New-York tribune., 1882-02-16
THE POTTER BUILDING FIRE.
NINnINGs Or TDE CORONER'S JURY.


MILD cENsURE OF Mr.. PoTTEE-REcoMMENDATIoN
IN REGARD TO ELEVATORS AND THE CoNsIRCC-
TON AND INSPECTION OF FLUEs.
The inouest into the cause Of the fire in the old
World Building was concluded before Coroner
Herman Yesterday. No further evidence was
taken The Coroner made his charge to the Jury
which then retired. and after an absence OF seven
hours returned verdict. Mr. Potter AMI his at
torney aud few of his employees were present, but
they did not wait to hear the findings Of the jury
Coroner Herman in his charge to the jury sad III
substance:
The responsibility for the loss Of life belongs some
upon the or whom: The persons VINO lo-i lleir
lives were following their law v0catl0ns, ana we're
offered As to the Fire Department. It was on hand
promptly after II received notice Though hs depart
nnt has always regarded one o. the best, the
testimony Is Of such character tat YOU may uhnK
necessary 10 make special accommodation IN reg rd
frp that were due there The Chief T. gnCer says That
1t vas because the men %Sfg I YEA VI as "Ir " %
ing for those days. II wac great c1angcd
made il necessary thai precautions should be taken
against fire II the owners business 10 see 10 that
Inspector Fsterhrook of The Buildings Bureau, thought
thai in ninc, nine cases ont OF hundred he tw9
starways would have bten sufficient lie mlScai'uiaicd
that chance The building required more tre, Ire
ow"crs business 10 pur them np without waiting untn M
compelled 10 do So by the Buiid IS Department ne
spirit o. the law was not comp'ed WIZ; gnr
tay whether the landlord OF the Buildings Department
responsible If the Buildings Deparnen Wa not 10
10 attend its duties it should have informed she proper
authorities long ago Non sbond also say "nflh,r ,oe
ue nded 20 in proper way ThIre shoulI De
Law compelling the erection OF elevators IN some other
Place than M proximity to SairwyS lsh Your ptott
ince make some Recommendation on thls p"lDt;
There was complaint Of scarcity oi water. we need
more water and onCbt to have u al once II - Homr
province to maSe recommendat'n on ihls qu,s ION
& LHlS inaS "pF% of % Wrisn the boolacR 1t is for
.rl,a fh.ra cllD
lect, or whether only censure is calod for
The law in regard to fire escapes was read in full
at tine request Of Mir. PotteT's counsel The jury
dining its absence sent to ask the Coroner II YER
diet would have to be delivered without adjourn
ment. The Coroner replied that he would wait un-
til p N. before he would allow the jury to adj
journ. At $50 p. m. tie jury rendered The follow
ing verdict:
red W Harris jostph Cunningham aud Jo anna ityon
to heir death by aphy Aia caused by thr hre IN
the buding coIn,r of Park Row. Nassau ana BtcKihn
sts owned by O. B. Potter aud thai Ln DulIau llci
ard Dnyie came TO ther death ey iaIng OF jumping
Second-We lind that the bre "11 mated rom an over
further hat ne fu was Improperly cohSiruoteu am n @ e
fec i've from e. and the recess or chase IN the w cur
in close proximity 10 the tne alter he conpeloo OF
TIE building which caused tbs frac ure III the SIDE W
of said The erva or shaft, winch hli recently Det
erected this ne opposite 20 II, was he most en-
cien cent in s;hutmg The lGmes through the Wh"e
building. We ccnsm the owner OF the building, o. Is.
tie Department OF bindings for he proper per
nit for repairs or alterations, which would nave
omcer OF the Department. and mint have lea
to the discovery Il tnt lDpeileclons ~ 4E sum
causing This disaster and the deI"railr loss OF it
Third-The jury condemns the practice ol dNlllhS
rcr bn dinc into small offices by wooden Partitions
IO0th-While we condemn the conduc OF the ffe ,'e
par this occasion, Ve deprccte thr iaet Vn
Crt OF The members Of whom were engaged III the
perf3rma If duH not properly belonging o" Hth ne
artment. We commend III 'ccl III n"Gr iu9 h'Ii h'Ilc
,c OF Fireman McDHgger atlac ed 10 Hook ana Lauder
tofnpany |, III his edO ts save the hNeS oI IN 81
also tbe pr s'nce o. lnnn ana s1cc ssiu vI t
of CEail wright ia de aching ware caDit Hoh 'he tei
egrauh pole, by which three hNes were saved .
FiGhIWe recommend tina, when pric cicible. stairs |
aud elevators bil remote from carh o her ara H.
closed with hrr-urOOi ma erals
Srtllt De regre ted that there was 40 much de-
Law IN giving The nIs alarm. ihi' 0nlSS II ls trcHS
W h was pres, mt and st discovered The r, al ned 80
the street without giving ANY u"cc To inc occupants oI
SerSusI- We further recommend that the Department
of BUILDINGS frame such laws for passage by the Lessl
ture aH shall provide for The roper constrlclo 81
furnacc md boiler iues in bull gs 10 ne ItI'r
cree ID said laws 60 provide also TO- NE frequent usp
# all urs presc used OF 10 be Ell "r such
,rnpa,s with view nf recommend Y such altera IONS
as may be required and with the prop |
penal j. s attached for VOL iOn. We aIO r. |
commend that boiler furnace hGc@ SHAH |
not placed clOsc proximity 10 stairs, elevators
LiyEM--Wc find tha the tiremcn we're somewhat I'M
peded heir operations by elS~ph lines ana scarcely
NinM.-vhle 1t appears tina. there were some means
Df csc pc provided t. the roof by adder from the h
story jurors do uOt cOnieT iiil II was adequate as
proper ire escape
A. Upfeder, Andrew Martin, 80
Jack,on > Schultz Alexander IL. Rcstlinger,
Iuuas X. Goldsmith, JOIN j. fucker,
;. Nallich 4 lph'r Hl.IS
VI. .MinZeSheimer, Mare Eid NJ.
Robert l. Dirragh. Bernard hcnucy.