Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-06-10

iron girders resting on iron columns. The
columns were directly over one another and
necessarily the final support was
the brick work underneath the frs.
moor. From the north to the south wall there
were four rows Of these supports. The brick
columns upon which the work was being done
were those which sustained the first
and the second iron columns from the
south wall. The brick foundation under the
nrst column had been completed and
Is In substantial form today, but when the
other foundation is examined which supported
tDe second iron column from the wall the cause
OF the disaster is evidently az parent The brick
work has crumbed to earth and the
torn places disclose that instead Of being solid
prlck column 1t was but another arch. Under
TINS the underpinins was being done On the
brick work which WAS being braced there de-
pended the strength of all the floors. for
on this foundation was the iron col
umn of the first floor Directly over
" was the column which supported the third
moor and on these columns rested the girders
that sustained the flooring of the section
which fell. Each Of these columns sup
ported four heavy steel Orders SO that the
weight which rested on the brick fou;.
dalton which was being nnderpinned was enor-
nous 1t Is said that nc matter how care
fully underpInning may be done there is bound
to be some settlement. With the work
on this brick column in the cellar.
eight iron girders upon which the
strength of the flooring depended in
progress any settlement effected the ell
tire structure with which the columns above it
were connected. The undermining went so
far that the strain became too great. The sink
Ing OF the brick foundation was US though there
were but one column, which extended to the
top OF the building. At the top the settlement
was sufficient to drag the eirdcrs from the top
OF the columns upon which they rested. and
with one girder gone the whole portion Of the
building which was supported by the under
mined brick fell to the ground
There was in the building but one staircase
about six feet wide, and that had to be utilized
of all the clerks in the bureau. Not one single
nre escape was there. though Congress recently
passed law compelling all buildings in this
city but government ones to be thus guarded
THE CONTRACT.
There Is considerable talk among co ntractors
privately concerning the contract for the work
Those who should be Informed say that between
the lowest bid of $3.50, which was that Of Mr.
George W. Dant, who had the con-
tract and had suble. the digging
to Mr.. Pullman, and the next lowest bid there
was quite a difference in the amounts
prominent contractor said that he did not
belle We that $500 would pay for the bricks
which should be used in the work, and
1t Is said that four other contractors re-
iuseu W "olk III the Duilulny on account or
Its condition. Mr.. Thorpe. who has the bids
and terms OF the contract at the War Depart
ment. refused to allow them to be SEEM and
III fact, was very non-communicative re-
garding the whole affair Those of
the War Department who must at the end bear
the responsibility for the horror are unwilling
to falkland say that investigation has been
ordered. and under these circumstances they
must not talk.
Nh. BROWNS STATEMENT.
Mr.. Brown, the chief clerk OF the records and
pensions bureau, was the only official who was
about the building this morning. Col
Answorth had not been there, and it
was said that no one had made any ex-
animation, with view to ascertaining where
the cause lay. He said that the work which was
being done in the cellar was inspected every
day by Mr.. Sasse. the superintendent of the
building, Col Ainsworth and Mr.. Dant They
declared that the work was being done in
the most careful manner and that there
was no danger. This is in direct opposition
TO the statement of Mr.. Pullman. the subcou-
tractor. who evidently believed that there was
some danger, for he said to STAR reporter
yesterday: ~ was just congratulating myself
that the danger was past"