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September 13.1891 Record and Guide. f ^ ESTABUSHED-^ /HWPH 21"^ 1868. '^ "Oe/oteO to RfKl Estate . BuiLoiffc A;p,crfiTECTai^E .Household DEOOf^norl. BU5it/ESS Atto Themes- of GeSei^L I;
(lucts are unsatisfactory, trade is stagnant, and money is bound to become dearer. Furthermore the traffic returns are disappointing ; and although the companies are paying less for their coal than they were a year ago, their wages bill is heavier. Neither are foreign issues in favor. The Continent will also suffer from a deficient harvest, and this cannot fail detrimentally to affect the flnancial position. In addition, prices in many cases stand at a high level, and large quantities of stock are being financed which the holders would take advantage cf any buying to turn into cash. About the only kind of properties which it is expected will be in a position to compete with the American securities for the favor of the British public are certain outlying industrial investments of good charac¬ ter which have suffered from the general fall in values. European economists are beginning gravely to consider the effects of the 'Cereal shortage on the laboring population. The increased price of !such a prime necessity as bread will, it is feared, cause a widespread :and active discontent—^particularly in those Continental countries "where the struggle for existence is already severe and trying. The first of next May will not pass with as little disturbance as the flrst of last May. In Russia, of course, the effects of the bad harvests will be most disastrous ; but apparently that country will escape, owing to the submissive nature of its population, any open revolt, What will be equally bad, however, large numbers of the peasantry will have nothing to sow with when seeding time comes around. THE verdict rendered by the Coroner's jury iu the case of the Taylor building disaster verifies the correctness of our opinion given before tbe jury entered upon their investigation, when we said that tfa^ cause for the accident would never be accurately known, as death has sealed tbe lips of those wbo could have told just what happened inside the building at the moment of collapsi>. The jury say they are unable to determine the cause of the shock which, after the death of the principal eye-witne;ses, is not obtain¬ able. The jury definitely find that the timbers and walls of the building were of fairly good material and construction, but that the iron columns were not as strong and as well constructed as they should have been, and that the fall of the building was due to " the breaking of one or more of the columns in or near the middle of the ground floor," by reason of some sudden shock applied to the exterior of the columns. Nothing is said in the verdict of the overloading of the floors, nor is any reference made to the destruct¬ ive vibratory motion of the heavy steam presses tbat were located on tbe two upper stories. THE verdict does not explicitly state whether the columns that the jurors believed to have been broken by shock were interior or exterior columns. On the ground floor (that is, the first story) tbere were three interior columns of cast iron, 9 inches in diameter and over an inch in thickness. Each column had to support a floor area of 16 by 16 feet for each of tbe four floors above and the roof in addition. By allowing a safe weight of 200 pounds per square foot on each floor, which is what the testimony showed was all that the floor timbers and girders could safely carry, each flrst story interior column had to support say 160 tons, Tbis is about what such a column can safely carry, being only one-fifth of its ultimate crushing strength. Right here comes up an amazing oversight in presenting all the facts to the jury. Each of these columns rested on a brick pier only 24 by 20 inches square, or a sectional area of three and one-third superficial feet. The proper load to apply to a brick pier laid up in cement mortar is twelve tons per superficial foot. Thus, such a pier ought not to have had placed upon it more than 40 tons, which is only one- fourth of the safe load that tbe irou column immediately above it could carry. V/hat the column could safely support would be the crushing load for the pier. The westerly brickpier was entirely destroyed by the collapse; and it so happens that this pier was at the very place where an explosion of some sort is alleged to have taken place. With the great weight resting upon that column to hold it rigidly in its upright position it would have required a terrific concussion of air to bave overthrown it. If the verdict has reference to one of the exterior cast-iron box columns, the same reasom'ng applies for the application of a terrific force to everthrow any one of them, for upon them rested the brick wall of the front together with one-fourth of all the floors and con¬ tents of the building. Between each of the box columns were the ordi¬ nary wooden entrance doors with glass panels in same and fan-lights overhead. Most of the doors probably stood open, as tbe day was very warm. An explosion with force enough to break or even throw out of place one of those iron columns would have driven the entrance doors across the street. In the crush iron columns and alt other kinds of materials werebroken. The verdict leaves the ques¬ tion of what caused the collapse as open to opinions as before the jmry undertook to solve tbe cause. The jury recommends that the Governor of the State call attention in bis next armuaL message to the Legislature to the need of amendments to the building law. The jury also expressed their appreciation of the management and action of the Fire Department and its bureaus, both brfore and after tbis most lamentable disaster. In a future issue we sball refer more at length to the matters recommended by the Coroner's jury. THE Board of Park Commissioners have acted rightly in denying the application of the New York Central & Hudson River Railroad Company for the closing of the drawbridges during certain hours of the morning and afternoon. The corporations, with their terminus at the Grand Central Depot, have never until lately been very solicitous of the comfort and convenience of their local traffic above the Harlem, If, despite their indifference, a considerable daily movement in and out of New York has been built up it will do them no barm to be placed in the position of being forced to make proper provision for it. Tlie concession which they have asked for would encourage them in the procrastinating policy which they have pursued in the past. As the Park Commissioners point out, it would not be wise to take any step towards obstruct¬ ing the navigation of a river which tbe national government is spending large sums of money on to improve. It is the Central that must raise its bridge, and so assume the burden of its own traffic instead of endeavoring to make the river trade interests pay part of the expenses. The Legislature can be pursuaded to grant the necessary authority to change the grade of the approaches, and
