New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-11-26
THE NEGLIGENCE or LANDLORDS.

The inquest in the case oil inc ten persons hI'lo"
Mt the Graud-st. disaster was continued yesterday.
Inspector William p. Esterbrook was the principal
witness. He is a tall, stalwart man, with rough
manner, who, when not giving his testimony was
rsuollv Iolling easily IN his char with his
hands in his pockets. When talking
bovever he became SO interested that he
sometimes rose from his chair, emphasizing his
many positive statements with gestures He SAID
that there was no record of the construction of the
bindings at Nos 81 and - Grand-st, because there
yos no Building Department in existence at the
time they were erected On Juy l, 1869 thcro
was \ record that julius Levy mad applied for per-
mission to make certain alterations and improve
ments in the building at No. -. changing the hrSt
story and basement into store. There was alSo IN
application made on July 6, 1878 for PERMISSION 10
take out the first story OF th's pnlId-
ing and to put in an iron and glass i'"h''
The next application was from O'Rren to put Hat
roof on No. 80 Graud-st instead OF a peaked rool'
This was granted. but there were almost two stores
mt on instead of It's being lowered eight iee ~ III
the specifications. These pans were approved by tho
men then officers Of tho Building Department, AMI
signed by Henry }. Dudley.
Coroner Hcrrman-Do Won think that the al
diticpal work weakened the buidug'
81 have no doubt Of il. There was considerably
NOR, weight On the walls than if the original plans
had L,on adhered to. The specifications
t,t. that the building WI, to be II feet hi-h, but
. drawing of the plans show it to he i3'2 feet.
Ibcr, was inst so much extra weight. The party
wall was II inches thick ia te first aud second s!o-
ries aud inches above that. In the report OF the
inspector in 1870 it is stated that the height OF ia"
buiidinc was 80 feet. In the reports OF 1875 the
wall, are said to be independent walls. ThcS"
statement, are both incorrect. Airport which
have. which is dated November 90, 1879, Is nearer
tIo truth This states that the fouuda-
ton walls are - inches thick that the building Is
10 feet from the curb level to the peak, and that
the brick walls are inches thick IN ih" first and
second stories and eight inches ia the thlfd story
An alteration in the budng ought not to have
been made. because the law provides that "a building
over 40 feet high with walls only eight inches tnrh'
sbouIl mot bc changed from % peak tn a Hat ruoi.
Tais law was passed on Apnl % 1N7l.and was IN
force At the time the alteration was made. ihei'
a prov sion II tie law that "hcn tue walls are hl~I-
rate the inspector can allow them 10 BE- = Loot
~ two Lobrr by submitting his wishes 10 the Board
Of Examiners but thor" Is no record that any such
action was taken. first heard that the building
was unsafe November !, ISL, when received IA
orrinrr lIy,lc's report. notice of thus Was given
~ the Fire Department on November T. 10 be- served
upon Mcssrs Levy and ~ Brien, and was IN its pos
session = hen the accident ucCurr d..
Nj. E,tcrtrool then explained the workings. or
tEc mysteries ciTcV,nlOc Is IETvrHul toT-
orer lcrrmunn put II. 81 the BIrraH OF huI'phg'.
" non a complaint was made he said II was rc-
f.rr.i to an examiner. ihr exported tl1t AhLldlrR
was unsafe bis report was sIbmtici 10 VI. Esi'r-
brook ~ 30 signed q notice To- fhc owner informing
him Of this. HIS served hY fireman, " d"
could not however. 60 ont of BIZ district for the
pnrpns,. II the owner refused 10 repair las "dlId-
Ing tie only resort was iHe law, and ihe case had to
"T6Gs Won scr' said Mr. E.tcrhrool, standing mp
i'm his excitement, Nr. Coroner aEj g'ui- that we
have 70 more right 10 q" INTO . nan- bHi!diug
th,n W. We into vour pockets. TIE law has 10 bee
observed IN every particular or our ProcrcG!ug-"ll
en- =, inc .,rouud We have to be- Is willy ~ ST.
