New York City, NY Ireland Building Collapse, Aug 1895

BODIES ALL TAKEN OUT.

Sixteen Deaths Were Caused by the Ireland Building Collapse.

IRON FOUND FULL OF BLOWHOLES.

Some Sections of the Broken Pillar Looked Like Worm-Eaten Wood -- A Careful Inspection to be Begun To-day.

It was ascertained yesterday noon that there were no more bodies buried in the cellar of the Ireland Building at West Broadway and West Third Street. Every bit of debris had by that time been shovelled over. It had been expected more bodies would be found and three plain coffins were kept on hand. Fifteen bodies have been taken from the ruins and one man died in hospital.
The investigation into the causes of the disaster in not completed, nor will it be for several days, but, as was stated yesterday in The New York Times, the general belief is that the upper floors were so overloaded with building material that the sections of the central iron column gave way beneath its weight and precipitated the wrecked portion of the building into the cellar.
The tremendous pressure suddenly put upon the lower section of the pillar drove it through the iron plate, granite bloack and concrete fountation and five feet into the soil beneath it.
The broken sections of the iron pillar were carefully examined yesterday and the metal was found to be of poor quality. It was so full of blowholes that some pieces looked like worm-eaten wood.
Committees of experts representing the various contractors interested in the construction of the Ireland Building visited the broken foundations of the central pillar. Each expert was anxious to find good ground to exonerate his client from blame, so that every one had a different opinion, except that all agreed that the old well over which a portion of the concrete and granite foundation of the pillar was laid was not to blame for the collapse, because it was filled up under the foundation with concrete. Outside the well, however, the concrete is only one foot thick, and under that is the natural soil. Some said the soil was very poor, being sandy and soft, They said it resembled quicksand. They thought the concrete foundation should have been built deeper. The pillar might not then have sunk.
Others said the soil was fair, and that in constructing the foundation all the building laws had been complied with, and that nothing could have prevented the pillar from being driven deep into the ground. Still other experts said the building walls were badly constructed, but they were contradicted by others, who asserted that the fact that in spite of the terrible wrenching to which they were subjected they did not fall was convincing evidence of their unusual strength.
Said one builder who looked at the wreckage:
"The contract price for the entire building was $60,000, but it should not have been less than $70,000. The consequence was that while the building laws have been technically complied with, everything has been done cheaply. The brick walls are just strong enough, but the iron pillars are of the cheapest kind, and the steel girders are just heavy enough to comply with the specifications. As a matter of fact, they are much too light. The foundations under the pillars are not heavy enough."
"This accident will teach a wholesome lesson to builders and to the Building Department. I think it will result in much needed amendments to the building laws. Greater precaution will have to be taken by contractors in future, and the result will be beneficial to the entire city."
STEVENSON CONSTABLE, Superintendent of Buildings, was at the scene of the wreck all the morning and up to 2 P. M. He refused to say a word about the case.
Fire Chief BONNER and Battalion Chief LALLY were also present most of the day, but at noon, when it was definitely ascertained that there were no more bodies in the ruins, they relinquished charge of affairs and turned the building over to Superintendent CONSTABLE. The work of opening West Third Street to traffic was begun by men working under direction of Battalion Chief LALLY. They will not complete eheir task until to-day. They will clear only one-third of the street, leaving the rest of the work to be done by Owner IRELAND and Contractor PARKER. The expense of clearing away the debris will be borne by the city, which will then collect from the contractors.
There remains one more pillar to be examined. It is so surrounded with debris that no inspection of its foundations has been possible, but the wreckage around it will be cleared away to-day, and it will then be learned whether the iron plate on which it rests is broken like the others.
CORONER FITZPATRICK, Superintendent Constable, and a delegation of disinterested building experts will visit the scene of the accident this afternoon, and will carefully inspect. They will examine the sunken central pillar, and its foundations, and will then have the stone and concrete removed so they can definitely determine the character of the soil beneath. Thus far that has not been settled, which accounts for the variety of opinions concerning it. They will also examine the foundations beneath all the pillars to see whether they are of sufficient quality and strength. The broken sections of the central pillar and the steel girders and the walls will be scrutinized. It is the intention of Superintendent CONSTABLE that no stone shall be left unturned to fix the responsibility for the building's collapse upon the right persons.
It was the general impression yesterday that certain Building Inspectors under former Superintendent BRADY would have to bear a share of the responsibility for the wreck.
It will be necessary before anything toward finishing the building is done to survey it and learn what repairs will have to be made to make it secure. It is thought that all the foundations will have to be strengthened, and that large sections of the walls will have to be taken down and rebuilt.
The steel girders that were twisted and bent in falling will probably be remelted and put through the rollers, when they will be as good as new.
It is understood that the building was insured, but those who know refuse to say.
For the first time since the accident happened Contractor GALLIGAN'S men stopped work at 6 o'clock last night.
Assistant District Attorney MILLER visited the wrecked building late yesterday afternoon, but said he had no new opinion to offer. He said it would not be known until the inquest what really caused the accident.
Coroner FITZPATRICK will begin his inquest to-morrow. Many witnesses have been subpoenaed to attend.
Superintendent CONSTABLE yesterday issued an invitation to all parties interested in building operations and materials and committees of building trades organizations and associations to visit the Ireland Building within the next week, so as to investigate for themselves the causes of the disaster. It is likely that many will accept.
List of known fatalities:
JOHN BURKE, Brooklyn.
MICHAEL FLYNN, plasterer, Brooklyn.
MICHAEL O'HARE, 40, laborer, Brooklyn.
CHARLES A. PETERSON, 26, Swede, electrician, Manhattan.
AUGUSTUS PHILLIPS, truck driver, Manhattan.
JOHN SMITH, electrician, Manhattan. Taken alive from ruins, but died at St. Vincents Hospital.
MICHAEL SAVAGE, 34, laborer, Brooklyn.
JAMES HEALEY, plasterer, Brooklyn.
JOSEPH BROWN, plasterer, Brooklyn.
PIETRO MARIUS, Manhattan.
JAMES GRASSO, Manhattan.
EDWARD HANLEY, 32, plasterer, Brooklyn.
THOMAS McGUIRE, 34, plasterer, Jersey City.

The New York Times New York 1895-08-15

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Researched and Transcribed by Stu Beitler. Thank you, Stu!