New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-02-11
MR.. POTTER S1ILL on THE STAND.
Ills TESTIMONY BEFORE TIE CORONER.

TIE VICTIMS OF THE POTTER BUILDING FIRE
| INSPECTOR TSTrRBR pOK CROSS EXAMINED.
| Three witnesses examined yesterday at the
Coroner's investigation of the loss of life in the
Potter Building fire. John Richie of BOSTON, one
of the original owncr- of the burned binding, said
that when it was erected the building was as good
as any in New-York II was huilt ny days' work
| and not by contract Everything used in the con-
struction was of the best quality and the work
very thoroughly done. IT required year to erect
the building.
Mr. Potter then resumed his testimony. which was
regnn on thursday. The main points Of it are as
follows:
think that all the bricks used in the walls Of the
binding dom ink hat any Of The bricks
were taken from the oil church wall Everything
| cheap wien tre ding erected. am sure that
Norih River 6ii k. delivered at th' huding Al other
I coma w Thn II was BENG crcied hrcanse NV ba
ness O. he al the com -. III" abortion IN
the 1re dom under my p"r on1l supervision Mr
don" and told him 10 assume The resi- ohsiblliy. was
BraG G baf m cd t. ave- : the nan Who u i"
the blrr attend 40 the ilc Thought It vas more
If iy, me {cr Wond m ers,and ne "r
b.tt IA RI t. TIE non aid on the ton story,
me-. nr ~ u..ed { a, thc sid,. Of che H. der ho "
| iron Aft.rt'c ladder was made informed tu' Buid
ing Dcpa tmrHt and G~kc them IL scnd 'od inspect H.
| 1hr zane Inspector mt ne again ana said
any time fro that day until after tht ire. have been
ON the bidder more fi.an hundred fii.cs had been
on the root within fortnight previous 20 the lire
found The ladder locked u criniu' has been its
place all r'i Is 'in en- remember ma Nlrn heard
t lia 4 ,c,srncd H. Their was II" irqacnc on the
outside Of the blliug. ac,cf heard -ugsc-'ion about
nl, 'l,s Ia'i ~, ~, vl J n crti"r lc,rr M"
Cured to Tic InhliEg- Dcpa imcn very frequently
ana Nr Estchroo- and neither Of thcH suggested any
Ft slttfl| had fltFtt II
The Lost insrecton of the building by the Department
| o. TIildng- was January y. The building
aGiuod nay request with view to putting two add
t,ouaI storic- ON Top NJ Dudley made critical exam
in,iiou Of the building with nay architect July %.
1850 asked tenants il they would agree 70 allow
The alteration without reduction ~ rent ana Mold n
my hand au agreement ~ that effect signed 10y every ten
! ant. aid not make the hl'clh'I"l'' MOI hrcaist
Weldon al the change. Nprl, 1891, the Department
under ihc ,E1ior roroh,. ' H. "i lorl,, "','E 10
/ cNaulu me building hlWs'i NJ. I-t'Ihr"o" t.u-hi
that the walls were not strong enongl 10 permit IN"
caf'on 10 have M htaing raised story, permit
w,nI tc GRANTED. concurrtd Mr. Est'rbrook- judy
o., Is o. e -trrt. The binding has always brought H.
very profitable return. In regard to he tuc never
dangerous | 10 4 my carrcrtcr 10 remove n wood
wora FROM i4c' en- ne r." He'd mar II was IN LHr-
not to wInd the building las, bar TO make every hug
Inc day before the Ere my told that of the
beams the new fine Wa cttr chailC!, or burned
or scorchcd Mr. Weir the carpenter then sent ior
NV -on had ordered the fires 20 be- kept down. but told
him that they must be si.u OIL I'ason sent for,
and went 10 the cngiucrn0r, "a see tat he did the
Work { went win MI Bench. of The Nrc0Hdc american,
to hi- room 70 feel the w"ll whore ne line was 1t @n7
WARM but not hotter INDEED nor r." iot NJ EhNc oten
fell the Will over he furnace IL my OWL house. then
Thought t1at No k, u" zee, Nv, 'c u, M , %
I'm the cellar It vas just moderately WhT1, but little
moro heat felt on the floor above There was
hand against The ue without any scomioTt wat yer.
