The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-03-21
ANOTHER NOT THAVPROOV.
COLLAPSE or WINTER BUILT
WALL IN FIRST AVENUE

HNu NH0N NEuhhA W AN-nNNNMIn
President Aheam suspends three
I inspectors and Sends for Hopper.
Another brick building that was appar-
entity not thawproof fell In In Harlem at
o'clock last evening" half an hour after
the worlunen who we're laying the boards
Of the fourth floor had got out. That Is,
the rear wall fell In. The building was the
s5uthenmost Of a row OF four FIVE story
tenements that have been going up to-
Fether and was numbered 2059 First avenue.
NJ s. Fine Of 80 Broome street Is the owner.
The police drew a Gordon around all the
buildings and the Bureau Of Buildings
sent men 10 shore up the remaining walls.
Borough President Ahearn had ordered
Yesterday a general inspection Of all brick
and stone buildings put up this winter,
70 see II they are probably thawproof.
This one got ahead Of the inspection. but
the weather promises 10 be colder for a
dav or two
chief Inspector German said that the
cause Of collapse was without doubt the
thaw
II has been an unusually severe winter
he saii and at the same time there has
been great rush Of work among builders.
The contractors have kept their men at
work in all weathers and much Of the brick
laying must have been done when the tenn
rersture was below the freezing point.
Now comes sudden thaw and the frozen
mortar gives way
Accompanied by Engineer Miller, Mr..
Ahearn visited yesterday the fat houses
that had tumbled down at Eighty eighth
street and Lexington avenue, at 237 East
ioSd street and in 135th street between Fifth
enc IenoX avenues. When he had finished
The tour he ordered the suspension pending
Investigation Of Inspectors Taylor Herman
end Orr Of the Building Department, in
whose territories the accidents had occurred.
Word was also sent 10 Supt. Hopper Of the
Bureau Of Buildings, who Is in Florida,
to return to the city at once.
All that ! can say now, said Mr. Ahearn
last evening is that the apparent cause
of the collapse OF these buildings was the
audiences Of the thaw which followed
an unusually protracted spell Of cold
weather. Mr., Miller and 1 were able this
afternoon 20 make only a superficial exami-
nation The sand used at these buildings
seemed to be Of good quality and the bricks
were all new. As far as We could see all
the provisions Of the Building law had been
compiled With. But will not be satisfied until
the bottom Of the matter mas been reached.
With this end in view have ordered Chief
Inspector German, who is acting super
intendent in the absence Of Mr.. Hopper,
10 spare neither time nor pains to find out
the causes which led 10 the collapse Of these
structures. In addition / am going 70
engage an expert mason, in no way con-
nected with this Office, 10 look into the
matter and make a report TO me.
How about the continued absence from
the city Of Supt. Hopper" asked the re-
There has been no continued absence in
his case replied the Borough President
with emphasis MIR. Hopper never takes
a vacation in summer. It's true that nearly
every time he goes away something unfoTtu-
nate happens, but that is not his fault.
Yes, he was out Of the city when the Oar
lngton building fell. when the Casino FIRE
occurred and " hen these apartment houses
collapsed, but in each case IL was merely a
coincidence. He was forced 70 go to Florida
recently on account Of the poor health Of
his wife. He came back two weeks ago
at my request and returned 70 the South
as soon as the business in hand was trans
acted
After viewing the wrecked buildings in
I35th street President Ahearn gave orders
20 the police 20 clear the two new six story
apartment houses Immediately to the east
OF them Of all workingmen. These build
Le seen there was no flaw in the buildings
and the ordering Of the workmen out was
precautionary measure. IL was done after
Engineer Miller had called Mr.. Ahearn's
attention 10 the shaby condition Of a wall
left standing in one Of the wrecked build
inRs It. fall, he said might throw down
the new buildings to the east,
The law fortids the laying Of brick
when the thermometer registers below "a
degrees above zero said Chief Inspector
German, but this provision IL very diff
cult 10 enforce Sometimes the tempera-
ture is above and below 70 degrees in
the same day. Again, when the inspector
orders work to cease on account Of the
severity Of the weather the contractor will
often order the men TO 60 az IL again as soon
o. the insp sctor's back is turned
Speaking on the same subject, President
Ahearn said.
This is one Of the most difficult Of all
the provisions Of the building law 10 enforce. |
Sometimes when the men go 10 work at
o'clock In the morning the thermometer
may be at 20 DEGREES. At 10 O'Clock IL
may be from 25 to % degrees, and the brick |
layers are put 20 work. At night the tenn
perature may go down to zero and freeze !
the fresh laid mortar. There is no telling !
what kind Of weather Providence is going to |
send US from hour 70 hour in this climate
The private clerk Of Borough President !
Hafen Of The Bronx said last night that !
Mr. Haffen had ordered an immediate !
Investigation Of the collapse Of the building |
IN l6Sth street The Superintendent Of
Buildings, I. j. Reville, is attending to il, |
but his report will not reach Mr. Hafen
until to-day. The clerk quoted Mr. Haffen
as saving that he would tolerate no nom
sense. and that If il was shown that the
accident was caused by neglect on tho |
mart 80 ofiCiala or btIilders he would get