New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1925-11-07
Six-Apartment Struc-
ture AT 639 West
Main Street Condemn
ed Today As Being
Unfit For Human
Habitation.
Buildings Nearby
Under Surveillance of
lnspectors-City Engi-
neerS Say Land Is O. X.

IN the opinion of members of the
building commission and inspectors
for that department who examined .
/ bulging wall in six-apartment
house at $50 West Main street yes.
terday and reported their findings
at conference this morning AT ths
office of Mayor A. NJ .Paonessa. tbe
building is not fit for human habita-
tion IN its present state.
An investigation is being mazda
! further to determine the cause OF
the brick wall "bucllling" and for
that purpose Messrs. Gozzo and La
Rocco. builders and original owners
of the house, were brought before
the conference today for question.
ing.
Two Others Under Suspicion
1t developed that another six
apartment house at 627 West Main
street. also built by the same con-
tractors, is showing signs of devel-
oping a dangerous bulge and 1t will
/ be closely watched during the next
week. Employees OF the city engin-
eering department this morning cast
Il suspicious eye at the east wall of
similar building on a lot adioin.
ing the more seriously affected struc.
tnre and that too. will be kept un.
/ der surveillance.
/ Because of the discovery of similar
defects in the three buildings, It was
thought the soil did not furnish tho
proper anchorage for a foundation
but this theory was secuted hv the
engineering department. City En-
gineer Joseph D. Williams and As
sistant Engineer Philip A. Merriam
reported today the soil is of tyuv
highly desirable for building opera
ions, beihv f,r the Most part rocA,
and when tS building inspectors ad-
vised there S no indication Of sci
tlement" in the foundation. this the.
ory was dropped.
Light Shows Through Wall.
The west wall of the building at
| 699 West Main street is true" at
the top and bottom lines and is ~
inches off plumb is feet from the
ground. BY the mere pressure Of the
hand a noticeable swaying in the
brick wall can be induced from
within the building at the second
floor. Daylight can be perceived
the parlor wall near the flooring.
The building inspector report the
erick work TO be pulling away from
the frame construction and In their
opinion safety demands the entire
west wall be taken down and re-
built Whether the same course
must be followed on the east wall
Will be determined within q week,
S. Baggish of Hartford, new own
rr Of the building. was at the con-
ference and assured the officials he
had no desire TO have the present
situation continue and would make
changes ordered.
Litigation Anticipated.
That litigation may result from
The disclosures was indicated in Bag
gish's anxiety 10 determine the cause
OF the bulge and who might be held
liable.
Mr.. Gozzo said every letter of the
building law had been followed in
the building and the frame and
brick construction are properly tied
in.
When the wall is pulled down, the
building department will supervise
the work and it will then be possible
o determine the cause OF the buck
ling, the inspectors told the con-
ference today.
Judge John II. Kirkham. corpor-
alton counsel, attended this morn
ing's meetin and is preparing the
| legal procedure OF condemning the
building for purposes OF habitation
and will prepare an order for
changes.