Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-01-10
THEPARAMOUNT QUESTION
Was There Negligence as n Cause for the
Disasters-Henry Lee Mason, Sr.,
Relates a Striking Coincidence
on the Point-The Building
Inspector and Others


on the B0tnt-Ibe bull0lnR
Inspector and Others
Interviewed.
As to the question of negligence, or at
least prior suspicion thereof, Henry Lee
Mason, Sr., father of principal member Of
the Weldin firm, said to reporter for this
paper last evening that the entire firm were
impressed with the idea that the cause of
the accident was not so much the great age
of their own building as the supposed neg
ligence with which the new one was being
erected. The proper supports to the new
walls, they say, were not put in, and,
strangely enough, on the day preceding the
accident friend of the firm had come in
and commented on the supposed unsafe con-
dition of the building being erected, saying
that ''it looked as if, in case a strong wind
should come down Diamond alley and
strike those new walls they would easily
collapse"
A sample of the mortar used in the build
ing was submitted to Mr.. Walsh, the man
who built the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
depot on Smithfeld and Water streets, and,
without being told why an opinion was
wanted, he pronounced the sample very
good. after having wet and mixed it. He
was then asked what he thought of the
matter in general way, and particularly
as to whether he thought the walls unsafe
and unable to stand ordinary strain. Mr.
Walsh replied that be supposed the blast
was sufficiently strong to throw down any
unprotected wall while new; but he seemed
to think no estimate could be made OF
the force exerted
The air was full of rumor as it could be
packed, and all sorts OF opinions were heard
regarding the stability of the walls and the
quality of the mortar. Some said the bricks
and mortar separated so completely as to
leave scarce any trace whatever of the latter.
Some were telling that the walls were
fiimsv, and in the same crowd could be heard
the assertion that they were quite heavy.
and, all else being right, abundantly suff-
cient.
THE BUILDING INSPECTOR SPEAKS.
Building Inspector Frank was found last
evening, helping to dig out some sufferers
from the ruins of the ''Model'' restaurant on
Diamond alley, and he was asked what he
thought of the matter, and what was the
cause He replied:
l see nothing wrong with the building or
the mortar. There is always at this time of
year too much hurry in putting up walls, but
the mortar was made of sharp sand and was
good, and there can be no complaint in this re-
spect. l am too much engrossed at present to
talk very coherenty. but l can say that can
fud far11t vii q work heyOnd what have
already stated and that applies to all cases of
winter building. There is no estimating the
power of the wind that struck the building,
and can say no more at present
Councilman Hugh Ferguson, who was as
sisting Mr.. Frank in the excavation, was
also asked for an opinion. Mr. Ferguson is,
or has been, a very extensive builder, and
he said:
The trouble is that mortar at this time of
year in q green wall has more adhesive
power than much sawdust. and when these
high buildings are. put up in this kind OF
weather with open fronts it takes but little
force to throw them down.
Mr.. Ferguson's opinion was in brief {:
That it was no more than might be expected
in the case of any similar high building
with an open front and an unexpected
storm.
GREEN WALLS DISSECTED.
Mr.. A c. Douthitt of Douthitt Bros,
extensive brick builders said:
don't think man of Huckestine's expert
ence would be so much of a fool as to use poor
mortar. did not see the mortar; but there
would be no profit in using poor article. The
sharp river sand used in this city is cent
bushel cheaper than loam sand, and brick
LAYERS cannot work sharp sand without a con-
siderable amount of lime, and in consequence
are forced to use it. Then lime is cheap, and
especially so when purchased in such quantity
as required for buildings like this one. Nor
tar is as cheap as brick, and, as Hucke-
stlne furnishes both, there could be
no inducement for his stintng the quantity
of lime necessary. As to the statement that
the bricks ana mortar parted without showing
evidence of bond that amounts to nothing, as
bricks laid in good mortar in the kind of
weather late prevailing would not adhere
to form bond for several weeks after build
ing.
There is one defect or omission, that have
noticed in this city, but it applies generally,
and that is that walls are seldom or never prop
erly secured against cyclones. In Chicago,
where one is liable to be Matched in Is minutes,
builders take precautions and secure their
work as they go: but here, where such blows
are scarce known oftener than once in ten
wears their caution Is less Then such acci-
dents rarely happen on buildings of ordinary
height and it is but lately that anv higher than
six stories have been built. Experience in
these cases teaches as well as in Others, and
selfishness, if not conscience, may and doubt
less will teach salutary lesson. But little
power is required to push green wall over in
any kind of weather, and much less in damp
than In dry time.
A DECIDEDLY ADVERSE VIEW.
One of the best known architects and
builders of the city, who, for reasons of his
own, withholds his name from publication,
in giving his theory of the accident, last
night said:
If that building had been properly construct
ed it could not have tumbled down. and if the
proper authorities had overlooked the work
they would have condemned it before it was
blown apart. The scientific theory is easily
planned. Let US assume that the building was
100 feet high and 40 feet of this being above the
surrounding buildings and exposed to the d.
rect action of the wind. If the wind was blow
ing at the rate of 40 miles per hour, there would
be pressure of 5S.67 pounds to the square foot.
AS there would be 40 feet of the side of the
building exposed this would act as a lever
the other so feet on the lower portion of the
wall making altogether 1000 feet of the surface
exposed. AS there 1000 feet of surface ex-
posed, and the pressure is 5S.67 pounds to the
square foot, this would make an aggregate
pressure of 2346 $50 foot pounds" acting on the
lever of go feet, or the distance from the street
to the tops of the surrounding buildings, OF, in
other words. the portion of the wall that was
not subject to the direct action of the wind.
The leverage multiplied by the power would
give 14,OS0, 800 pounds to the whole surface.
This would tend to show that the wind would
throw the building over
AS there is a leverage of 40 feet to the full
crum of the lever the pressure would be
greater on the lower part of the wall of the
building than upon the upper. If the building
was not well laterallv braced with cross walls
and good partitions it would break at the bot
tom Of the wall as easily as ppestem. II it
was well braced the wind would have to move
the whole building before it could fail. As it
was. the wall veered around as if the bracing
had been left out altogether The responsi-
bill of the matter, if there be any. is confined
TO the architect the builder and the building
inspectors, and it will bear the closest investi-
gauOn.
As an evidence that the building was not con-
gtructed properly. the many new buildings
going up around it may be cited. The Court
House tower and other buildings about the
city, which are more exposed tlIan the one that
fell to-day. were not even shaken If the
bracing had been what 1t should have been, it
would have been impossible for the wind
blow it over. Even with pressure of 1867
pounds to the square foot, when the wind is
blowing at the rate of 100 miles per hour, it
would hardly be knocked down.