New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-03-20

az fault I shall retain at my personal expense
an engineer who VIII be able to tell me whether
things sre being thoroughly Investigated
wen. to all the wrecked buildings In Manhattan
to-day and from what L could see the cause Of
the collapse of the walls was due TO the frost
going out and the mortar crumbling. II this Is
a fact then il would seem that there must been
q lack of proper inspection or supervision dur
ing the building of the structures. The sand and
bricks that inspected to-day looked all right in
themselves.
In West 135th-st- ordered work stopped on
the new buildings adjoining those which col
lapsed, as believe they are In a shaky condf-
ton Superintendent Hopper. happen to know,
was obliged to take Mrs. Hopper, who Is III. to
Florida He has been most unfortunate in be-
ing out Of town on three occasions when his
presence was demanded at home. The first time
was ar the falling Of the Darlington. The second
when the official borough advertising matter
was brought UP. and 1t appeared that Mr.. Hop
pers paper. in the Bronx. was accepting city
advertising. and 1t is the collapse Of the
buildings Until I get detailed report on the
case cannot undertake TO say where the fault
Hes"
In order to be sure that II any blame is at
tached to the department the guilty persons
may be discovered. Dir. Ahearn issued orders
suspendins from further duty. pending the in
tricts the buildings FELL He also gave orders
that a new inspection be made from the main
Office OF the Buildings Department Of all build
fngs that have been built which brick or
mason work has been done since the first frost
OF last year.
Acting Superintendent German would not see
the newspaper men after his interview with
Borough President Ahearn- He seemed to be
badly ratified" and afraid to answer the SIM
plest questions. Before he "padlocked" he
said the law forbidding the laying of brick in
mortar during temperature of "a or lower was
enforced This is q hard section II interpret
correctly" he went on. ION some days the
temperature In the. morning is below "a, but
by noon and In the afternoon when the sun in
shining brightly il may be entirely lawful to
lay the brick Then. too. there are some con-
having been warned to stop work on account
OF the weather, stop work as long the inspec-
tor is in sight and get TO work again as soon
Is he is out of the way"
RUINS ARE PHOTOGRAPHED
The contractor and workmen on the collapsed
16Sth-st- houses were unwilling that photo
graph should be made of the wreck. A Tribune
photographer was compelled to enter from the
rear Of the houses through private grounds.
Just as the picture man ready TO snap"
the mass of brick, mortar and studding, two of
the workmen, who seemed bit unsteady on
their legs approached him and warned him
away. One of them made a pass at the camera,
and when it was, yanked out Of the way he
=ting Off a. view CT the wreckage.
Make one from the front" he suggested.
(There was no ruin in sight from the fronto
When the picture man .demurred, the man in
the jeans said. Come out an have q drink wild
u.s. Wen fx 1t up all right with youse. You've
got TO look tc see things right. We can fix it
all right over TO the saloon"
The bricks in all the collapsed buildings were
almost unstained by the mortar There had
been no adhesion. Clean and bright, three
fourths of the bricks be worked into new
wall. Their appearance indicates that the
xlToc
when they were laid.
JEROME MAKES CAUSTTC COMMENTS
District Attorney Jerome is giving mere than |
usual attention to the collapse of the new build
fngs. It's little excuse for the Buildings De-
partment 10 say that there are not enough In |
spectors." he declared. 'Tf there are not enough
men, the remedy is not to allow unsafe build /
ings to go UP. but to allow only many as can
be inspected properly with the present force If
that ties up the business, well and good-the
people win soon that there are more in
spectors
'One two other episodes in the Buildings |
Department recently Mr.. Hopper might find |
difficult TO explain, If the Mayor had the power
TO file written charges against him, which he |
must answer. There was the attempt to make |
obligatory 3o-pound pressure flushing ar |
rangement, when only device on the market |
met the requirements. There was a similar at |
tempt to put into general a safety clutch |
for elevators, when there was only one of that |
substitnfe-a certain smoke test in plumbing
when ali are about equally good. It might be |
awkward to explain that friends are interested
IN certain concerns"