Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-01-20
. THE BLAME FIXED.
A COrOner's Jury Finds It Was
Not Providence Did 1t.
THAT BUILDING COLLAPSE
Attributed Officially TO Neglect on the
Part of Three Men,
OWNER, BUILDER AND INSPECTOR.
What Contractor HuCkenstein Says Of the
Notable Surprise.
THAT BUILDING COLLAPSE
OWNER, BUILDER AND INSPECTOR.
MAJOR W. c. MORELAND ON DAMAGES

The horror of the Diamond and Wood
streets disaster has not yet died away, and it
Is now augmented by a report that officially
places the blame, not upon IAN inscrutable
Providence" but upon human brains and
human hands that, as is indicated, might
have averted the ruin and death.
The Coroner resumed the inquest on the
case yesterday morning. Contractor NJ. f.
Malone testified that he thought the interior
of the building was weak, and that the
joists had not been perfectly secured. The
wind was the primary cause of the fall of
the building. He refused to say whom he
blamed.
Testimony was given by several other
contractors and bricklayers. They all ex-
pressed the opinion that the building was
strong, and the material of construction
good.
Ats O'Clock Coroner Mcdowell in sum-
ming up the case said it was the duty of the
jury to inquire into the cause of the death
of each of the victims He said the case
had been carefully gone over and he asked
the jury to consider if the specifications for
the Wiley building were right. The duties
Of the Building Inspector were defined, and
THE LAW CITED
in which it was said that no alterations
should be made without a permit, and the
Coroner said this had not been obtained,
IL L. ho oil
right if the walls were made thicker to bear
the additional story. No permit for the
additional story was obtained, however.
The jury returned verdict on the deaths
of Dr. James Logan Read, Charles Nc
Keown, William Goettman, Charles Fritch,
J. NJ Hill, Richard Carroll, James Nc
Cough, Thomas jones' John L. Rogerson,
Samuel Stringer, Joseph W. Gearing,
George L. Mason, Samuel Brown, Leonard
Schiffhauer and George Blendinger, as fol-
lows:
DR.. James L. Read came to his death on
Wednesday January 9, 1889. about l o'clock P.
NJ. while seated in his office. third floor back
of J. r. Weldin & Co.'s book store. 425 Wood
street. First ward, Pittsburg, from injuries re-
ceived by being crushed by the wall of c. J..
Willey's new building falling over said
Weldin building. and being buried in the ruins,
and from all evidence the jury find that said
accident was due to the following reasons:
First-That the said C. L. Wiley building,
Nos. 35 and 81 Diamond street, was not properly
braced during course of construction.
Second-That if said c. L. Wiley building
had been properly braced and had a storm
front it would have withstood said wind.
DECIDEDLY SPECIFIC.
n Il J,,oI
enstein & Co., contractors of said building. and
NJ. G. Frank, Building Inspector. were negli-
gent in not having complied with the above for
the protection of human life.
Fourth-That Huckenstein Co. were negli-
gent in erecting additional story without
having first procured a permit from the
Building Inspector allowing the same, and that
NJ G. Frank, Building Inspector, should not
have allowed the same to go on without said |
permit having been issued
Fifth-We find that the building laws Of the |
city of Pittsburg are very deficient, and further
recommend that legislation be procured on the |
same, and that on all buildings to be erected |
over four stories high contractors be compelled |
to put in storm fronts and properly brace all |
walls as they go up.
THOMAS A. RowLEY, THOMAS C. PERRINE,
W. W. SHAW. ]. E. IsAAcs, |
GEORGE W. ExLER, H. GRANT MILLER.
A similar verdict was rendered in each of |
the other cases, with the exception of detail |
ing the circumstances surrounding the |
death of the victim.
THE CONTRACTOR SURPRISED.
Contractor John Huckenstein, who had
been East on business, returned yesterday. |
He had not heard of the verdict of the Coro- |
ner's jury until informed by a DISPATCH |
reporter about o'clock last night. He |
seemed surprised for a moment, and then |
said:
THAT is almost impossible, and cannot |
believe it. had less to do with the acci-
dent than any of the others. 1 had a sub
contract for the brick and stone work only
and followed the plans and specifications
as closely as possible. The owner, Mr.
Wiley, and the carpenter, Mr.. Miller, su-
perintended the construction of the building.
had nothing to do with the building of
the structure, and If there was any defect it
was in the building. When the owner de-
cided to put on an additional story 1 ad.
vised against it, but they seemed to think
that the building would stand another story.
NO THOUGHT OF DANGER.
"I put it on, and the work had Just been
completed when the accident occurred. 1
did not think the building was dangerous,
by any means, or l would not have endan-
gered nv sons life by allowing him to re-
main on the top story. The only complaint
that can be made is that the building was
put up too rapidly for this time of the year.
Notwithstanding this complaint, 1 can
point to two buildings that put up as hur-
riedly, and in cold weather. They are
Lutz's brewery, seven stories high, and the
Dalzell building, at the corner of Garrison
alley and Penn avenue, six stories high.
'All the evidence submitted before the
Coroner's jury showed that the brick work
was first class, plumb and straight, and
that the best of material was used. l have
nothing further to say on the subject"
Mr.. Wiley, at the Hotel Boyer, refused
to see a reporter when the latter sought
him, Just after he went to his room, late
last night, and Building Inspector Frank
seemed to be equally difficult to find.
In case a question of damages should
arise, which probably shall from some of
the many sufferers of the terrible disaster,
w. C. Moreland, ESQ.,, City Attorney, was
asked as to the liability of the city, in case
its official, NJ. G. Frank, were found guilty
of negligence in performing his duty.
AS the affair stands" said Major More
land, 'the city cannot be held liable for
damages for any dereiction of Mr.. Frank.
Any suit against the city would be abortive,
because Mr.. Frank personally would be re-
sponsible for failure in his duty, and not
the city. Although he is an employe of the
city as an official, he alone is responsible
for any laxity of the duties and laws lald |