New-York tribune., 1882-03-02
FALL OF A NEW WALL.
AN ADJOINING HOUSE CRUSHED.


MASSES OF BRICK AND MORTAR CRASH THROUGH
THE ROOF OF A MANHATTANVILLE DWELLING.
NIasons have been at work recently rearing the
walls of what is to be tve-story fat house at No.
1863 West Observation-Disclosures -elghth-st. The
work has been done for Charles Ii. FentOn, of Lex
ingtOn-ave. and One-hundred-and-t twenty fourth
st., under the supervision OF Charles Baxtsr Ter
a contractor and builder who lives at No.
324 East One hundred and twenty -ffth-st.
who has an Office in Third-ave The, side
walls and the rear wall are OF Drlck,
twelve inches in thickness and the front wall Is OF
brick and OHIO stone combined. On the east side
of the fiat house ts three-story frame building oc-
cupied by Sergeant Boehme, of the Twelfth Pre-
cinct Police, and on the west side Is the four-sOry
brick dwelling No. 165, owned by Charles Mott OF
Thirl-avc and One-hundred- and -eleventh-st., and
occupied by William Jarvis. retired real estate
broker
The side walls and the rear wall Of the fiat house
were finished Tuesday evening and the front wall
was completed far as the fourth story. The rain
which set in that ievening prevented the workmen
from continuing work Oh the front wall yesterday
morning. The wind drove the rain against the walls
during the early part of the day with considerable
force, reducing the soft mortar to the consistency
of putty and weakening the walls AS the
day tho wind increased in strength
and the side walls at the front of the
building began TO vibrate. The masOns had braced
the walls from the inside and fears were enter
tanned that they would fall AT p m, however
a portion of the westerly wall suddenly gave way
and fell upon the roof of No 165. 1t was that por-
ton which most exposed to the force Of the
wind, extending about fifteen feet from the front
above the fourth story The roof Of the house, oc-
cupied by Mr.. jarvis, was flat and covered with
tin. 1t was supported by hemlock timbers, six by
three inches In thickness. and placed about two
feet apart with only twonch bearings on the walls
Tho weight of tho bricks which fell upon this
roof was about eight tons The descending mass
broke the roof like egg shell Instantly and went
crashing down through the front part of the dwell
ing Through two floors it tore its way like a
thunderbolt aud not until the parOr floor was
reached did 1t enough resistance 10 check
its progress The sound of the crash was heard
tbrou he ne oh bOrhO
Inside the dwelling the wOI of destruction was
frightful. A hole about ten feet in diameter eI-
tended from the roof to the front parOr where lay
a large heap of brick and mortar, broken timberS,
plasering, furniture and ornaments in utter
confusion.
At the time of the accident Mr. Jarvis
was in tho rear room on the second
floor Of the dwelling writing, his wife and
daughter were in the front room on the same ho0r,
and "A servant was ut work in the basement Mr.
jarvis and the servant were out of danger but the
avalanche of brick and mortar passed through the
room where Mrs. Jarvis and her daughter were
Mrs. Jarvis was seated near front window, and
she escaped injury although she was nearly covered
with the plastering which fell from the ceiling
Alice VI. Jarvis, her daughter. a girl of nineteen,
was lying "A bed in the room. portion of the
descending mass struck the bed and shattered 1t.
When Mr. Jarvis made his way into the hall his
wife joined him there and cried out that the daugh
ter hurt. several people rushed into the building
and helped Mr.. Jarvis to rescue the young woman.
She unconscious, and was wedged III between
fragments of the bed and the broken floors.
The men carried her into the adjoining house, No.
l67, occupied by Mr.. Hunt and surgeons were sum-
moncd TO attend her. Several of her ribs had been
broken and she had received bruises and internal
injuries Although she Tegained consciousness. 1t was
believed last night that her injuries would prove IA
tai. she was aive at a late hour. Sergeant BOehme
was asleep i'll his house when the wall
gavo way. lie caused al alarm of fire to be
sent ont, and the Temen were asked to tear down
q part of the easterly wall of the fiat house which
seemed likely to fan also They refused. saying
they had no right TO take such action without per
mission of the builder The wind soon made their
action unnecessary. az the tOpOf the wall fell in
ward. The remaining walls were braced 30 as to
make them secure.
The damage to the unfinished structure was es-
tiInated at about $500. The dwelling occupied by
Mr. Jarvis injured to the extent of 81 ,OOO and
tnc damage to the furniture in the house was estl-
mated at about 5000. Several paintings and
ornaments in the parlOr were ruined aud piano IN
the room was demolished.
Mr.. baxter said last evening that the accident
was Unforeseen and III his Judgment unavoidable. he
sad that he had erected over 1900 buildings III
Harlem during the past eight years and he had
never met with "A similar accident.