There was disco or,t on The paint the morning of
| I started for country house in SuC Sing,
| where had an appo n'mcnt win some mech mics |
have theory As to the riHn 81 the mr. The change
Inc IN the al ON WJS On
afternoon. before hft the hui ding. Drmus " the en-
n err has only been i'm nv emp uy two or three months
ore Of hi references tom III IRON manufacturing
firm They ID Ey confidential inan that Dempsey was
n y, ~ super or cngi Other references whirl in
| yosgat,d were equally satisfactory. never the
sigh es ind cat on Of qnor about him and he Is
offer Ia regard e. the rapid destruction of HE bnlling
William p. Esterbrook Inspector o. Buildings,
was he next witness. lie produce some plans and
other records fled with his Department when apPli-
| cation wah made to raise e binding Two stories
| "A PERM ;" he said, had been granted by my pred
eccssor, but as ho mat er had no been called 20 the
attention O the Board OF Examiners, TOOK Tie re-
| spou ,ihility OF revOkng il. Od The architect ard
| Mr. Potter hat had no ianlt To lind with the build
ing in regard lis present height, but thai would
moi consent TO have II raised TWO or three stories
then heard ~ an elevator being built in il wi hOut
an applica ion having been made. An inspector
went here and rep0r cd tavorably. Then appli-
| cation made to alter some partitions IN the NJ
| per Story. | never examined the building III an
official capacity. he complaints hat are made 10 my
| Department are more lhln can he ~ ended 20 with
| our limited number of inspectors You see, this Is
| the consequence oi the gross ignorance of men who
| have been sem to the Legislature. Las year we had
g. 800 complain OF houses needing tire escapes, and
SO were PM on. We will have t0 Worry he others
| all we know how. | never knew anvthiug about
this new luc in the Pot CT Building mil now. If an
! owner alters his walls or timbcrs We want to know
that il is done right, bnt We don't always
know about il. There are some builders who don't
need any law. You SEQ that they are doing the
work properly ii Won travel past Their bindings IN
a locomotive. But there other huildcrs that you
| couldn't ind men euOughto watch them. I'm regard
to elevators in buildings don't think II makes any
difference where they are placed, H. there Is only
| some means o escape AZ sorc remote dlstan rom
| them. An inspector cant tell what hudug
| needs until he examines the place. lou can't say
| that Il house needs arc-cS'apc simply 10y walking
past the buIlding. some architects who draw nee
plans bring them to and ask 10 alter bindings
! in all kinds o. ways. hc plan certainly always
! looks nj ely. and then when Object t. weakening
the hulldlng the archlic thinks I'm not %Sthrtic'
! Mr. Darrgh builder. and one OF the jurors,
asked Nj. IstcIbrook long Hypothetical question.
! giving the facts IN regard to MI otter changing
| tfoII new me t. Az old one The day before the
! Ire In such Il case a. that added Mr.. Dlrragh,
would you grant the permit to make the altcIa-
Ven" said the Inspector, laughing and talking
| slowly. " I'm Yankee. " Guild Nuu - liaughtcT.I
d" If You discovered at p. that one OF the TIM
| hers had bc, one oharcd Oh account Ot the heat
! from the lluc would you make the alteration then
! OF wait aud consult the Department OF Build
| nE7W
! well. I guess a drowning man who sees a plank
floating past hun Will Jump on u without waiting 10
a., permission OF the owner Il Il detect WAS found
| ia tllc at . y. M, w0uid save my builumg ur,t,
ana consult the Department oi Buildings IN the
| morning"
{" do Sou think that there were ample means of
| escape ia the building T.
" am tod that tAcrc were two StalrWays leading
to two strccIs don't know all abuui lie building.
and therefore it In difficult TO give an answer But
| will say that IN so CaScs out of 100, two star
eases, six feet widc arc sufficient means Of escape
y "A