New-York tribune., 1883-03-15
DANGER IN HIGH AP1RTMEYrHoUSE USES.
INQUEST IN TIE CASES OF MRS. wAKEsAN AND
HER DAUGHTER.

INQUEST IN TIE CASES OF MRS. wAKEMAN AND
HHR DAUGHTER.
The Cambridge flats disaster was taken M by
Coroner Martin and jury yesterday In the form
of an inquiry into the death of Mrs Mary II. Wake
man and Miss Rosamond B. Wakeman. Nine wit
nessts were examined. Inspector E5terbrOOk gave
the following testimony:
Ihave no distinct remembrance Of complaint con.
cernng the Cambridge fats, but think that there
one in regard 20 smoke and that my subordnates re-
force, twenty in number. ia inadequate to do the work
required or IL efectuaiy. We snoLld have twice tne
humber These high flats if they are not Quilt of lire
proof materials should have the starways and high
shafts ncOsed IN brick walls. think that II the Heaith
Board wouu recommend that the ghtsnafts should be-
open the the present defects could be remeed by
my Department There were. In my opinion, ample
means Of escape 4 the people had not ost their wis
think these high ats SHOULD not DC Du unless they sr7
made fre-proof throughout.
Fire Marshal George II. Sheldon testified as 70 the
apparent origin of the fire, which he thought started
on the side OF the building between the front
and tho stairway leading to the first floor. " just
at the of that stairway said Mr. sheldon,
" was a small shaft incOsed al the basement floor,
aud at the reaI OF that q large alr shaft opened.
The stairway was nclOSed with "a doorway at the
top. That door opened, and through It tho
smoke and heat made their way up through the hall
and stairway had this door been closed no lives
would have been lost Thomas Reid. OF No. 327
WesL Fifty y-seventh-st., the owner OF the burned
apartment house, testified: a" A year ago l had
muchanIc put the house in thorough repair. have
spent from $1,000 to 1000 ON It, as much as ever
got rent for. | found after had bought tho
building that it was poor cne. 1t sagged aud
had 1t raised"
After being out half an hour the Jury returned 4
verdict that the building was imperieclly con-
structed. and that the former owner OF the building,
Mr. Phyfe aud also tue superintendent OF Inspector
of the Building Department under whose admins
tratiOn the building was altered be celsured Tho
Jury eXoneraLed the present owner from all re-
,pOnsibillty for the deaths of the two women. They
ret commended TO the Legislature the passage of laws
PROHIBITING the erection of dwellings over six
stories in height They further recommended that
all air wells and elevator shafts IN houses oT this de-
be "a metal
also advised an Immediate addition to the stat Of
building examiners.
company the district telegraph signal boxes for
use Offices and dwellings,, IS one for giving an
alarm of fire. pUD receiving such alarm the
clerk in charge OF the telegraph Office sends somo
person to the place where tie box Is. 1t the mes
senger fines fire he thee sends out an alarm
TrOm a street box. his delay has several times
been disastrous According TO the testimony OF in-
mates of the Cambridge flats there
serions delsy-tuly fifteen mlnutes-in this
way, iu sending information to the Fire
Department after tho fire discovered there. IL
this had been prevented, Mrs. WakeI0an and her
daughter would PROBABLY not have lost their lives.
On ,otion of Dir. Van COtt the Commissioners on
] uesday passed resolutions requiring the American
District Telegraph and Mutual District Telegraph
companies to establish, at once. direct telegraphc
between their district offices and Fire
Headquarters. II the companies refuse to comply
with this requiremens action will be taken to coT
panylng their Instruments The Commissioners
assert that they have the sole right maks arrange
menIs Tor extlnguinnIng nres IN the city.
Fire Marshal Sheldon on uesday continued his in
vestigatl0n OF the fire IN the Cambridge HAS, lie
took the testimony OF William G. Fletcher. OF No.
II MurIay-st., who lived on the first 1oor OF the
house with bis wife and two children. Mr.. Flet-
cher made the following statements: "lt was he
tween half past and aquarter of that was
awakened by NV wife crying freg pulled the
district messenger box. heard no one give any
alarm of fire in the house except my wife. A few
weeks ago discovered smoke coming out of the
parlor trom the PARTITION ncosng the folding doors
on the west side OF the room. IL came out thick
as to make 1t quite uncomfortable. | called the
janitUr up and he saw II. and then we went down
stairs to see If there was any fire below. There was
nothing underneath but coal bins. | think the ire
started underneath my hoor from lue ia an adj
joining house."