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September 9, 1901.]
nd all others which might impede this freedom, #f communication will be razed.
This Proclamation is issued by the Repre- entatives of the Foreign Powers so that all ay know the true facts connected with the oming of the Allied Forces. It is also pecially necessary that Chinese officials and sople should take warning from the events ated and exercise extreme care to prevent any ecurrence of disturbance or disorder.
THE COCHRANE STREET ENQUIRY.
On the 30th ult, Mr. Hazeland held an nquiry at the Magistracy into the causes that d to the collapse of houses Nos. 32 and 34, Cochrane Street. The first witness called was woman, named Siu Mui who had lived in No. 2, at the time of collapse, and was rescued, but er husband, two daughters and her mother, who ere also in the house at the time, were killed. he deposed as follows:-
The house No. 32 where she lived was a amily house. She lived on the 3rd floor, with er husband, two daughters, and mother 'here were 19 people on her floor. On the ight of the 14th inst., at about 11 o'clock, ouses Nos. 32 and 34 collapsed suddenly. No revious intimation was given. Houses No. 2 and 34 were four-storey houses, Her husband ad been head-coolie at the Ordnance Stores.
The next witness was Inspector Cuthbert, tho had made enquiries as to the people killed. Le had a list of forty-one, but could only obtain ne names of 38. In all the dead were 43. Two ut ofthe three unknown persons had been visitors, ad one the husband of a woman living in one of he houses. One of the visitors was a woman. nspector Cuthbert said he was certain that the rty-three dead found were killed in the collapse. P. 8. Watt, who was the first police officer on le scene at the time, stated that on the night the 14th inst., about 11 p.m., he was in ueen's Road facing Cochrane Street. He ard a noise as if something heavy fell down. Teran up Cochrane Street, and found that houses o. 32 and 34 had collapsed and caused the erandahs and front wall of No. 30 to fall atward. He went up into No. 30, and ordered the people to leave. While he was there, fire had broken out among the ruins of No. 32. Witness immediately gave the alarm and called for the fire brigade, who responded at once.
The next man to give evidence was Ho Heung Chi, an inmate of house No. 32, who was fortunately resoned. Witness went to his house on the evening in question and went to sleep. A friend of his, who slept in a cubicle of the 2nd floor, was killed in the collapse. As witness was sleeping he was aroused by a loud crack; the next moment the house collapsed.
Mr. P. T. Crisp, Inspector of Buildings, de- posed as follows:-
On the 15th inst., I went and inspected the rains of Nos. 32 and 34 Cochrane Street. I examined the remainder of the walls standing and the debris. I found all the floor joists and nbers to have been in a sound condition. ae brick-work on the top floor seemed to be od work. I looked at the brick-bonding and and it good. In my opinion the cause of the llapse was the falling in of the partition wall tween houses No. 32 and 34. The party wall as old work, the centre of the wall being nollow. I cannot positively say that the whole of the party wall was hollow, but there is little doubt that it was, judging from what remained standing. I think the houses were built after the great fire in 1878. In my opinion the heavy rain‹ soaking the double layer of Shanghai tiles, caused the consequent great weight resting on the party wall to split in two and brought on the collapse.
Dr. Bell, Assistant Principal Civil Medical Officer, stated that he had only a list of twenty-three bodies, which had been brought to the Government Mortuary on the 17th, 18th, 19, 24th, and 22nd instant. The list of the bodies previously found was in the hands of Dr. Atkinson, who would give his evidence after lunch. The list of dead, with the cases of death, was handed to His Worship by Dr. Bell.
Mr. Tooker, Acting Assistant Director of Public Works, next deposed as follows:-On the 15th inst., I examined the scene of the collapse of houses No. 32 and 34 Cochrane
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Mr. Tooker-You were formerly on assistant engineer in the P.W.D., engaged mainly in superintending the carrying out of provisions of the Building Ördinance?
Witness-Yes.
Mr. Tooker Had you the slightest suspicion that the walls were not sound, would you have drawn up the plans?
Witness-No, certainly not.
Mr. Tooker requested to be called on again, as he had another statement to make. The request was granted,
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT. Street. These buildings, as far as we could ascertain, were constructed in 1878. There is no record in the P.W.D. offices of any altera tions or additions until the latter end of 1900, when a plan was submitted in accordance with the Building Ordinance, and notice given in the prescribed form on the 3rd November, 1900, in respect of house No. 32, Cochrane Street, and on the 7th December, 1900, in respect of house No. 34, Cochrane Street also in the prescribed form. Mr. E. M. Hazeland was the architect who submitted the plans. The notice of the work given on the 3rd Mr. Tooker-Your Worship, 'in all the recent November read as follows:-"To make additions cases of house collapses which have come and rebuild cross-wall and verandah." A notice before you, you found that while the plans had of December 7th describes the work as "addi-been prepared by European architects, in each tions and rebuilding cross-wall, etc." Both notices case they said that they had no power to were signed I Chung Tsun Cheong and Spooner. supervise the construction. I believe in the Coch- The additions spoken of consisted principally rane Street case if the work had been under the of one additional story. The buildings had superintendence of an European architect, as been three-storied; the addition would make soon as the roof had been removed he would them four-storied. The plans submitted were have seen at once the bad state of the walls, and - scrutinised by me and found to be in accordance found it necessary to rebuild. Your Worship, with the Building Ordinance and were forwarded section 76, sub-section 3 of Ordinance 15 of 1859, ‹ to the Medical Officer of Health, who approved says it is permissible for any official of the P. of them, saying they were in accordance with the W. D., to enter a house, building or tenement, Ordinance. The buildings were in accor- where he has reasonable province for believing dance with Ordinance 15 of 1894, as this Ordi- that within said house, building or tenement nance fixes the height of buildings in accor. there a works being completed or carried out dance with the width of the street, but of in contravention of the Building Ordinance. course the additions were made prior to Again, it is permissible for a P. W. D. officer that date. I also examined the remaining to inspect such work provided he does not un- 2
the scene reasonably damage the same during his inspeo. standing walls and debris at of the disaster. The front and side walls tion. Section 72 of the same Ordinance says fallen in; as the P. W. D. has no power to refuse to approve of Nos. 32 and 34 had
The site of plans for alterations or additions if in ac- had the front wall of No. 30.
