The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1891-08-24
down With A CRASH.
Collapse of a New Build
ing on Erie Street.
LUCKILY NO ONE WAS HURT
What the Architect says About the
Disaster-Sleepers in Another
Building Shaken.

A part Of the front wall OF the dou BILE
five story brick fiat at Fourth aud Erie
streets. collapsed at fifty minutes past
two O'Clock yesterday afternoon, and fell
into Erie street. making crash heard a
mile away.
The building had a frontage OF fifty
feet ON Erie street and extended seventy
five feet on Fourth street. Il was being
put uD py Ellington & Phoenix, under
the direction of Architect La Bau. At
the lower end OF the building was an iron
column about foot thick, which bore
great share Of the weight of the four
upper stories.
At about $50 O'Clock, when Erie street
was comparatively deserted and no one
except the watchman was in the imme-
diate vicinity, the corner of the building
began TO settle, the front wall swayed
and then sank downward and fell into
the street.
The entire front wall in height and half
its width was torn out and great mass
Of bricks, iron girders aud heavy woode n
beams crashed into the street. Imme-
diately after the noise of the fall great
sight and people came hurrying from all
directions to ascertain the cause Of the
crash.
EXTENT OF THE DEBRIS.
The collapsed wall covered ali the side
walk. and nearly all the street. Some
one pulled the fire alarm box, aud Truck
No, 2, responded. There was some scat
folding Hanging very insecurely to the
to the demolished half of the wall and
this the fremen removed to prevent
further accident.
After considerable Investigation it was
found that no one had been hurt by the
collapse. A mfudle sized woman was
directly opposite bodybuilding when the
wall began to shake, and rs she saw it
swaying she rushed over TO the other side
of the street. Immediately after the crash
came and the woman tainted. She was
carried to the drug store on the opposite
corner. where she soon revived, and left
without leaving her name.
WHAT CAUSED 1T.
The cause Of tne accidenL is not defln-
iteiy certain The pillar which supported
the building is buried under a heap of
rubbish and il cannot be ascertaIned
whether or not it is broken. Some men
about the building said the breaking of
the pillar was probably the cause Of the
accident
rhe loss to the contractor will not be
very great as the material can all be used
over again and the cost Of the labor will
be the only expense.
This morning traffic on that block was
stopped and all the Erie street cars were
fore ed to run up Grove street. The
two policemen on duty yesterday
were so bothered by people asking the
cause of the accident that they painted a
sign stating that the cause was unknown
and stuck it upon the wrecked walls.
WHAT IS SAID ABOUT 1T.
/ called on Mr.. George w. La Bau, the
architect at his office. today and asked
him if he had seen the building since it
collapsed. He replied that he was there
this morning but he failed to discover
anything that caused the wall to fall
down.
''What do you think caused Iti''
"Well, / have been told that there is
quicksand under the building. but If so,
We did not reach it. A think the mason
neglected to put bond stone on the
foundation"
''What is bond stone 2"
ut is large stone that rests on the
foundation. On this the water table, or
the sill. rests, and on the sill the iron pill
lar that supports the girder is secured.
That was what the specifications called
for on this building. The bond stone was
to be eight inches thick, sixteen inches
wide and three feet long. II this Gaping
was In its place the iron pillar could not
have slipped. It would have been impos-
sible. 1t may be. however, that the pillar
had flaw in it and broke"
when did you see the building last
before the accidentF
Friday"
''Wouidn't you have noticed that there
was not bond stone II none had been
placed there" /"
II certainly ought to have done so. but
did not For that reason I am not GER
tain yet as TO the cause of the wall fall.
ing When the Diflar broke or slim ned
no support. and, OF course. fell, bringing
with 1t the wall. The specifications call
for the best sort of work and materials,
and the fact that only the front fell indi-
Gates that the walls were well built. The
girder is heavy one weighing 200
pounds to the yard.