New-York tribune., 1902-02-05

| to Borough President Cantor special report
| setting forth that on account Of the explosion
| in the subway at Park-ave and Forty -nrst-st'
! the Murray Hill Hotel the Grand Union Hotel,
| the Manhattan Eye and Ear Hospital and one
| or two dwelling houses in the immediate neigh
borhood are unsafe. 1t is understood that the
term unsafe" is used technically. It does not
! necessarily mean that the buildings must be
| vacated or that they must be torn down. 1T
! means" said George w. Blake. secretary to
! Mr. Cantor last night to Tribune reporter
! that the inspectors have found certain por-
| tions Of the buildings named so badly damaged
that those portions Will have TO be renewed
; The detailed reports will specify the particular
| beams. ceilings and partitions, If any that are
| considered by builders to be unsafe"
| Superintendent Perez N. Stewart Of the De-
partment of Buildings sent the following note
with the inspectors report TO Borough Presi-
dent Cantor last evening:
| have the honor to forward you herewith
\ fnclosed copy of report made the buildings
rendered unsafe by the recent explosion in PARK
| ave, between Forty-frst and Forty-second sts'
Respectfully, PEREZ NJ. STEWART.
The inspectors report Is as follows:
Perez NJ. Stewart Superintendent of Buildings
| Dear Sir: We, the undersigned, having made
! a careful examination Of the buildings in the
vicinity OF the recent explosion on the west slde
OF Park-ave., between Forty and Forty-sec-
ond SITS, have the honor to submit the Following
| report:
Immediately after the explosion it was re-
| ported TO Superintendent of Buildings Stewart
and he dispatched Special Inspector Cole TO the
scene who upon his arrival found that District
Inspector Peek had partially gone over the
ground. accompanied by MIR. canavan. OF the
emergency corps.
Upon learning that no immediate danger need
be apprehended relative to any building injured,
the Superintendent OF Buildings was duly notl-
fed by telephone by Special Inspector Cole, and
in due time the superintendent arrived on the
ground and assumed personal charge of the ex-
Later on Inspectors Herman Reville, Deegan
| and Grace and Chief Inspector OConnor ap-
peared, and a systematic and thorough exam
ination of the buildings affected was 1nstl-
! tuted when IL found that beyond the de-
structon Of windows. doors, interior woodwork
and plaster walls and ceilings no structural
damage had been inflicted excepting at the
southeast corner of Park-ave and Forty-hrst-
st. the Manhattan Eye and Ear Hospital where
small portions Of the outer walls lintels and
coping had been rendered unsafe.
Up to date unsafe" orders have been filed
against the following named premises as di-
rect result Of the said explosion:
Murray Hill Hotel.
Grand Union Hotel
Manhattan Eye and Ear Hospital.
Dwelling No. 90 Park-ave.
Dwelling No. 3S East Thirty-ninth-st
The report is signed by all the examining in
spectors.
". n. Tarbeu, the personal representative OF
Simeon Ford, OF the Grand Union Hotel, when
seen last night. said that no information had
reached Simeon Ford concerning the report sent
to President Cantor by Mr.. Stewart.
I'VE are doing everything possible" said Mr..
Tarben, Ito repair the damage done to the in
terror by the explosion. Before We went to
work at all we had our builders examine the
structure, and Il they had found anything
wrong with the structural parts we would have
closed the hotel. But no structural weakness
was found. and I see the report substantiates
that fact Ninety rooms IN the hotel on the
Forty -second-st. and Park-ave. corner which
were injured by the explosion closed, and
will be until we able 10 repair the walls and
ceilings-I mean the plastering-and the win
dows. The replacing Of glass in the windows
has been slow work, because have had TO
have window castings made"
Superintendent H. W. Hawthorne, Of the Man
haitian Eye and Ear Hospital. said that he had
| as yet received no word from the city author-
! ties concerning the report. The repairs in our
| institution" said Mr.. Hawthorne ARE in the
hands Of our architect, Charles c. Haight. While
I do not know just what he has done, under
| stand that work is being pushed the lntels
and coping of the upper floor of the outside
structure. and that probably is what Is referred
| to in the report. All Of the windows that were
! blown out and the plaster on the walls and the
! ceilings Of the rooms that were affected by the
| explosion are being repaired as fast as pos
| sible"
I have not received any information from any
| one of the city authorities about this report Of
| Mr.. Stewart" said W. L. Jacques, proprietor
| of the Murray Hill Hotel ANY number of
| builders have examined this building and they
/ have declared that it's structural parts are alb
! solutely safe. and that fact is so stated in the
report you show We are having the win
| dows that were smashed put in as fast as pos
! slpIe, and the reason the work has been delayed
! is because it has been necessary to have new
| nd
Of the plastering on the walls and ceilings of
the rooms that We're shattered by the explosion
! is being replaced fast as possible. OF course
none Of those rooms are being used now simply
because they not fit for habitation"