The The cordance with the Building Ordinance. the accident was covered with debris. iron verandahs of house No. 31, opposite, were department can only refuse such approval I made a careful if the old building is constructed in contraven- considerably damaged. examination of the walls still standing, the tion of the Ordinance. This was not the case party walls of Nos. 30 and 36, also of the debris. in Cochrane Street. Therefore, the plans had I found a portion of the party wall between to be approved. No P. W. D. official has a houses No. 32 and 34 was still standing. It right to break into another wall for the proved to have been badly constructed, though purposes of inspecting the soundness of it.. the bricks used in erecting the wall were good, The Department has little, if any, power to still the construction was faulty, the bricks were prevent such disasters, as the one now under badly bonded, part of the interior of the wall was enquiry, as the soundness of walls cannot be hollow and filled out with small pieces of bricks.' judged unless opened out. The wall seemed to have been all more or less, hallow. The party walls between the houses No. 32 and 30 and 34 and 36 still standing were exposed to view, and could be seen to be of the same construction as the party wall which had I received on the 14th and 15th instant collapsed. On examination I found it would twenty bodies sent to the mortuary which were be imposible for anybody to say definitely what unearthed from the debris caused by the col- actually cansed the collapse, that must remain lapse of Nos. 32 and 34 Cochrane Street. I a matter of conjecture. have, however, found have given their approximate ages in the list. out that the mischief had been going on for, This closed the enquiry, His Worship saying some time and that the showery weather that he was convinced that the forty-three we had for some time, interspersed with persons met their death through the collapse and heavy rains, and again the fierce sun rays, ire of the buildings. would have caused a considerable amount of expansion and contraction of the material. The flooring and other timbers were found perfectly sound, and the top floor appeared to have been supported on hard-wood joists. I believe from
When it was announced that there was to-be f the way the floorings were running that the party wall between Nos. 32 and 34 was the a grand tattoo and promenade concert on the The Volunteer Parade Ground, expectations ‘tran first part of the buildings to collapse. weight resting on this wall caused it to fall, high, nor were they disappointed. The object, and the shock would have been quite sufficient a benefit to the widow of the late Sergt. to have brought down the whole of the two Williams, was a worthy one, and the Hongkong structures. I attribute the accident to the bad public, as well as the soldiers in garrison, season and the bad state of the old brick-work responded generously. The parade ground was
The stage was ‹- of the buildings. The old Building Ordinance filled to overflowing, and was prettily illumin. - 8. of 1856 places no restrictions on the use of ated with Chinese lanterns. new bricks; it only states that the wall should as artistic as usual, with its palm and lantern be solidly built.
Mr. Tooker here suggested that Mr. E. M. Hazeland, architect, be called as a witness, which was done.
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At this point the enquiry was adjourned till the afternoon.
The first witness called at 2 p.m. was Dr. J. M. Atkinson, P.C.M.O., who deposed as follows:
GRAND TATTOO AND PRO-
MENADE CONCERT.
decorations.
The programme was a lengthy one, and was much appreciated by the audience, as was testi- fied by the applause greeting almost every item. The first item was the "First Post;" follow- ed by “British Army Quadrilles," in which were introduced the Encampment, All's Well, Patrols going the Rounds, and Camp in Motion, Then came five marches by the 3rd Mudras band, maased fifes, H.K.S.BR.A., bagpipes, and the band of the R.W.F...
Mr. E. M. Hazeland stated that some time during the months of November and December, 1900, Mr. Chung Tsun Cheong asked him to prepare some plans for additional floors and verandahs for Nos. 32 and 34, Cochrane Street. He sent one of his assistants to examine the premises, who reported that the walls were
The concert itself commenced with a song by sound and plumb, and thereupon witness drew the plans for additional story in compliance the favourite comedian Mr. Viggers, in “ Theme with the Building Ordinance. When the plans things are only sent to try us," which was as usu.. were prepared he sent them to the P.W.D. for al encored to the echo. The club drill, by the approval. The plans were approved, and he 2nd B.W.F., was the gem of the evening, the gave them to the owner, and told him he could naval gun display by the gun orow of H.M.S. Iris have nothing to do with the superintendence of was well very executed indeed, though the space in which to make the evolutions was limited, Paral the alterations and additions of his premises.
At this point Mr. Tooker asked His. Wor-lel barsand raulting the horse by the 2ndR.W.F., ship's permission to asked a few questions, were followed by Sergt. Ward in a comic song. Then came the grand tattoo, in which took part which request was granted.
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