The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-10-17
WHAT CAUSED rnE ACCIDENT
At Robinson's Opera House. Cincinnati,
Was Rotten Timbcrs

Was Rotten Timbcrs
Cincinnati. Oct. 1.-THE common ex-
preston today with reference 20 the
disaster at Robinson's opera house was
what good fortune IL was tina. the
house had 60 few people IN H."
/, was not ye. definitely determined
how many were killed and the unknown
man who lost MS life is stili unidenti-
fed. The chief in;eres. now centers in
the cause OF the dreadful accident. From
careful examination II appears that
not only was the construction faulty but
the work and material were defective. In
| a word. the timbers We're rotten.
The walls. which are not more than
eight inches. were dry and parched with
age. There IS space OF ten feet in the
center between the ceiling and the roof.
IN order to support the roof and ceiling
trusses were run across from the west 10
the east wall. There were four of these
irusses. All were made OF wood and
were connected or Joined 10y pieces OF
joist with bolt holdings. Between these
were joists Of the ordinary kind. Be
tween the two trusses in the middle was
hung the dome. Il was nine feet tall.
fifteen feet in diameter and about forty
FIVE feet in circumference. The inside
OF X was iathed and plsstered and high
| ly decorated. From the center Of Il hung
| a chandelier containing forty or ffty n
candescent lamps. The dome was made
Of heavy timbers and bolts and nails but
there was no iron about rs construction.
The space between the ceiling and the
roof migh; be called an attic but it was
never used. The only time any one visit
ed the apartment vas to let down the
chandelier but that has not been done
tlis year.
After the accident an investigation
showed that the trusses and t!rnbers
holding the dome were rotten. They had
been m use so long that they had warp
ed and aprted. This caused the bolts and
nails t. loosen. The entire construction
was thrown on; OF gear and the weight
OF the dome brought IL down. With Il
came mortar. bricks and rafsers.
The huge raf;ers composing the truss
that fell In were as dry as punk and The
pieces OF joist that connected them were
worm-eaten and rotten. The nails and
bolts were rusty and everything went u
ing was IN such a dangerous condition
that il IS strange that Il had not been
discovered long ago.
After the d1s; had cleared away the
dome was fouai upright on the backs q
the parquet chairs. II settled a. Il fell
II is thought that on account of ~ for
nation The air caught il and did not per
nit !. 20 descend win "a much force az
one would expect. as IS position on the
backs % the chslrs showed. When the
dome frs; began % Gag. it took the raft
e-s with IL. Some ~ these were held n
position in the walls and hung over TIE
failings 90 the gallery making - danger
Gus fo- nc Tescuers
Anoths- theory advanced 20 accoun: for
the falling = the dome AMI trurses -
that the building rad been injured BY ,a-
jarrinz q the heavy machinery % an
electric Ig1t plan, in the ne.Ea55rh015.
The hIga vail asd no foor Supports ex-
ceQ: such a. xere usei n constructing
the dress circle and balconies a -ross the
front % the building oppos.te ne sfsgr.
TIE walls were n; massive and q ne
time tae house vas bail, thee were CRIT
icisuDs q the EoTsmsnsh.p. Pee ieufs
n the neigao1ra5oj say tasir dwellings
are seriously s1akeu and injured by t1e
tarring machinery ana rJi-s have BEEN
brought in one Or tTo cases - recover
damages. 7. e argued fbat these s.gA
anS not especially vel bull. walls have
been Injured 81 tais Eay. = nnensn
wh1 recently vent 15out ,1e 4 me. pr
ting IN lRat ~!1ss al the structure
sa5ok pe-ceptl5iy Un5er 81 movements.
TIE name - Ley C3asn vas ln-lu3s1
= the ilss - dad t1-nis7e5 .; me CRY
hospital I. azE been Discovered raai
.his AS = mistake. growing OF q a
mistaken !5enria-s;-1n - Ers. Kleeu1sH.
TIE dad nan zsose .9ents-y EaE NJ
estaolls3ss as; nizal Wa tpssy tlsnis-
he3 By as uife a. fss c..T hssy.ta-. Re
i Isaac y. Ss.ga5o-s. eEe1 g. IiX
Wes. Sxfa Stree. q n injured a. -
31-Si-.-. Ms. Mary Esss. Mfs. \ sat
IT, a-t Nrs Ksrs W1iss az IN a c--i.-
cal coadstIsa- Ms. Lucy Cos%a as5 a.
To-: Miraculous escape. having 5ser
made gncoascioSs - tie e9af2ss1a AL {
psalc, bat Ess case-ves - ~. pm
csls-. za3 razaes u from 20 OTTER ~
sa3 g-ss9iaz f5s ias-.nsla8e fo1-7 bore 4
- safely q - s53s~ax He aus5auf F.
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