Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-12-27
AGAINST GARFIELD
Board of Safety Committee Says
 He Disobeyed Ordinance.

held yesterday afternoon was attend ed by all the members. Mayor Thoms presided. The principal matter of business was the report of the con- mittee consisting of Commissioners Spain, Minor and Marggraff on the of- ficial conduct of A. l. Chatfield, build ing inspector, in relation to the col lapse of the floor of the building on Farm street during political rally last fall. The report in full follows:
 Waterbury, December 23, 1907. To the Honorable oBard of Public
 Safety:
 You committee to whom was re- ferred for investigation the matter of the collapse of the floor of building on East Farm street, on October 5, 1907, beg leave to report as follows:
 I.
 They have examined under oath the following persons, to wit:
 Albert I. Chatfield, building in-
 spector; Nelson Dingwell, who
 moved the building in question,
 Andrew J. Kenneally, the owner
 of said building; Burton A.
 HUI, WuO IuduC o pOl IlOll ol IiC
 changes and alterations upon
 said building; James Bahan, who
 built it's foundation.
 <........ II.
 Although the evidence in regard to the exact conditions existing in this building, prior to this accident is somewhat conflicting, we believe the facts to be substantially as follows:
 On June IT, 1907, the building in- spector issued 2 permit to move three old buildings on Farm street. upon an application of which copy is hereto appended and marked Exhibit A.
 In accordance with this permit, ome time during the summer one Nelson Dingwell moved the build ag in question, which is one of the hree referred to in the above appli- ation, to it's present location. It ap- ears that the original plan was to lace the building on a trench foun- lation, and place four foot excava- ion under it. During the time the uilding was being moved or short y after, it was determined as the uilding was old and the bottom pret- y thoroughly decayed, to place new ills under at least part of it, and dig celler underneath it. Per- mission to make these proposed hanges was asked of the building in- pector by the owner, without the wner's filing the specifications re- tuired by section 4 of the building rdinance, or without any application cling made in writing as required by his section. This request of the ,wner the building inspector states hat he verbally granted, although no ecord appears thereof in the records 1 if the city, and the owner thereupon proceeded to put in new outside sills ! nd at least one cross sill, and to onstruct cellar under the building, ! with the knowledge of the building | Inspector, but contrary, as we believe, Q the provisions of section 4 of the uilding ordinance.
 . After the cellar was completed SUD- porting posts were placed underneath l the portion ofthe building which col lapsed, probably two or three in num- Der. From the evidence before us we are inclined to believe that these posts were cut from the decayed sills taken out of the building. The post placed under the center of the build ing was wholly decayed and unsound for foot or fourteen inches at it's lower end, and this unsoundness could have been detected by a casual | examination.
 The building had stood in this con- dition for some time, and the build ing inspector had visited it several times, when on the evening of Octo- Der 5,a political rally was held in this building and a large crowd assembled therein. Shortly after this rally be. gan the post above mentioned broke at the point where it was decayed and rotten. and the sill resting on this post also broke, precipitating large number of people into the cellar.
 Many were injured, some seriously, and one person has since died of in- juries received in this collapse.
 During the building of the cellar and alteration of the building itself, the inspector visited the place oc- casionally, but did not examine the post in question, although it was during at least two or three of his visits in the same position as at the night of the collapse.
 It is probably true that the post might have supported the floor in question but for the unusually large crowd that gathered upon it on the evening of October ,. We believe. however, that no decayed post should be allowed by the city to be placed under any building, no matter for what use it is intended.
 III.
 Sections 3. 4 and HIS of the build ing ordinance read as follows: Section 3. No building already
 eercted or hereafter to be built
 in this city shall be raised, low
 cred. moved or built upon in any
 manner not in accordance with 7
 any or all of the provisions of
 this ordinance. Section {. Before beginning the ,,
 erection or alteration of any
 building or part of any building .
 or structure the owner or his
 agent shall file with the build !
 ing inspector: First. An application for peFmis-
 sion to build which shall be made
 out on printed blanks furnished
 by the building inspector.
 Second. "A detailed specification
 fully and accurately describing
 the materials and methods of
 construction to be employed.
 Third. Complete working and de-
 tail drawings showing arrange (
 meHt and construction of build [
 ings: where same may. in the [
 opinion of the building fusppc- | c