the brick used were
arch brick, or hard burned, and George
Croft and Joseph Soar did the brick
work.
In answer to the question whether
his attention had not been called to the
poor quality Of brick used, when the
buildings were being erected, he replied:
Mr.. Bresnahen had something to say
about the brick when we had got the
walls built up to a point Just above the
first story, and all the brick he found
fault with were rejected in the compile
tion of the structure; we had acontract
with the masons to build the brick
work at so mnch per thousand, the
work to be performed in accordance
with our contract with the owners of
the buildings; do not know what be-
came of the contract.
Question. Were all the brick used up
to the time Mr.. b. objected to their
being used, of the same quality as those
objected to by him?
Answer. They were not; examined
the brick previous to their being placed
in the walls, and that were used in
the foundation were arch-brick, as per
contract, but the contract did not call
for arch-brick throughout the building;
the brick was furnished to the masons
and they furnished the lime and sand
and made the mortar wherewith to lay
them, at 80 much q thousand; exam
ined the sand and it complied with the
contract of Messrs. Bresnahen and
Leibey and Nichols; remember the
kind Of sand the contract called for; it
was good, sharp sand; do not know
where the sand was procured; believe
that the masons did the brick work in
accordance with the plans and speci-
ications of the n Of the buildings;
the masons were first class workmen,
or had that reputation.
@. Who do you consider responsible
for the falling of those buildings?
A. l can tell this jury the causes
which l think led to the falling of those
buildings.
Q. What were those causes?
A. l claim that Leibey & Nichols
and Bresnahsn's buildings were put up
npon honor, and that there was moth
ing In those buildings to cause this dis
aster; but that it was the miserable
construction of the Delmonico hotel
which brought it about; when the
Delmonico hotel was built we had our
buildings all completed, and when they
put on the second floor OF the Delmon-
leo they simply mortised out a place for
a footing for each joist, in the wall of
the Washington market building,
whereas, there should have been a bond
timber the whole length of the wall
under the ends Of the joist; conse-
quently the whole weight of that floor,
the partitions and roofs, resting on the
naked surface Of the soft brick, caused
them to crumble and give way, which
necessarily threw the whole weight of
the second floor, partitions and roof
suddenly upon the second story wall.
causing it to fall.
GAYLORD BELL.
Resided In one of the buildings that
were destroyed; kept a store there,
where 1 sold sewing machines, pianos,
and other musical instruments. 1t
was the lower story, or ground floor Of
the Delmonico hotel building; at the
time Of the falling Of the building, was
standing In the store. about ten feet
from the front door; Miss Zehner, my
wife, MI. Roberts and Mr.. Wasseman
were in the back portion of the same
room; noticed u cracking sort Of noise,
which seemed to commence about two
thirds Of the way back from the front
of the building, and over our heads, in
the floor above; it seemed t. run from
the place Of commencement towards
the front, the lower floor being good at
this time; Roberts cried, "get out, the
house Is falling" I stood where 1 was
until he and his companions came up
to where I was, then we all ran out to-
gether; the noise commenced on the
west side, next the meat market; the
second story floor of the Delmonico
was not a good one; water occasionally
leaked through, and had spoiled some
instruments; my FIRST impression was
that mere water was coming through
the floor; but the loud cracking noise
soon convinced me that 1t was not
caused by water; the chandelier which
hung %two-thirds Of the way back from
the front Of the store, fell as I started
to run; am perfectly certain that the
seeond floor was tho arat N 70 N. hal;a,,a