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Proceeding, witness said there were many blue bricks in the Colony perfectly good after | baving been in vse for many years. He sexamined the blue bricks forming the pillars of the collapsed portion, and found them much better than the average quality of blue bricks ODE: SHFS Nowadays. Parts of the blue bricks came away loose, but the majority came down in big blocks. He took the «crack which he saw in pillar No. 4 to be an old one because there was dirt inside it, and the edges were smoothed off. Witness had had large experience in forming an opinion aS to orsola in brickwork, as be constantly met with them in the course of his business, So - far as he could judge the crack was at least one, two or five years old. The work being Barried out in the northern portion of the building could not possibly affect the stability of the collapsed portion. The main walls of the collapsed portion of the building were composed of blue brick The shock of the collapse would put a severe strain on those walls. Witness had inspected them and they showed no signs of strain. The two pillars which were being rebuilt had to carry fifty per cent. more weight than the other pilars along the verandah. This was on account of brick arohes carrying wooden floors running across from the east wing to the main building. The shoring which was being carried out under the north portion of the verandah which did not collapse, was being done in an effective manner. In fact, it could not have been carried out in a more effective manner. Since the last hearing, witness examined pillar No. 6. It did not appear to have been broken off in * diff ·reat way to the rest of the pillars. No electric lift. had been inserted in the east wing where the collapse took place. Any vibration caused by working the engines in the main building would not cause any extra strain to be put on the
pillars of the east wing of the building. There was a thunderstorm at the time of the collapse. During such storms buildings were subject to perceptible tremors, and these were calculated to try their stability. He thought the thunder- storm which occurred at the time of the collapse was a factor in causing the fall of the pillar.
By Mr. Morrell-In any circumstances wil. ness would not have built the pillars of blue brick. Witness had not yet furnished his annual report.
Mr. B. L. Frost said he was an employee in the Telegraph Co. and lived in the old portion of the Hongkong Hotel. On the evening of the collapse witness was in his room. Three or four minutes before the collapse he was at a friend's room on the fourth floor of the east wine. There was a thunderstorm and he noticed a flesh of lightning immediately prior to the collapse. Then he heard the sound of the collapse within a few seconds.
Mr. Morrell-Do I understand you to infer the building was struck by lightning?—Not at all.
Mr. T. L. Perkins, excecutive engineer in the Public Works Department, stated that it was part of his duty to approve plans for alterations to buildings. The plan for certain alterations to the Hongkong Hotel was submitted in May, and approved by witness after an inspector had visited the premises and reported. The altera- tions were to erect concrete floor and roof over the east area and Kuhn and Komor's shop. On the night of the collapse witness weat to the hotel and took charge of the soring. Several times since then he had examined the moene of the collapse. The great portion of the débris came down in large lamps, but some of it came down separately. The inference to be drawn from the fact that it came down in large lumps was that the pillars were well built. Witness had seen
great many collapses, especially in Hongkong. In seventy-five per cent of the cases the bricks would separate. He counted and examined all the beams that --fell. ·Less than eight. per cent, were ant eaten. This was a small percentage. Witness had seen the remains of the collapsed pillars. No. 6 did ... not appear to have broken in its weakest point. It occurred to witness when he saw it that the - workman might have cutinto it for some purpose or other. The measurement of the pillars - reported, to him was one foot ten inches by one foot ten, giving an area of 484 square inches,
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THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
A weight of 120 lbs, was bearing on every square inch of the pillars. The average crushing strength of blue bricks was 1400 lbs. to the square inch; maximum strength, 1750 lbs, and minimum 1150 lb. to the square inch. Witness would not have used the shoring Mr. Blood said was used. Even with the best Chinese shoring he would put a needle under the cap. The shoring was up to the average, and was the
usual kind used here.
By Mr. Looker-The orushing strains witness gave were obtained from the Cement Works.
The inquiry was adjourned to enable the jurors to visit the scene of the collapse.
The inquiry into the canse of death of a native who was killed in the collapse which occurred at the old section of the Hongkong Hotel on the 1st ultimo, was continued before Mr. F. A. Hazeland and Messrs, J. D. Morrison, H. L. Muhle and F. E. McHugh, jurors, at the Magistracy on September 9ib.
Mr. G. E. Morrell. Crown Solicitor, appeared. on behalf of the Government; Mr H. W. Looker (of Messra Descon Looker and Deacon) represented the Hongkong Hotel Co, and Mr. M. J. D. Stephens watched the case on behalf of Messrs. Kuhn and Komor.
Mr. T. L. Parking, recalled at the request of Mr. Looker, said that when he said last week he would have put a needle through the shoring he meant that if erecting the shoring he would bave put in a needle to support the cap. What
manner
it
be would have done was that be would have taken away two courses of briok sufficient to insert a needle. Witness explained with detail how he would put the needle through the pillar. Underneath the needle was the prop
So long as the shoring was propped up in # proper
did not matter whether there was a needle or aot. The propping up
well as done 88 WBS
it was usually done in China. He did not see the pillars while they were being cut out and propped. reports of his inspector as to the state of the Witness had only to go upon the pillars. It was necessary to put a needle in form of shoring.
