The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-09-15

tne eNof9cntcrlug-lhe ne Sub-tontructinR Syss
tern Condem mined.
AT the Coroner's inquest held Yesterday
over the remSibS oi Mr.. William w. War
ren, who was killed Tues day afternoon by
the falling Of the building on Cary street
between Eleventh and Twelfth streets. the
following facts IN relation 10 tie accident
were eiiclted:
NO FAULT IN THE MoRPAR.
G.. +. Rediord was sworn, and deposed
as follows: ] reside at 5l5 north Second
street. / was the contractor for the brick
work on the house being built on The south
side OF Cary near Twelfth street. The
work WIS 10 be Of the first order. Am a
practical wOrka an. having been engaged
in the business tweuiy-siX years. The
foundation was two aud half brick thick
and the principal wall was one and a half
bricks thick. The house was three stories
high on Cary street and about two and a
half stories high on the basin bank. The
roof Vas four aud half incht TO the foot.
commenced the work on this house on
or about the lab a August. have fixed
mode Of mixing my mortar, but the man
who mixes all my mortar is an experienced
hand, and one in whom have implicit con-
idence. | consider the mortar used as good
as could be mixed. finished lay ing the
bricks on this house one week ago yeSter-
day, and the carpenters following very close
afier me. Ii is usual 10 put the raIters in
lust as soon as this. have examined
the bricks since the house fell aud am salts
fed that there was no fault in the mortar.
think that IL the timbers bad been braced
the house would be standing now. do
not think this roof was braced. ] did not
see any braces. went through this house
the same day on which it tfell, pnd saw moth
ing wrong in the brick-work. Iron anchors
were worked in on every tier. The end
wall, last story next to Messrs. Staples d
Blair, was only one brick thick, but there
was no pressure ON this part OF the wall. i
noticed the absence OF the braces, but heard
OF no complaint.
THE ROOF NOT BRACED.
w. G. Puler was sworn, aud deposed as
follows: put the cornice up 10 this house,
but bad nothing to do with any other part
OF tbe work done. ! think the roof was
the cause Of the house falling. There were
no braces in he roof. noticed that there
were no collar beams, which should have
been there. i do not profess TO be Judge
OF brick-wOrk. The bTickwoTk or this
house was as good as usually seen. | no.
ticed two openings in the wall, which were
intended for window-frameS. l consider
this TO be q good job Of brick.work. The
stud partitions in this house were we'll
braced. reside at No. 3O4 west Marshall.
NEGLIGENCE OF A SUB CONTRACTOR.
James Z. Tyler was sworn, and deposed
as follows: l reside at GA north sixth
street. was the general contractor for the
building, Mr.. Axell leaving all to me. |
thibk The falling Of the house was caused
by the negligence Of the sub contractor,
Mr.. Kelley, he failing to put in the collar
beam. ! was at the building yesterday
morning. and gave positive instruction ior
il 10 he put in at once. IL bad no cross-tie
whatever. The size OF the raiters-two
inches by eight inches, two feet apart.
There was no beaming in the rafiers. /
went TO the country yesterday after leaving
the building, fully believing That the beam
wonld be nut in at once according TO my
orders. Mr. Kelley was recommended to
me as a first. class framer, IL was originally
intended TO put on n Tin roof, but afterwards
CHANGED II 10 a slate.rOof, but this change
had nothing 10 do with the falling OF the
house.
OTHER CAUSES ASSIGNED.
Decatur Axtell was sworn, and deposed
as follows: am the general superintendent
Of the Richmond and Allegheny railroao.
| am a civil engineer by profession: L
never examined This house for Inspection.
have made no examination OF tbs house
since il fell. l think the accident was
caused by the failure to put in the collar
beam. | do not profess to be Judge OF
l. nnn1I only foil tHp rl1raC
ter OF the mortar by analyZlng IT.
n Ligpon was sworn, and deposed az
follows: / reside at 6l7 north Twenty
second street. | was the contractor for the
slate.woTk. On Yesterday morning ! called
Mr.. Tyler,s attention 10 the want of bracing
for the roof, and he said he would have II
attended 10 at once. l have worked on
bouses before th,sIiuSt as badly braced.
have no doubt that the failure to brace was
the cause of the accident. Mr.. Tyler toid
me that he had business calling him to the
counfry. but that he would order the braces
mt In before be went. Mr. Kelley told me
on last Saturday that | had one OF the pret-
test roofs in the city 10 go TO work on.
know This to be the first time Mr.. Iyler
ever employed a sub-contractor. saw slr'
Warren in the alley but few minutes De-
fore the accident. He was killed by the
falling Of the gable wall.
THE VERDICT.
City Of Richmond, to 'oit:
An ineuIsiiion taken at 500 New street, IN
said city. on The l4th day OF september,
1881 before me, William II. Taylor, Coro-
n4r. upon the view OF the body OF William
w. Warren, there lying dead, the Jurors
sworn TO inquire when. hO@, ana bp what
means the said William w. Warren came 10
his death, upon their oath do say that ne
came TO his death on the 18th day OF sep
tember, 1881, from injuries received by the
falling OF a portion Of the house building on
Cary street between Eleventh and Iwetlh
streets. which falling was attributable 10
family construction Of the roof by the SUD-
Mr.. Kelley.
We, the jury In the above case Wouid
consider that we we're derellct IN duiy IL
we failed TO call attention of me people Oh
tkis CITY 10 the fruitful cause OF accidents III
hnjldines that have been erected IN the iast
few yeafs-viz., the practice Win many
bajsders oG sub LETTING or farming out eer'
t,ia poTtious OF the work. usually 10 par
ties y DO are both incapable and uresponsi-
bic. coo.o.
Ia testimony whereof the said Coroner
,nd tnrors hereto set their bands nd seals'
WILLIAM ii. TAYLOR, NJ. d.,
Coro ner;
J0HN A. LACY, Foreman;
WILLIAM JOSEPH GENTRY,
ID. II. LEDLEY,
SAMUEL II. JETER.
s. q. FLOURNOY,
#. WILEY DAVIS.
Mr.. Warren was buried yesterday ey ,