New-York tribune., 1882-02-10
OBJ. POTTER'S EXPLANATIONS
RESULTS OF OFFICIAL INQUIRIES.

loss of life in the Potter Building fire continued
| yesterday John J. Reed, q workman in the build
| Ing, resumed his testimony. He produced draw
ing showing the position of the ilue from the boiler
He gave his theory OF the origin Of the fire that
the bricks of tho ue near the boiler became over
| heated and Ignited the base boards on the floor
above. On the morning of the disaster h. noticed
that the engineer had moderate fire under tho
/ boiler. 1t was a mild day, and great quantity Of
steam not required
| William r. Taylor boileT-makcr. testified that
! he repaired the boiler in the building. Mr. Potter
| told HIM that he wanted il thoroughly ovcrhauled,
and said to spare expense IN repairing II. After
the work was done the boiler submitted 10 the
city authorities. Mr. Potter also told him 20 put in
auxiliary boiler, if it necessary, 10 run the
| pump for the elevator The flue was found to he
too small to admit Of sufficient draft, and one
was then used From the time the repairs were
! pade, about last Christmas up to the day before
the fire the draft from the lue satisfactory.
| When asked in regard to his theory of the
| fire Mr. Taylor said that he thought il was
caused by spontaneous combustion III tho fue at
| near its base. The tall buildings in the neghbor-
| hood checked the draft and drove the gases back
into the chimney. One OF the jurors asked the wit
ness if the old fine was not poor one. which be-
came very much overheatcd and he said that ho
| th ought 1t was.
George 7. Edgar, an insurance agent, who had
often visited the building in twenty years, testified
that Oh every floor many light pine partitions.
MANY OF the rooms were filed with books aud
papers which aided in extending the fire. When he
went into the building he often smeed
benzine, which had been dropped on the
stairs by careless boys. He thought that n good
deal of benzine was used in the building for wash
ing forms. lochsmith had shop under the stair
way. where he used good deal of grease and in
faumabe matter When be at work the lock-
smith used lamp.
Alfred Lulcott employed in the office Of Mum &
Co., testified to having felt that the wall over the
fine was vely hot. William e. Gunther, William I.
Sands and Edmund Il. Brown were IN their offices
in the binding when the fire broke OUT, but they
ha j no new testimony to give.
Orlando B. Potter the last witness. HIS teSti-
mony in the main follows
was originally purchased in 1857. There were three
oWner Of T about ten wears ago The building was put
mp by Mr. Ntchie Of the original owners, practical
the construction lie was one of the most competent
builders that knew. was president of company
Hha %ncn '"IGt''' Sft ali IL thS @ @ Work A of the e" con-
him present at the work. know the walls were
sound and rong and there wac mot the sshest ersc.
were inches by fourteen inches, and they were
placed eight inches apart The iron work was good
the best kind made. never had a complaint that
the building vas not properlv cared ior until since
for fifteen 10 twenty years Mr.. Beach the day
before the IRE eRsaSGd ms rSTm M ISr yS y."fs SE
had applied for renewal of their leases Thore
tenants that vented TO 20 except the compost
tors. | requested Dr. Prime to vacate his room 81,
months ago, As wanted TO change that floor into law
yers' Offices When determined 10 have the composing
room OF The NecTorl ObScTa' removed, D. Prime wrote
me an urgent appeal to be allowed to remain thns
don't believe hat there is building downtown where
the tenants remained longer.
There never has been fire Of any conse
quence in the building since l 6%ned II
two or three fires the subcelar and there have been
two in some Of the Offices bnt they did not dc
The building has been insured the start, and
think the rate bas bssn 20 o. one per cent ana dan.
insured IN the II there was auy benzinf
used in In" building, 1t .ohiJited in the leases
once twice heard Of a man uaing lamp instead Of
the gas but always stopped IT, ne rental OF th:
year II 100000. rne entire Insurance on the
building 5 100000 aAd there If an extra INSURANCE
take to build Ny odicc in the fourth story tho
drst Door Tue building ready for pccapation May
l. 1858 The original builder put IN the ue and never
CRATE mas been renewed rom time 10 time Alter the
explosion Of a Doilcr in Eeyenthet. and Broadway
determined 20 have mine repaired SO far a. the wOTf
was concerned, Z told The boler-ma4er that I knew
manner Tie erection Of the Morse Building injured the
draft, but not enough to make me put IN new hue
The Coroner then announced that he would adj
iourn thc investigation until this morning lie read
a letter which he had received, calling his attention
to the great quantity OF lighted gas that escaped
where the street. main cOnrec,ed VIA, The gas plpes
IN the building. lie said the jury might desire "a
make some recommendations m regard 10 A. JACK.
son = Schultz SAID tina he would Ike 10 have the
duty of the jury more clearly defined. lie stated
that his pockets were filed with letters from per;
sons Offering all kludh OF suggestions and hc desired
to know just what his duty was. The Coroner re,
piled thar great many good rccommendauo IS had
been made by cOr0ners iures. and in tins instance
io 10 a.
death, but who was responsible Tor H.
Fire Marshal sheldon yesterday continued his ln-
vcstioatlOn also taking the testimony OF Mr. Potter.
This was very long, much of II being repetition ef
evidence previously given by other witnesses and of
that which he himself gave at the COronors inquest.
The following are the most interesting 81 his state
ments:
Urah and John Richie and myself bought The property
in ls57 My interest was one-ha1. BY the terms Of
the purchase we were 10 improve became the sole
owner The death of Criah Richie reiGcmber there
have been several slight nrt- ~ the bloingi one IN
The ScoiisJ oice, caused by the composites
smoking sunday evening. and another ~ an Office
north or the entrance on Tue thlih OF iohr hOor IL
was nothing but basdet OF ~aete paper There were
last fire IN vault was some thse or ioGf weeks Detore
the building burned I began the erection Of IN
md Iittic snace taken from he store on the
north side OF the entrance. OF the hoist
way was closed gP strcI At the apisbcd pS sxceps pe
making the steam connections in the sniccellar. The
permission OF the underwriters vas obtained r putting
in the without any increase IN rates had me
ana boiler rcpairSa ana pat N ordef sst iali
ON Monday, auuary 20. TWent 10 my Office between
and 3o'c0cs The Office boy SJi my son wanted 10 SEQ
me on The upper floor. went up there aud lac told me
charred sr smoked or bltckened beam-i cannot say
,yluch word he used-had been .OInd across the new
ue | dd not this beam. Mr. Potter here Described
The work OI stopping up the lle and reopenms the
old one as already testified 10 by other "lthtoenl nr
Clark, who kept bookstore on the secon6 ho0I, tod
me Two or three DAYS before January 80 hat De had no
tced a warm pL.ce opposite the new his wherc ~
,,as.ed M through his reOui OF the eoith side
oy fhe partition wall. ] told him the hue had
neon cohstru,ted BY the most competent men,
WHO laid n WAC made IN the best manner and VAS
safe and that had directed my carpenter