The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1891-08-25
Thorough Investigation of the Cause of
the New York Disaster to Be Made.
Belief Gaining Ground that the Collapse Of the
Building Was Due to Faulty Construction
Underwriters Will Refuse to Pay.
Bodies of Thirty-Four Victims Rccoy-
cred from the Tangled Mass of Debris.
Only Twenty Identified by Friends-Eigbty.
Eight Persons Reported Observation-Disclosures
Of THE Firemen's Work Among the Ruins.

NEW YORK, Aug. 24-Interest in the
Park-place disaster does not seem to flag.
Citizens and underwater are beginning to
inquire INTO the cause, and there Is q SEEM
ing desire to fix the responsibility for an
accident that has cost SO many lives. At
the Office of the boiler inspector it was
stated that according to the records the
Taylor building had no steam boilers of
any kind, Dor had there been any for sew
eral years past. The steam power used In
it was supplied from outside sources. 10
verify this report Superintendent Brady
and a force of deputies went to the ruins
and began q thorough investigation of the
causes of the accident. 1t was learned
positively there was no boiler in the build
ing and that the heavy photographic presses
were not working when the accident oc-
CURED. The theory that the disaster was
due to faulty construction of the building
is gaining strength.
1t now looks as III the board Of fire under
writer's theory that the fire companies are
not liable for any of the damages either TO
the building or TO the stock in the frall
structure would be insisted upon In courts.
At least such is the position taken by Sec
rotary William Randell, of the board of
fire underwriters, when seen to-day. In
view of considering this state OF facts Sec
rotary Randell issued a call for a meeting
of the board. A clause of the regular
policy which provides for this par
ticular case reads as follows: IF a building
or any part thereof fall, except as a result
of fire, ali insurance by this policy on such
building and contents shall end" So the
very contract under which the fire insur-
ance policy is issued makes null and void
all claims for insurance for tho heavy los
ers in the fearful disaster. There is still
another clause in all policies which pro-
vides that the fire-iDsurance companies
shall not be liable for any damages In
cases of explosion. Ii was To consider
these clauses and their application to the
Park-place collapse that the meeting of the
tire underwriters was called to-day. Only
two members of the board appeared, and
the consideration of the matter was post
poned until q quorum of the board could be
brought together.
City Chamberlain Grain, whose mother
owned the wrecked building, arrived at
his office to-day. When questioned as to
the condition of the building be said: Il
know nothing, personally. abont it. 1t was
built in 1872, and was acquired by my
mother in 1883. The building. l have always
uuuCI6tDOuf Ndo hho
never was condemned, nor was it consid
cred unsafe. IL was always used Tor the
purposes for which it was used st the time
of the fire. AS to the claim that the stock
of material and tho heavy presses on the
upper floors caused the building to collapse.
why, any one who looks at the facts calmly
and dispassi0nately will admit that such
was not the case. My opinion. from oil L
have been able to learn. is that the cause
of the accident was a fire, followed by an
explosion, the same theory that the fremen
have about the matter. The explosion oc-
Cured on one of the lower floors. What
caused 1t or when it took place is not for
me to say. 1t was insured for $4,000. and
was worth Just about that sum. l never
knew that it was considered extra hazard
Gus"
A man who has been engaged for thirty
five years In placing machinery IN position
said today that the presses of Ellis ~ Nc
Donald and Leibler ~ Mas were so placed
that the vibrations ran with the beams
and ~rafters, and that the eight-inch resting
plane was insufficient to support the enor-
nous weight that was on 1t. On the third
floor alone. he said. nearly forty tons of
machinery stood.
District ;AttOrney Nicoll is considering
the question of indicting the person or per-
sons responsible for the disaster. After o
long consultation with his chief assistant,
ex-Judge Bedford. he placed the case in
the hands of Assistant District Attorney
Townsend.
DELVING FOR BODIES.
The work of delvlng for the dead in the
ruins continued uninterrupted through the
night, except at the times when the rain
poured down in such torrents as to render
labor beneath it impossible. Except at
these times also the fire lines at either end
of the block were lined with waiting friends
or relatives of the missing. When they
were driven from the street by the rain
they sought shelter in doOrways or
wherever protection might be fonnd. but as
vigil was resumed. At S:25 o'clock there
was q hustle of excitement among
the wOrkmen that instantly
Gated itself TO the eager watchers at the
fire lines. Another body had been found.
1t was that of n man, and lay beside the
tengle OF presses at No. 40. 1t was terribly
burned. and ~unrecognizable, unless it's
identity may be disclosed by the tattered
fragments OF clothing that but partly Gov
cred 1t.
The work again went on unmarked by in-
cideDt until 7:40 this morning. when a Sec
ond body was found, also that of a man,
near the spot where the first was dlscoy-
cred. Five minutes later a third body of a
man was found in nearly the same place.
Hardly had this been done when the body
of another man was found. but it lay be-
meath u heavy press, and it will be impos-
s!ble TO remove It until aderrick Is obtained
10 uuiot tuc press iIOin inc ruins. AimOeb
simultaneously the discovery of a fifth
body, making twenty-one in all. was made
among the brick and paper at No.. "A. 1t
was that of o large man. but il was, like
the Others exhumed, unrecognIzable.
From daylight on the crowd of spectators
at the fire lines gradually increased. and at
9 o'clock a densely-packed throng filled
every spot that commanded the slightest
view of the blackeDed ruins.
ITALIAN GHoUL ARRESTED.
At 1910 the body found ats o'clock pinned
down beneath q press was removed. In
order to release it tackle employed in hoist
ing safes was secured. and was fastened to
a telegraph pole and then to the press.
With it the press W as raised sufficiently to
permit OF the removal of the body. IL was
that of a young man about eighteen or
later the body of another young man or
boy was found almost directly beneath the
spot from which the last mentioned had
been removed. 1t was identified as that of
Ernest III. Shaddock. Brooklyn, who was
employed by Liebler q Mas. He was six
teen years old.
Just before the last two bodies were TAX
en- from the ruins a crowd of people stand
ing on the steps of the building opposite
the wreck saw one of the Italians working
in the ruins stoop over the body of one of
the victims and take something ont of the
vest pocket. They shouted to the police, and
n boy ran across the street and told police
man Sweeney. who arrested the Italian.
He was compelled to show what he had in
his pockets. and the first thing be pulled