The sun., 1897-12-04
ANOTHER WH|TEWASH.
Important Evidence in the Case
of James 7. Smith.
GIVEN A PERMIT TO REBUILD
Inspector Grubb Says That the Col
lapsed Building Was Con-
structed According to Law.

Games T. Smith came to his death on
the 9th day of November, 1897, by the
accidental collapse of the ceiling Of the
ice bunker of Armour & Co., at No. 3l2
West Front street."
The above is the verdict given by the
Coroner's jury in the case of James T.
Smith, a carpenter, whose life was ended
in second, under the falling ceiling of
the huge cold storage room at the depot
OF the great Chicago meat firm in this
city.
This verdict was given in spite of the
fact that Tlllman Roe one of the victims
declared that he never thought of the
studding and sheathing as being sup
port to the ceiling.
In fact not single Juror seemed to
see anything significant in that bit of
evidence, and when Elwood Caldwell in
the course Of his testimony stated that
he supposed of course that the joists
rested in the wall this significant asser-
ton was utterly ignored.
The main point with the jury with
Roe and Caldwell seemed to be to ascer-
tain from these two men whether they
had any idea that the ceiling was going
to fall and whether they would have
worked under it if they had thought it
unsafe.
1t was this series Of questions which
elected the evidence given above.
Joseph Flaherty was the first witness.
Flaherty was the foreman in charge
OF the work and the men who were hurt
were working under his orders. In
the course of his evidence he stated that
the jolsts of the ceiling were not burnt
and described the Bunker's appearance
and stated that the bunker would hold
about 12O tons of ice. and he stated that
on the Market street or eastern side of
the bunker was a hot air hue built of
Il boards
John Kidd, of New York, constructor
Tor Armour 4 Co., was next called and
stated that on the Saturday in question
he ordered Flaherty to take out dccaved
and damaged timbers. The shcathing
was in three layers of rs inch boards
with paper insulation between the Law.
ers or courses. When asked about the
ceiling he stated that it was built in the
same way OF three courses, paper insula-
ton, and on top there was seven inch
layer Of mill shavings or coarse sawdust,
evenly distributed. His business was to
build such structures and he had built
many similar ones
The next man to tell his story was FL
wood Caldwell. He said that he and the
three other men who were caught, were
ripping of the side sheathing, when
without warning, the ceiling came down.
He supposed that the josts ran into
the wall as they do in every properlv
constructed building, and did not dream
of its being unsafe.
lie supposed that the sheathing had
been removed five or six feet up from the
floor on the eastcrly side. As to the
Of the wood work, the first
layer, or the one exposed on the inside
of the hunks, was good, the other two
rotten.
He did not see any charred timber but
The studding was rotten.
He had not been back since to exam
inc and did not know whether the ceiling
'ested on the sheathing or in the wall.
It should have been supported by the
brick wall. Tillman Roe, a competent
'arpenter, stated that the studding was
often, but he never thought of it's being
support for the ceiling, which accord
ng to law should have been carried on
alters resting upon the brick walls. The
tudding was not burned, it was rotten
Lewis c. Grubb was asked to give his l
pinion and gave it,
"rhe ice box was according to build J
ng rules and would have given Il per- G
nit myself for its erection. | have given +
permit to erect similar one in tie \
anne place. y
That was the evidence and then the S
lrv proceeded to give their verdict. d
Mr.. Grubb aftcrward stated that as a v
natter OF fact he had no jurisdiction .
yer the erection of structure as it was II
S much u fixture in the building as an
rdinary refrigerator in the household e
itchen. 81
lie considered that the building in II
oector who issued the permit for its 81
"ection, PhiIcmma Chandler, had acted a.
thin his promise in SO doing. Not Y
Mr.. Grubb's opinion that n
le building was violation of the II
lilding laws, sand in issuing permit for "
le erection of another like it Inspector G,
rubb has made himself liable for the " y,