New-York tribune., 1902-03-26

GINEERS TO INNESTI15Ai L
Fronertv owners living on either side OF PARK
ave between Thirty-fourth and Forty-seoo"u
sts.. late yesterday afternoon voted lack oi oo''
adence in the subway engineers VINO nave u' eo'
ana indirect charge OF tunnelling opeFalIolS 81
the troubled district. The meeting was menu d.
the Hotel Manhattan.
A committee OF six, three Of whom sur1erea
from the cave-in Of last Friday. was appointed
1.s members are F W Devoe James Stokes
Anson ". Hard J. J. Murphy, Theodore H.
Ranks and W /. Brown. This committee was
endowed with power TO request the RAPID IRAN
sit Commission 10 stop work in the tuhhel Oh
either side of the avenue, and 10 secure the ser
,.ices Of other engineers for the inspection OF
conditions underground. The committee was
also authorized take such other steps as might
he necessary TO secure safety 10 property Ihelr
,,overs include authority to prosecute, if neces-
sary. the officials in charge Of the work ana
also. If necessary to pray for the granting OF an
Injunction for stopping tunnel work near where
IS the dangerous earth and decomposed rock.
The committee was also instructed 10 set on 1901
inouiries as to whom the property owners might
hold responsible for payment of damages.
The conference. at which were nearly two
hundred representative property owners was
called by James Stokes, of No. bS Park-aNe. Inc
speeches were moderate in tone, and the SPEAK
ers said they believed that they would be fairy
treated. At the same time, there was no ms
taking the fact that those present were gulaeu
by one motive which to insist that ihey
should no longer be subjected to danger ana
that proper guarantees should be made insurlhG
+he settlement OF past losses by those response
bic for them. Those at the meeting were uhoe-
riably angry that they had received no pfaclI-
cal assurance that they might not any night pe
blown up or buried" but they gave vent 10 TO
D. radical expression of their discomfort
James stokes called the meeting to order ana
spoke briefly. He urged that their IesaI anu
moral rights should be protected. He did not
care to misjudge any one, bat believed that IN
a quiet and dignifed manner the committee
which was TO be appointed should ma OUT Nho
WAS responsible for the present alarm
Andrew H. Green. called to the temporary
1hairrnanship also spoke briefly in the same
vein Theodore II. Banks was elected secretary
and C,vrl1s ! Lawrence treasurer Of the meet
ing Mr. Devoe then read resolutions III Whlch
We're incorporated the sentiments OF the Speah-
srs. The resolutions were unanimously adoptea-
A L. Webster. an engineer not IN the employ
sf the Subway Construction Company, pointed
out. by means Of a map. the location OF the
tunnel in respect to the house lines ana tIie SUI
face car tunnel. He suggested that the con-
tractors had drilled many feet beyond the plaIis
originally adopted and toward the mouse
line the east side Of the avenue. MS oIliIoh
was warmly seconded. especially by Mr.. DeNoe'
who said that he had been Informed that the
tunnel ran under the third step OF ms lIoiI i
uncertainty regarding the exact location or the
tunnel is making the property owners uneasy
II they knew Just where the ditch lay they
would be in a position TO make safe their house
foundations at their own expense.
There some Improvement yesterday IN
conditions in front Of the damaged houses, both
above and below ground The greatest care was
taken 10 relieve the weakened buildings Of their
own weight. New snoring was added and more
needles We're adjusted It is thought that the
Buildings Department is entirely competent 10
cope with the difficulties presented.
T-rGn- rrF7df
Barclay Parsons yesterday. the work of bracing
IS going on rapidly There viii be no further
settlement We are packing down the loose
rock which caved in with ''grOut, a mixture of
sand. and cement. Bukheads are being
built TO conine the debris. The mass VIII soon
be as firm as solid rock. The foundations of the
three wrecked houses viii be carried down 10
bedrock"
Superintendent Percy N. Stewart of the Build
ings Department, said yesterday that reports OF
further cracks at Nos IS. 63 and % were un-
founded. Accompanied by Inspector Peek, he
made personal examination Of no. 99, owned
by Charles Parsons. When he had finished he
said that he nothing unusual there.