New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-04-23

minute ana tnOf0uRu lnVeSIRhlluu VI DfpAt Rh'NN
building during its construction. When this adaiuoh
was made the same care was taken. The walls were
taken down to point which they were strong enough
and sound enough to carry anything, ind tweVehch
wall-which ia as thick such walls In
placed the top. 30 there s no excuSe lot saying
that It was old thin wall run up for the temporary
purposes of Barnum'S show. II was examined "edhes-
dsv nv the same builder who erected it, and be pro-
nouneed 1t perfectly safe. We have bad meeting mere
this morning about IT, and the builder hes reported that
after careful examination "Wednesday he discovered no
defect in the wall at ALL"
"Did he not mention that there was q crack in the
ceiiingt
"He says there was crack at all. They had 2oS
gas buInersI think he said 25Y-rl TED, ana Inc OK
treme heat from them had caused piece Of the ceiling,
abont feet square. to curl Small pieces OF the
plaster. L think, had fallen down on the pictures He
had plan for remodying this he SAID by providing
nave had the VenatUrs placed to-day TO provide for tue
proper escape of excessive heat de examined the was
"Does he assign any reason Tor the accident v 1T,
"NO on the contrary. he says 1t could not possibly
manner and Of the best material twas even lined
many snch buildings ara but the bricks were laH 10
cement What tue newspapers say Is al nonscns1 WY
should our oOmpany contract to build matrls! what
this Tor the sake Of saving nifty d0llarsf
" Do you apprehcnd litigation, theni - ,. .
don't apprelend it, but II there is any spno4e we
shall have the protection Of the law Toe wall was
built strictly IN accordance win legal Itqurlncnrs
ceedngly exacung about is construction dout com
plain Of this because 1t was as much for our own sake
building was erected a very heavy one II was not
built byus but long before came on tie Harlem kQa9
-und / have bepn hero sixteen yeRrs-and supported
the heavy girders of the old railroad depot; when
made this addition weemployta We sine GnstacI'Ti
are building my house They made 'hrlf own
and there was no Sinking about II ID any way NO
censure tail upon or npon the contractors am
Why. at the time OF the A1on ball ana me EMS
ball. there AT least twice as many ptOpe IN mat
particular part of tnR building, ana t0dI was WINE we
walls fresh and almost before the plaster was dry
The builder SAYS lined the walls Yesterday and iOunu
them rs straghtas they could possibly BE-, q,
What il vOur opinion OF the case Mr. vanderbilt q
70 be altogeTher Unforeseen and unexpiainablc. OF
course there is CAUSE; here must be- but ~ present
Do vou think that the heat I'm s effect upon the cell.
ING weakened the support OF tIe wall e. 1,t.o oroo+
pity very great pity; very sOrroWfu ana mourniul
thing"
WHAT THE BUILDER THINKS OF IT,
After the interview with Mr.. Vanderbilt the same re-
porter called upon Messrs j. B. Smith ProdEcrs the
builders and contractors. to whom Mr Vanderbilt ad re-
ferred Mr. Smith had Just returned from the scene of
the disaster.
ave have made q careful investigation" he said,
and find that the whole difficulty arose from overhead
ing the tlmbers directly the Art Gallery This was
lighted by $50 gas burners. These burning in close
ROOM room never designed to be used in that manner
az ALL had made the timbers in the roof defective,
shrinking and cracking them Owing to the shrnkage
in timbers, the Plus and bolts fastening them TO
gether became loose and got ont of place and the tim
beers becoming dry broke IN the middle and the roof
collapsed completely. In falling. some Of the ttmbcrs
pushed out the wall The whole thing comes iroG
overheaing the room without providing any adequate
completely burned from the Intense heat OF course the
ceiling beng very high, the heat was not felt 50 much by
on this score nearly every night Whether there WIS
any serious defect in tho construction Of re mhers
viii have 10 be decided by further investigation
received letter from Mr.. RUssileT, Mr.Vauderhlts
private secretary, wednesday to tue Siecl that me
clustering II the Art Gallery had cracked and request
Ing Ia take look at IL aud report What thought
him SS Ely c Ge Of "F tho a GFiea wac no
caused by the excessive heat but that Jaw 10 further
defect and the building perfectly saie. OF course
made but hasty examination. because wanted 10
LET him know as soon as possible AT the the tnc OF
large vent should be Immediately cut through tue
ceiling and through the roof to elbow THIS hot ar 10 e
and kept open. They were then closed told him then
just what thouGhthat the tmoers seemed to he Sc
Did You Mr.. Vanderbilt and other members OF the
company this morningp
stated 20 them pretty much what have said to you
except Us to the cause cause OF the GataSIhrSSpdde'
then had opportunity Of looking over the building
now because it was borne by the result
examination to-day. That result nave already told
Does not the fact of the timber shrinking so much
SHOW that It must have been phi ID green mt tT
Is very much alike when comes from the yards that
kind specially prepared. or course ~ hau
been well seasoned could nave $1,000 very much more
heat without damage"
1.-THE tiIUbers being lOOsened with heat do you think
the dancing snook them OUT OF place -
with Il. The beams do not enter :he wall AZ ALL hut rest
on uprlghts; therefore the Vibration from tho
dancing weuid not amount 10 anything. Besides,
larger numbers have danced there, anu before
whole occurrence L. to which any building
IL liable when put to purpose for wleh IL was not
designed. Perhaps II The tinhcrs had been htte bet
Ter constructed they would have stood this excessive
l.,.A lint
WeTe set in the best kind of cement,
not not lime, and we put in, the best wori;
Gnlne the material We have pat up some OF the eavI.
eel buildings IN tue cy ana 80, OF couse should not
scamp JOB OI this hlDd'
WORK OF THE CORONER,
Coroner Brady summoned a jury yesterday composed
in part Of architects and persons engaged IN building
trades At half past 2 the Coroner appeared at the
Madison Square Garden with the following jurOr5.
b. W. Berger, architect Theodore A. Criot, architect
Samuel Clark, plumber; James Stuart. plumber;
pet cleaner; A. Gould, fancy goods; Isaac o.
Shumway, ranges: John j. OIriHn, printer;
Edward Purcell, stouc-cuter; A r. EtDe, shoes. Tue
CarOuor stated that four might he added to The
A cnreful tnkpectOn was made OF the ollding, the
fury stopping among the debris and going under
fallen roof where tho passage was both difficult and
dangerous.
PICTURES MISSING AND INJURED
At q late hour last evening the following
PAINTINGS had not recovered from tho The
total insurance the collection is S1500o0:
Dinner Subject ATfa
BuIafd L. C...MOnks at Fies0le. redder
S,o1a IL estate Of Tr p HessV
Hasey 5. r.. Liebfranennick -