New-York tribune., 1891-08-26
RESPONSIBILITY OF OWNERS.
A TALK WITH SUPERINTENDENT BRADY.
rxspEcToRs AND MONEY CAN DO 40 GOOD WITH
OUT THE HONEST COOPERATION OF

that he would have II made yesterday but aftcr co
sderaton and seeing the increasing magnitude OF tne
disaster which each days digging In the ruins sno"e'
he has decided to get at more details, ana TOT "ns
purpose he dispatched Isaac j. Mckinley TO the wreck
veaterday 10 gather all the additional informauoh
that he could Mr.. Mckinley, who is one OF Mr.
Brady's deputies is energetic officer with large
experience and rs he had not returned TO Fire hcaa
ousrtors at the time Of closing Mr. Brndy thought no
could not have his report until to-day. Inc s.""
ment made by Inspector schwartz, In whose os'r'c'
the Taylor Building was he declined to DISCLOSE e1
cent 10 say that would embody 1t In his own report
TO the Commissioners.
"when will that be ready''
at is a big matter and q serious matter said Mr.
Brady al am at present preparing IT. but ~ VIII no'
bc In shape for two three days at least
"Do you adhere to the opinion that the disaster was
caused by an exploson3'
az adhere to that opinion said the superintendent
firmly.
"What caused the explosionT
"The storage OF such an unusually large amount OF
paphtha and benzine in the bronze powder iao'o''
Of Rosenfeld' ,,
Have you adduced any evidence in support OF tniS'
besides your opinion and that OF your "SH'S'''
formed after investigation, on the spotF ,,
4ob certainly. Mr. Mass, Of the firm OF Lebier
A. Maoss said that he had seen much as TWO parcie
of benzine being stirred at the same une III "
place. but he did not take the trouble 10 ho''i' u" %
he did not suppose that 1t done always, or thaV
there was any really imminent danger"
"If you had been notified what would you na''
done?'
1T would have been our duty, Oh couiSe' " P
vent 1t as far as we could
What are all these men doing here, Mr' brduS
said the reporter looking around the ONCE
"They are really waiting for me-" said he "Wnen
am done with you to preside over q meeVi"s' 80 ~,
form the Board Of Examiners, and these arc ueir
names and the trades and associations they repro
sent: " L. Brln, of the New-York Chapter OF the
American Institute of Architects; c. O'Rely, heal
Estate owners and Builders Association; Eo"lh
Dobbs Mechanics and Traders Exchange; Wiharh Dc
Fryer jr., society OF Architectural Iron Manusc'u-
rers: Warren s. Conover Mechanics and Traders EA-
change and John II. Murray, of the Board OF ohuer
writer's"
as the meeting in relation to the accidentf
9Nos said Mr. Brady q II is the ordinary weekly
meeting of the Board, although Informal reference mas
been made by the members TO the aecident anu Uho
causes which led mp to It,"
| "Regardng mooted questions on the construction
OF new buildings alterations in old ones not clearly
| defined by law how you gJdedl"
According TO the law said Mr.. Brady " no deVlar
Hon shall be permitted except record of the same De
kept by the Superintendent of Buildings and cerca'e
be first issued the party applying for the same anu
that certificate must not be issued until the boaN vi
| Examiners shall also approve the proposed moulhc&
| And vote OF concurrence can Uo Po70~" W
the Board OF Examiners unless it shall receive iour
affirmative votes In cases in which it is claimed oy
m owner that the provisions Of the law do not drecuy
anplv or that an equally good more desirable forn Oh
construction be employed In any speclnc case s0
nerson shall have the right to petition the Boaro OF
Examiners before whom he can appear ana De neaiu,
and II petition be granted certificate VIII De issueu
10 that effect But no member Of the Board can pass
| unon anv ouestlon In which he is pecuniarly IN
| terestcd.' 49, noa,s
@wbat opinions did the members Of the Board
| express about the disasterf" , ~
| aAs they have nothing to do with IT, saia pr
| pradv "and as what they said was said after the
transaction OF the regular business and In an informal
| and incidental way do not think that 1t would De
| nroper to make any reference TO It," ,,,,
g. Have Won confidence in the ability and faithful
ness of Inspector Schwartz 4"
| "Most emphadcally'"
| aWbo appointcd him." m,
| q Hhcrt + D'Oench, my predecessor in ONCE
"What is his business and his experience
uUa was an iron.worler and had pahy years ex-
| perence Mt it, understand . -, , .,
buldingl'
| 81 don't believe he DID,
| "Did you know -
| Not until l saw it in the papers. "naV uo ~"
| mean TO infer? asked Mr.. Brady rather Sharply
g Well replied the reporter, there appeared 10 oe
m impression in some quarters that If not you at esso
|
,ora thai IL was the mother OF the City chamberlain
ybo owned the building and that to avoid any trouble
or expense to those good Tammany people ths par
ticular building passed by without any lepo''
being made a. to its dangerous condition..
Mr. Brady looked surprised at hearing this ana s''iu
Why, II knew any public Official VINO m'ppeueu -
he the fortunate possessor Of piece OF property anu
Il vos reported to me that there any defect In IT,
would order him forthwith to have it repaired ana
would think it the greatest kindness that couiu w
him." s .
The reporter drew the attention Of Mr. Brady 10
Section No. 491 which says:
In all buildings every floor shill be Of sun'c'eS
in all its plrts TO bear safely upon suerela ioos
OF It's seventy-Ave pounds and II ued q" p'e
Of public assembly 125 pounds; and II useu a. sOoi"
factory warehouse for any other mahuae'urihs or
commercial nurpose from $50 pounds and upward and
every floor shall be OF sufficient strength TO bear afoy
the weights aforesaid in addition TO the Weighe {" ue
materials OF which the floor is composed; anu every
column post or other vertical support shall De OF umeIenC
trcneth to bear safely weight Of the portion OF each
and every depending 1t for support In ADDITION
to the weight required as ehoye to be supported saiey
urOn said portions OF said no"rs
| You want to know continued Mr' BRADY, wh!
schwartz didn't know of this overweightng and report
IL here. As TO Schwartz's ability ana attention 70
business il doubted 1t would not Tor moment nave
| him in this department. But he Is oveiworKen as
are each OF the others. He has, OF course, right o
enter any building at any time that he deems II nee
sarv or that he suspects any thing is wrong. just
rink of IT, though for a moment; the business In TINS
department for last year for new buildings and aiter
,tions and other changes amounted to about S9Oooo
600 Onr small number Of inspectors would have
,ontv m do m attend to these buildings alone even
II they did not have the buildings in all the rest oi
the city TO look after"
Would you not think IT a ogod idea where there
are any such places the Taylor Buildpg TO make
for yOur inspectors to visit at icast suo
buildings regularly"
, There are too many of them IT would be almoe
avery building downtown Put yourself In the posuor
Of property-owner, concerning whose building com
| ploint had been made In the examination by th'
INSPECTORS it is required to remove board or piaA
Cor cxamp;e to examine exactly what Is wrong ina
ivsnect0r has no authority By law 10 do anytnlhs -
ihe sort lie would be doing you an lnlusun0c n 10
v,"hich he might be made 70 pay dearly. lou nave