ADY
His Worship-Under any circumstances you would have put in a needle?
Witness-Yes.
Mr. Looker-Is your opinion as to what constitutes a proper shoring based on
the practice in England or in the Colony?
Witness-Both.
Mr. Morrell-May I ask for whom my friend appears. I understood he was appear- ing for the Hotel Company and now he is oross-examining for the architect ?
Mr. Looker-You can impute what motives you like. I have already told the Court for whom I am appearing.
Mr. Morrell I must object to the continn. ation of this. The cross-examination has already been closed.
His Worship-Any more questions?
Mr. Looker-I have one or two questions to ask. Witness said that Chinese shoring was universal in the Colony.
Is it any part of the duty of the Public Works Department to inspect the shoring of buildings?-I believe, your Worship, shoring has to be done to the satisfaction of the Public Works Department.
The Chinese method of shoring has been adopted in the Colony for many years without the Public Works Department objecting?- It was no use ‹bjecting.
You said you yourself expressed dissatisfaction
some mouths avo?—Yes.
Mr. W. T. Edwards, P.W.D. overseer, said that on 29th May last plans for certain altern- tions in the Hongkong Hotel were approved and on inspecting the place he noticed shoring under pillars sight and nine. He examined the shoring which was of the ordinary Chinese character. He examined the east wing which seemed in good condition.
Did you find a orsok in pillar No. 4P-No. You visited the place again on July 23rd? Yes.
Did you examine all the pillars again?—Yes And you noticed no cracks ?—No.
Mr. Looker-You want to see that the work was being carried out in accordance with the plans. You are not concerned with the rest of the building?—No. Only with the work being carried out.
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[September 16, 1907.
Witness-The plans show no work to be car- ried out in the first six: pillars counting from the Queen's Road-end,
Mr. A. Shelton Hooper said he was secretary of the Hongkong Land Investment Coy. -He remembered the evening of the let August when there was a collapse in the Hongkong Hotel. About 20 minutes to six he was in the Hong- kong Club near a window overlooking the Queen's Statue,
Did you ree any lightning ?—I did. I mw a very vivid flash of lightning right over the Queen's Statne.
ZORAN
Did it extend over the direction of the hotel? It was further back than Lane Crawfords'- in the direction of the hotel.
Did it strike you as being an ordinary flash or an extraordinary one ?-It was particularly vivid. As a matter of fact I called the attention of the Public Works Department to it as a possible explanation.
Mr. Morrell-How much further back was the flash from Lane Crawfords' building?
Witness-I cannot, say.
Could you say in what particnlar place it struck Well, within a certain area.
How can you tell? -You can tell when seeing it on your horizon.
Oh, it was on the horizon ?—Yes.
It might be miles off ?-No you can tell within a distance. As far as the width. is
concerned you can tell within yards.
What do you mean by yards ?—You can see between two points,
You cannot tell how far away it was ?---No. You know that an electrio lift has recently been installed in the hotel ?—Yes,
You think so electric lift in the building would cause vibration P—I am not an export.
You are an expert, aren't you ?—Yes. I am a civil engineer.
Give us our opinion as an expert ?—If you wish my opinion as an expert, I will do my best for you.
Vibration is caused by electric lifts in most buildings?--Yes.
Mr. Looker briefly addressed the jury pointing out that in the evidence there had been no reflection on the stability of the building.
Mr. Morrell followed with a few remarks, in which he said that he could not see how the jury oou'd arrive at any other verdict than death by misadventure.
His Worship raid if they were not prepared to return such a verdict the only other one open to the jury was one of negligence which must be so gross a description as to amount to recklessness.
The jury found that the deceased met his death by misadventure.
This closed the inquiry.
SMUGGLING ARMS.
It is understood that there is a fairly large illicit trade carried on in the outer parts of the Colony in the smuggling of arms and ammunition into China, but occasionally the smugglers fall into the bands of the police and when they are brought before the Magistrate they lose a considerable margin of their profita. Yesterday Inspector Dymond from Aberdeen had five men before Mr. Hazeland charged with offences under the Ordinance which prohibits the smuggling of arms and ammunition. Three of the junkmen were convicted of and fined $150 each, while the other two were exporting muskets and ammunition to China found guilty of having arms and ammunition on their junks without a permit and were fined $75 each. On Friday last two men were fined $100 each for like offencer. Big profits are
made in this business, breechloaders as a rule
being preferred to muskets for the export
trade.
The post office on the summit of Fuji is under direct control of the Yokohama Post :Oline. It has been opened since the 16th July, The telephone line from the top is opened on August lat." There are souvenir pork), oards- on-sale. The Fuji Hotel at the mme eighth station, being built by the Yamanashi Prefecture authorition with Y.2,500 is now expected to be opened the end of this month. At present shout ous hundred persons are climbing Faji daily on the average from snok spproseh.
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