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

f; 1t was sentiment, however tbat IoaSad
it with records, crowded it with clerks and
Notwithstanding the warnings of tremblino
decrepitude, actually attempted 10 nndcr'
mine it, All this was done in pursuance
of n niggardly economy made apnarentIv
necessary by the parsimonv of Congress- I'M,
which no necessity can really Justify. III tho
government buildings of Washington are with
ont the surveillance of responsible build
ing inspectors these unsubstantial build-
should be abandoned forthwith. There
are other old houses in Washington
as unit as Ford's Theater which are filed
daily with government clerks. This is not
necessary and should not be suffered. This
government is certainly rich enough to provide
safe buildings for its employees, and those lead
ers H. Congress who prevent such provision
being made are the real authors of the death
and suffering occasioned by the collapse of
Ford's Theater.
1t Was Preventable.
Prom the Philadelphia Times
The appalling disaster at Washington, by
which two score lives are needlessly sacrificed
and twice as many persons, more or less. Sc
riouSiy injured, came without warning to its
victims, but there is reason to believe that
the engineering authorities of the War De-
partment knew that the Ford building was
nnsafe and should have been vacated and torn
Gown long ago. Whether the responsibility
hes with the department or with Congress,
which refused TO provide other quarters for the
business that was being transacted in what has
be determined.
Somewhere there rests fearful and criminal
responsibility for the catastrophe OF Yesterday
The building originally erected for a theater
was never proper structure in which TO insert
noors to be occupied by hundreds of human
Il.
parent to any competent architect
10 the original weakness of the patch
work structure there seems to have been added
the further peril of undermined foundations
caused by an excavation in the cellar for the
accommodation of an electric light plant Under
these conditions the building could not be ex-
pected TO do otherwise than collapse and the
only wonder is that the collapse did not come
sooner.
These things could not be known to the I'M
fortunate employees of the War Dep .rtment,
who simply obeyed orders and went to their
work supposing themselves safe in any build
ing to which their superiors would assign
them. They have loa their lives or been
seriously injured through no fault of their
own, but there is some one on whom lies the
deep damnation OF their taking off, and il is
the imperative duty of the War Department
authorities to fix the blame where it Justly be
longs. and II there are any more government
clerks in Washington exposing life and limb
In unsafe buildings the fact should be made
known and the buildings abandoned before
another long list OF victims are carried to the
morgue. The direful disaster Of Yesterday
belonged clearly to the class of preventabie
accidents and its repetition should be made an
impossibility.
Not Without Warning.
From the New York Tribune
The catastrophe at Washington repeats the
old story Of human negligence and credulty.
The shabby and fimsy structure in which a
department of government kept hundreds Of
its employees at work did not collapse without
warning. For years it had shown signs OF in
stability, and lately, while a criminallv care
less work Of excavation was proceeding beside
it, the proofs of weakness had become con-
vlnclng. and not only convincing but startling
But those whose duty il was 10 iced this plain
evidence were willing to take the chances The
building had stood for a long time, decaying
slowly. but still holding together Probably
it would last a little while longer; and any,
way. inasmuch rs government employees
work only eight hours a day. there were two
chances out of three that il would be unten-
anted when the crash came. We do not sup
pose that any responsible person consciously
reasoned in precisely this way. but the con-
tinued Use OF the building in defiance of its
obvious condition was consistent with just such
line of argument as this and with no other.
The consequences of carelessness and blind
faith are horrible, and those who now realize
too late that they ought to have interviewed
must be bearing a heavy burden today. We
have no pleasure in seeking to make il heavier:
and vet the duty Of putting the responsibility
for such disasters where it belongs cannot be
honestly safely shirked. The lesson that
they are capable of teaching loses half lts value
when it is not brought home to individuals
The circumstances of this calamity aggravate
the indignation and shame with which il must
be regarded. The building known as Ford's
Theater in Washington was owned by the gov
eminent; that is. bv the people, and it was oc-
cupied and controlled exclusively for public
purposes. Moreover. it was in the use
and under the control OF department OF the
government which has special resources Of
knowledge and discipline for the administra-
ton Of its affairs and the protection of Its en-
ployes and it's property. Peculiar discredit
Department is mainly and Immediately to
blame. We do not doubt that the lack of quar-
tiers better adapted to the purposes which this
oisreputable structure served has been Off
cially deplored. and Congress may be Justly
for failing to make suitable provis-
ion for the requirements Of an important bureau
But the indifference and parsimony of legis-
lators cannot justify the heedlessness of an
executive department. The measure of ac-
and the place where il belongs are
by the simple fact that if the officials
in control of this fallen building had certainly
foreseen its fate they would have done just
what they failed to do. They ought to have
foreseen it. for they had been amply
Blu, while no excuse will be valid which seeks
to throw the blame backward upon Congress,
there is nevertheless a lesson in this shocking
occurrence which Congress ought to apply
1t is the theory Of too many members Of that
body that there is always money enough in the
treasury for purposes in which they have q
more or less selfish interest. but never enough
for the accomplishment Of objects which make
no direct appeal to individual representatives
Of the people. Upon this theory habit OF
false and indecent economy has been con-
tracted, and while the consequences are not
often of such a kind and Of such magnitude as
to shock the whole country. they are often
costly and discreditable, affecting not merely
the possessions aud operations Of the govern
ment, but human health and life as well.
Fords Theater is not the only building in the
country or at the capital in winch public serv-
ants have long been surrounded by perilous
conditions because Congress is parsimonious
The employees of the government printing
Office have good reason at this moment to fear
a still more appalling catastrophe than that of
Universal compassion will be felt for the suf-
fering survivors Of the tragedy at Washington
and for the relatives and dependents of the
dead. 1t cannot be doubted that their imme-
diate necessities will be supplied as far az pos
sible, but that will not be enough. At the
earliest opportunity permanent provision for
their comfort ought to be made by the repre-
sentatives Of the people whose service has in