New-York tribune., 1895-08-30
SIX MEN HELD RESPONSIBLE.
BLAME PLACED FOR THE IRELAND BUILD
ING DISASTER
PARKER WALKER. MURRAY. BEHRENs. YoUDALE
FITZPATRICK MAKES A LONG CHARGE.

GIVING HIS IDEA OF THE CAUsbS
The inquest into the Ireland building disaster
came to an end yesterday. and the jury brought
in the following verdict at AIS p M:
We find that the said John Burke Paulo Vito,
Thomas Mcclure, John w, Schmidt, Charles W;
Peterson, August Phillips, Michael savage Schae;
Flynn, John Murphy Christopher O'Rourke. VIII
lam Hayes and Patrick Cashn came to their deaths n,
jures caused by the collapse on the day aforesaid
Of portion Of the building in course OF erection at
broadway, the cause OF which was as follows:
Insufficient foundation of the third column from
said foundation being further weakened BY stand
Ing partially on the poruon OF the remains OF
We further find that the foundation Of said col
ment n,a of Of Hhtc the City W Of aPSNi SNew-York W.
SIX HELD BLAMEwORTHY.
We further hold the following named persons re-
sponslble for the said collapse: John Parker
Thomas Walker Thomas Murray. Charles y.
Behrcns Edward j. Youdale and Dennis A. Buck
ley
We exonerate Joseph Guider In that we DO not
find any evidence to show that the floors Of said
building overloaded by him at the time OF said
We exonerate Jerord E. selleck in that we have
no evidence connecting him with the collapse ot
In the matter of the ironwork. we find no evidence
showing me same 10 De th FACT bai be
said ironwork defective, and was not In COM
piahce with the specl1cdtioHs'
Coroner Fitzpatrick did not take his seat until
IL 35 a.. m, when the courtroom was crowded
He told the jury, after compllmenting them on
the manner in which they had conducted the in
vestigation that in his opinion the proximity Of
the cistern had much to do with the disaster but
that the unwarranted and unauthorized change
that was made in the thickness of the concrete.
whereby it was reduced from eighteen to twelve
Of tba ste
While the column" he sald was not perfect,
IL did not contribute to the disaster. The set
Ting Of column three was the real cause OF the
collapse of that part Of the building.
THE CORONER REVIEWS THE EVIDENCE.
Continuing his charge, the Coroner entered
into comprehensive review Of the evidence ana
said among other things:
Now I'm reference to the general construction and
the material used in the building. there Is not
much to complain Of so far as II Is apparent 10 tne
eve other than the insufficient concrete under the
centre line of columns. And here the Coroner de-
sires to say that in expressing his opinion as 10
liable to- do but he desires it to be understood that
no opinion of his Is formed upon preJudice or
construction OF the building The Coroner is of the
opinion that the beginning of the trouble was at
porting the floor. and that the soil upon which me
foundations placed, being Of very compress
ible nature yielded to the pressure to whic9 @ IL Il
was subjected thereby causing a settlement Of all
the foundations under the columns supporting thc
floors above.
BLAMES THE CISTERN.
And it is the Coroners opinion that had the os
tern not been situated 1t IL. In such close prox-
ir1ity to the founda ton OF the column known as
number three" the settlement would nave con-
tlnued gradually without very serious results for
a time. and the dsarrangements of the upper parts
would have been noticed and could have been rem
edied. but section of the bed of concrete OF
considerable dimensions under column three rest
cd
eistern wall the projecting part being sustained
by additional concrete underneath the bed CT con-
crete and resting upon the floor of the clstern,
while the other section rested upon the compress-
bic soil referred to. And 1t upon this section
that the columns set The concrete not being
compresslbe flexible. broke at the outer line
OF the cistern wall. and the conclusion BY the
sudden break at the line of the cistern wall, being
OF such violent and rapid character that It
also the stone both of which the outside
Of the cstern wall and resting upon the compressi-
bic SOIL and as the column plunged down neces-
sarily all the incumbent weight that i was sup
% hurled into eternity The Coroner thinks that his
opinion as to the settlement OF all the columns
columns l. and I. have all settled. especially
and 4, which have gone down at least two and a
half inches. thereby cracking the footing courses
under them.
POOR SYSTEM USED BY BUILDERS.
There Is another phase of the case to which your
attention is called and that is the system in vogue
with many builders of pouring in grout between
the top OF the bed Of concrete and the undersde OF
stone For II the top OF the concrete mas prem maze
straight and level and there happens TO be an un-
even surface or that which is known as WIND
on the bottom side OF the stone. which leaves an
intersticc between stone and concrete. and grout
being used to fill up the interstce as the lower
surface is level there is a doubt in my mind as to
the distance that the grout will flow In on the level
surface. 1t is my opinion that the grout Is more
form air cushion in the centre part OF the joint
Now gentlemen; a question may arise as 10 10
Yielding unstable character OF the soil. and II
| so the Coroner can only say that there has been
| a practical test made although have the opinion
Of some Of the experts that the soil found % undeT
upon to carry more than one and a half tons TO
| the square foot.
THE FLOORS NOT OVERLOADED.
Coroner Fitzpatrick. after reading and explain
| ing the building laws. section 4S3. page "a. re-
lating to the safety of the EARTH went on 10
| speak of the impression that had widely pre-
vailed at the time Of the accident that the floors
| had been loaded beyond their bearing capacity
| by the storing OF cement and mortar He said
| however that the evidence did not bear out the
| allegations that the floors were overloaded He
| then continued:
As to the iron column spoken OF so often. which
was found after the accident broken square across
also TO the fact that in the casting OF the same
the column thicker than the opposite side the
| Coroner IS of the opinion that while the column
was not perfect II d.d not contribute In any degree
tho disaster. and stl adhercV to his opinion that
the settling the middle pier number three was
| the real cause of the fall of that section of the
building.
| RESPONSIBILITY MUST BE PLACED
Gentlemen OF the jury. the duty of fixing or plac
| ing the responsibility for this disaster and conse
| oucnt loss OF life devolves upon you. You the
| Judges and. as you know the men accused
| Messrs Parker contractor; Behrens architect;
| Walker superintendent for contractor. Guider
master pasterer: Youdale superintendent OF ma
ter.aL and Buckley, Inspector OF Buildings each Of
| whom is represented and his interests protected
| by very able and talented counsel. but II you be-
| lieve that there others In any responsible
for the disaster II is your duty to include them In
| your verdict.
| The jury retired at i1:45 O'Clock. and their long
! absence had the effect Of raising rumors that
| they would not agree uDOn a verdict. Ii was
| IL HI anrln If the iurnra nf ih.