New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-11-23

The coach-driyers who are on strike SAID ycster-
day, at their meeting i'll West Thrty-secon,,-s,.,
that they would starve before returning to WORK lor
less than S14 week. Many stable-keepers nave
tried to induce their to return by offering mem
SIP and sometimes &13 week. but these offers nave
been declined
WHY THE GRAND-ST. BUILDINGS FELL.
STORIES OF PERSONS WHO EscAPED-WHAI
LANDLORD HAS TO sAY-DELAY or THE PART OF
INSPECTORS AND BUILDERS.
The inGuest in the case of the persons killed IN te
Grand-st disaster was continued Yesterday Dc1HIe
| Coroner Herman John A. Hill, who lived at NO.
SO Grandst., and whose wife and two children Weic
killed by the accident, was the first witness ne u
rather handsome, intelligent looking man anu was
| dressed neatly in black. -.
Il never knew" he said, that there was any
danger until the morning Of the accident. got ulI
early that day, and Sir. Johnson, man VINO lodge
with me, told me that lie couldn't shut ms door,
heard moment after crack in the wall, ana
| / Immediately thought there was danger. Calling
MY wife we took onr two children and started TO
| escape, but did so the floor gave way ana the
wall fell | fell in the centre OF the hmldlhg
kept calling for my wife and children, but there was
no answer for they were all dead" As Mr. Hill tod
| his story the tears to his eyes ana ne neariy
broke down. III conclusion ne said that the party
| wall gave way first.
| A robust, healthy German woman was the nexl
"What is your namep asked Coroner Herman,
Margaret Ward" she answered in awhisper,
The Coroner TO the jury III his best Enghshl-
| Mrs. Ward testified that she kept becrshop IN
| the basement at No. 50 Grand-st.. She hal never
Levy, her landlord. had sa that some repairs,
which did not amount tn much would have 10 he
| made 0Brien told her that he wanted me bnild-
ing repaired for his sake and or the sake OF the
| poor tenants. There water in the cellar under
| them, and the place so unhealtifu that her
| husband had been sick.
| water in which colored man was drowned
|
The Coroner then explained that niger" $50
he said had ked in the cellar and had died sud-
denly of heart disease. He was not drowned. -.
| Policemen Richard Barry AID Bliss told what lit
tle they knew about the accident, rs did also Ocor
| McNally. McNaly SAID that small boy rushed up
| to him that morning and tod him the Elevated
Railway station had run into building at Grand-st
and crushed two houses"
James O'BrIen, OF No PSI West HouslOn-st:. was
next examined He owned the building at No. %
Grand-st, and was mem Der of the irin OF holland
| g. 0'Brien, which kept liquor store ut that place;
| He is a most particular young man WIN reg req
| mOusache, waXed at both ends, and red llnlr.
bought the building at No. 53 Grand st., he sald,
| on June II, 1878. II was twenty feet by forty
seven feet the lot being twenty feet by sixty-seven
| feet Shortly after buying it put in new toun-
| datiOn and glass front in the Grand,st and thc
| South Fifth-aye. sides. did not touch the party
| wall. This was done under the Inspection Oh VIII
! lam Pepper. of the Bureau OF Buildings
| The Coroner-Where does Pepper live 7
| Mr. O'Brien-He is dead at present. lie died
| year ago. The building had pitch roof, and III
March, 1879, got plans TO build up the sides max
| ing the upper story a floor instead Of a garrett
wasn't aware that the building was unsafe, ana
| worked there every day. | saw the crack III me
party wall il extended from the foundation TO the
fourth floor. On Mr.. Levy's side II was All inch or
inch and half IN width IN one place and 1o& be
said that repairs were necessary, out hc
coudn't tell how many until an inspection had been
made BY the Bureau of Buildings. told Mr.. Levy
of this aud he replied that he wasn't
getting much rent out OF The bulldlhg
and that he would get a builder to do the work VINO
party wall and to give him $1,000 for II, but he
asked $4,000. This about October 20.
A week later went 10 builders office, Mr. Han
mas and took one of his men to see the building,
lie told me go to the Bureau of Buildings and
went there that day. clerk told me that an inspec-
ton would be made Immediately NO inspector .rI
same result Finally Mr. Kerr, another builder. who
wanted to get the job, came 10 see me-
told him the results of my visits 10 the Bureau OF
Buildings ana he went there himself and came back
with Inspector Hyde. The latter told me, AFTER a
thorough examination, that the basement part OF
the party wall was cracked and that II had buged;
il would have to be rebuilt as Wei as part OF the
wall itself and part OF the street wall lie tOld me
this personally, and said that would receive the
necessary papers on the following day or certainly
on the day after that. This was ON Thursday aud
on Monday sent my clerk after them. lie could
get them, however and dld not receive the papers
until the day after the accident; l didn't
suppose that there WIS any danger or
| should have had the repairs made Instantly. The
builders whom l called in and the inspector. said
nothing about the building being unsafe. | should
| have had the party wall repaired Immediately, but
Oldn't think that had right TO interfere with
| another mans property without a permit. The
| building was made ground, and was somewhat
affected by the elevated roads. have sold it since
| the accident TO Mr.. Holland"
| A juror-Why didn't you have the party wall
| shored up when you found 1t was unsafe
| " never knew il was unsafe Nobody ever told
| me So didn't know that had a right to interfere
| with other persons property
| You had night TO protect your own"
Here piece of plaster fell from the ceiling Just in
front of the Coroner ana every one looked up anX-
iously to see if the COroners office was doomed,
| Mrs Saville who lived at No. % GraDd-st., and
| whose two daughters were killed. told sOrr0wfuliy
| of her escape " asked all the builders" she
| added 'and the inspector if there any danger,
| and they all assured me that there was not. And
| now" she continued with tears in her eyes " have
| lost my two children. These landlords have only
lost their money, and suppose that doesn't matter
The inquest was then adjourned until IL a. to-
| day.