Donts Sometimes landlords viii dodge the men
who have notices TO serve; sometimes TENNIS, who
want To- break thcT leases VIII report That buiid-
ing isunsaie If knew a building was liable to
fan, | should 20 and say stand from under a.
dulck "a Lightning.
az lg.d!ord wants 10 make any r"p1ir- 10 build
ing which vii cnange it, character ne has to have
a uernlt: at heryIR not NOu might a. well say that
a man Couldn't save hng-li from drowning a. not TO
reDair Gjs u,slte building OvrlawIs 20 make the
slow horses 90 We have ifcrn examiners ia the
Bureau Oi BuGing-Snd 400 new buildings and rr.
rairs to look arr-to G,v noihiugO complaints aud
lire cscarcs. We hay" TO see IN far that noN"iton9
OF tie law occurs in he 10000 buildings moro or
! l,,,. in thiE city. We have $1,000 wear To- dc
th,a with, and the lawyer walks away with $1,000
| Mr. Estcrbrocl stated also that O'Brcu or Levy
| could have made their buildings safe without per
NIT lie had never stopped for permit 10 make q
| building Fate when lac wa n builder " There are
some builders nc continued, " that you can hct all
| your mOdcy that everything they do ~ all night (:
other, you have TO sit down on day and night
There are some things in the building law that Gun
| bauass builders, landlords aud examiners, and
! oHght to he stricken ont. TO Iirorl-l never,
never would have allowed OBrcH 10 build that
! extra story on au cight-inCh wall
" Don't you think that OBrien and Levy had
| pcniy Of notice of their danger
Mr. EstcTbTOOk with some hcsItatiOnl-Nell. that
| is for you to decide. IL was private person. how
| over, should say that they had
| Mr.. ESrrhToOk then showed 10 the jury some
! mortar winch nc had taken from the foundation Of
| fine IuIll!upy IL soft and could lie Cru.uupd
! with the Land easy. IL that had boon well
| made" ne r,uarl. Ell, "it would be- harl7
| Jacob Hahn an ezc'tablc German, who talked
| ia his native language at the rate OF 800
! words a minute, and who snapped his fingers
excitediy In the face of the Coroner ms he gave lis
| testimony, WAS The next witness. lie did some
work for Levy he said. At No. 80 Grand-St. ia 1876
! he told Levy then that the chimney was in a bad
| condition. tnat the building would fall unicss
| attended 10. He also tod Levy that he would
repair for $50 and finally he reduced his price tn
| So. Levy SAID tIat that was too dear. and that
he didn'l care as he didn't deep IN the building.
| Hahnss sou, Lambert, was next examined,
| and he said that he had met Levy in
1877, Levy said lac had job for him,
AID that he should have all las work ii he would do
1t cheaper lilan his father Levy took him into the
| building at No. 80 Gfsud-st and showed him the
| chimney IN the basement. There was crack two
inches IN breadth between this aud the wall. Levy
wanted him to ill it up for forty cents, but he
refused to do 50 for less than dollar He bIicked
up fireplace after that for Levy, and found that
| the briclis of the chimney were all rotten. He
warned him that the building was not safe, but
| Levy said he bad had it repaired
| Mr.. Levy looming forwardl-l want to explain
| have spent $JO-mOrc than Sl5O-On that build
| ing.
| The Coronor-You should h2Yo spent more than
| $500, You can sit down nov, and you will have an
| opportunity later to explain.
| William Ii. Glass, of No 123 East Twenty first st.
the record clerk Of the Board of Buildings testified
| that he lett tho original complaint IN Examiner
| lIydo's box and that he had a report on
| thia He produced record of the Bureau showing
that Levy had once repaired building without ask.
ing for a permit Levy asserts he Thought 1t Was
| necessary in the case Of the Grand-st. building
| The case was then adjourned until Monday al
| II a.
| Lord Peterborough once said to barrister
upon his asking the midst Of boring hsrangue: Ii
1.-the pleasure tho Court that should proceed with
statement g. Pleasure, Mr.. -, has been out OF tn,
! Gurston for n hong tinlo. bGt yon may proceed"