St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-11-24
4 CENTER KNOCKED OUT,
And That Caused the Late Accident in
the New Asylum Wing.
THE REPORT OF EXPERTS,
Attributes the Blunder to Irresponsi-
BILE Hen Acting Without
Orders.

Special to the Globe
YANKToN, Dak., Nov. 23.-The trus-
tees of the insane asylum have had
competent architects here to-day exam
lining the work that has thus far been
done upon the wings of the asylum
building. These gentlemen are I'M
questionably qualified to pass upon the
work. two of their number being Sid
ney Smith. president of the Western
Architects association, of Omaha, and
W. l.. B. Jenney, member of the Archi-
tects' Association of Chicago. With
such expert examination as this the pub
lie can expect the facts exactly as they
exist. The GLOBE correspondent inter-
viewed these gentlemen tonight, and
was allowed to make a
COPY OF THEIR REPORT
to the board of trustees. which is as
follows:
TO the Board of Trustees of the Dakota
Hospital for the lnsane:
Gentlemen: Pursuant Ito your in
structions, the undersigned have care
fully examined the designs and speciii-
cations for the additions to the Dakota
hospital for the insane at Yankton, to-
gether with SO much of said additions
as are at present completed, and beg to
respectfully submit the following re-
port: First-In regard to the
CAUSES OF THE FAIL,
of a portion OF the east wing, which
occurred Oct. %. After careful con-
sideration OF all the circumstances as
related by the workmen and
others connected with the build
ing, and which statements sub
stantially agree in all imp ortant
particulars. and also from what we are
able to learn from the designs and from
the building. the undersigned would
state that. from the best OF their knoWl-
edge and belief. the accident was caused
by the falling of a floor arch of third
floor cell adjacent to the outside wall,
causing the floor arches Of several other
cells to follow, and pushing out por-
ton of the outer wall. The said floor
arch, the fall Of which was, as we be-
lieve, the sole cause of the accident,
was of very recent construction, the
MORTAR Still GREEN.
The outer wall adjac ent was scarcely
higher than the spring of the arcll-not
high enough to receive the ends of the
tie rods. and not as yet assisted by the
weight of the stories above it, it had no
power to resist the thrust of the said floor
arch. HIS dfcn was fleiu III pittCc Softly
by the center below. and it is alleged
that the removal of said center was fol-
lowed Immediately by the fall of said
arch and the attendant consequences.
After careful examination it is the
conviction of the undersigned that
TIE ACCIDENT
was solely due to the removal OF said
center, for so long as said center re-
manned in place the arch could not fall
and no such accident could have Oc-
cured. The undersigned can not learn
that there was any cause for or that any
person in authority ordered the removal
of this center, Or that the superintend-
ent was aware that it was being re-
moved until too late to prevent the ac-
dent, and believe that it was done by
UNAUTHeRIRED WORkMEN
ignorant of theinevitabie consciousness.
The undersigned would further state
that in their opinion this accident was
one that could not be foreseen or
guarded against. it being always pos
sible during the construction OF large
building from ignorant or thoughtless
werkmen to knock away temporary
support and be the immediate cause OF
a serious disaster.
SIDNEY SMITH. Omaha,
w. L. B. JENNEY, Chicago.
Architects.