Year: 1860

er the projections on which the timbers rested
in the upper stories, strong and safe enough
if the floors fell in, the wall could resist them;
if the walls had been two feet thick, they
would have been prostrated as quickly as these
the brick was hard but rough; it was difficult
to get full supply of brick; the work was
done in the most thorough manner the brick
was laid in the best way; the projections were
lad IN cement; the cornice was laid in cement,
and large mas ses of it are now lying on the
spot, as hard, almost as granite; the walls
were banded between window caps and sills
the banding was done thoroughly Mr. Wal
lace was very faithful man, and Mr. Tuttle
performed his work in the most satisfactory
manner; the mortar was good; my opinion is
That tie walls were strong enough for the ser
vice OF that mill for a thousand years, if the
foundation and floor should not give out


Qaes.-ls it your opinion that the mill, as a
whole, when completed, was safe and secure
for the business OF the milla


Aas-I had some objections to the pillars
being hurried by Mr.. Knowles, the carpen.
ter; for the pillars l made requisition upon
Capt Bigelow, and some pillars were sent from
Boston by the owners; they were not according
to our plan, which was like those with clasps,
such as are in our other mills the first load
that came discovered to be made of poor
IRON, and l made complaint to Mr., Bigelow,
who sad he would write about it to Mr. Put
nam; Mr.. Putnam can explain where tile pill
lars were made, and who furnished them.
Witness explained that the cracks in the Chin
ney were caused by the swaying of the wind.
This was proved by the mortar wall at the
bottom showing no crack; the cracks in the
chimney ran from the top down, till they dis
appeared Mr. Bigelow said that, to fasten the
chimney would shake the mill, as it would
at lo Lot IL.
OF the mill was of course not as strong as it
would have been if the chimney had not
cracked away the building, as whole, re-
garded as perfect structure, except perhaps
the IRON pillars having discovered the defect
IN one OF them, was somewhat suspicious of
them, but never contemplated such a result as
has happened. a piece Of pillar from the
ruins was brought in. On examining it, it
was found extremely deective.l The wit
ness SAID he telS uneasy about the iron
pillars, from the first, and, when the building
fell, he at once attributed it to defects in the
pillars; the wheel pit was thirty feet from the
mill; mechanics and others spoke to me more
than tifty times about water running through
the foundation, but paid no attention 10 them
for knew there was no danger from it; me-
chanics and workmen about mill are very
fond OF crlticising every body's work except
their own, and very impatient of criticisms /; /
long since got III the habit of paying no atten.
ton whatever to masons ; it will be seen, on an
intelligent examination of the foundation. if it
settled; judge that the fall of the mill was ow-
ing to the breaking of pillar near the center
OF the mill. The breaking OF one pillar would
leave unsupported an area of fifty feet by
twenty feet; the great strength of the floors
would tend to destroy the walls, when the sup.
port gave way, and also break off the pillars
when once started. 1t is said that at first there
was succession of cracking noises which ran
into general roar, and have no doubt that
the building fell in this way.


JOHN P. PUTNAMs TESTIMONY.


owned 100 shares in the mill, one-eighth;
the iron pillars were made by Mr. j. c. Wood,
who was reported to be good founder it was
proposed to have wooden pillars, but prefer
red iron, and, finding that Wood would cast
them cheaper than the Lawrence machine
shop, he was employed. Mr.. Lowell gave
ME express instructions to spare no expense
to stop not at mere safety, but make assurance
douby sure, in construction. We feel it of
vital importance to us that the mill should
be made perfectly safe l was not aware of
any weakness in the walls didn't know that
the wall at the stairway was only one foot
thick, until this investigation the mill was
the steadiest L ever knew; we had no appre-
hension in regard to the cracks in the CHM
ney; think the machinery was packed rather
more closely than usual i'll this mill