New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-03-04
QUICKSAND, HE THINKS.
Proprietor of Patterson BelieUes 1t
Sank Under Darlington.

Information of a vital and startling nature
was brought to light last night regarding the
wreck of the Darlington. il being that the build
ing stood on bed OF quicksand. This Informal
ton comes from \. :. Patterson, proprietor OF
the Patterson Hotel. at Nos. IS and 60 West
Forty-seventh-st. in the rear Of the collapsed
structure, who met with qucksand when he put
up his building several years ago.
This hotel. my hotel. stands on a plot of
ground approximately 40 by 100 feet Mr.. Pat
terson said. when the cellars were being ex-
cavated the men came upon two beds Of quick
sand. which gave them much trouble and which
caused an additional outlay Of $4,000 before
they could be overcome. The beds of quick
sand were under the east wall OF the Patterson
Hotel and another under the rear wall. We
had to go down thirty feet before we struck
bedrock. These beds Of quicksand. IN my
opinion, extend all about this neighbOrhood. and
from the manner in which the Darlington col
lapsed. am confident that this was what the
trouble
1.-THE Hotel Darlington IS within fourteen feet
of my rear wall On the east side there Is an
airshaft about fourteen feet square. with
smaller one on the west side. I was sitting
in the rear window Of the second floor Of my
apartment at the time of the accident. and 1t
seemed as though the whole building tele-
scoped, falling straight down, though the
foundations under the large light shaft had
given way.
THE property on which the Darlington was
being erected was formerly occupied by St.
Stephens Church. The front Of the cellar was
excavated to a much greater depth on account
of the fact that the engine room was to be To-
Gated there. In going down they struck rock.
and consequently found a firm foundation for
a. 4
not even see borings made to locate rock The
foundations were laid on concrete. the old cellar
floor being dug out what looked to me to be
less than twelve inches for the footings.
THE fact that these footings were so close
to my rear wall. where quicllsand had been
found. would make this action on the part of
those engaged in the work seem peculiar. to say
the least"
Z. L. Parker. who lives next door TO the Pat
terson Hotel at No. g. West Forty-seventh-st.
corrobOrated the statements OF Mr.. Patterson IN
every particular. and said further that the con-
struction OF the building itself had seemed q
are geological maps published, which any builder
can obtain. which show the nature OK the soil IN
every part OF the city.
This opens an entirely new line Of investiga-
ton. anu one which seems to be deserving Of a
most searching inquiry said Assistant District
Attorney Arthur c. Train. when il was brought
as possible. and on the strength OF Mr. Patter-
sons statements will certainly call on hin
as well es on Mr.. Parker for testimony. II IS OF
the highest Importance, and you may be sure II
will receive immediate attention. His state
ment moreover, 10 the manner In which the
building collapsed bears out the testimony Of
other eyewftnesses notably. that Of my maid
Nora Warren, who was standing at the window
at the time and saw the catastrophe. She states
that the building telesCOped. floor after floor
giving way one another. the central part
being apparently dragged down This is still
further borne out by the fact that none Of the
beams, debris. fell over twenty feet from
the building The derrick which stood on the
top floor found against the rear wall OF the
Patterson Apartment.