Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-08-09
REPORT ON ACCIDENT
COL. BIDDLE INVESTIGATES COLI
LAPSE OF BUILDINGS.
Responsibility for the Occurrence
Inspector Did All That Was Pos
sible in the Matter.

=
Formal report on the accident at IA and
416 7th street last Saturday, including a
detailed description of the cause of the col
lapse of the two buildings. was made to his
colleagues today by Engineer Commissioner
Biddle.
1.-THE accident, in my mind, was clearly
due to lack of proper precaution," he said.
.'and the improper carrying on Of work by
the architect and builder and by the fore
man not having obeyed the inspector OF
buildings for the proper protection Of the
WALL"
In describing the plan of changes which
were being made in the building at 414 It'll
street at the time of the accident Col Bid
die says the joists were to be removed ana
put on level with the floors OF 4!6 TIN
street. The builder, in doing this work, the
Engineer Commissioner declared, TOOK out
joists for greater length than was safe,
and he also averred that the builder dehb-
erately disregarded the orders of Assistant
Building Inspector Barker to put In proper
struts for the support of the wall
Cuts Were Not Apparent.
while these struts were ordered for the
protection of this wall. and IL they had
been there the accident would probably not
have occurred the report reads, 'ft was
not apparent to the inspector that the
walls were as weak as they turned out to
be, because cuts in the wall, made for in
stalling a soda water fountain. and other
faults were hidden by the plaSter1ng, so
that it was to be presumed that the wall
was of the full strength indicated by its
thickness"
According to details furnished by the In
spector of buildings, 1t seems that the arch
ftect and builder first ordered struts to De
put in to protect the wall between struc-
lures 414 and 416+ and afterward revoked
the order. This was reported August =
and, acting under Inspector Ashford's in
structions, Assistant Inspector Barker the
same day ordered that the protecting tim
bers be put in place. Another inspection
of the building. August B, showed that the
order was still being disregarded. and AS
sstant Inspector Barker is quoted to the
effect that the foreman on the work told
him that the protection demanded was not
necessary. Col. Bidde declares that the
assistant building inspector repeated his
order that the struts be put In place and
demanded that 1t be done without further
delay.
Responsibility for Accident.
Responsibility for the accident, in which
several persons were injured. was placed by
Commissioner Biddle entirely upon the
builder and architect. The last paragraph
of his report deals with this phase of the
matter. 1t is as follows:
There is no doubt in my mind that the
Inspector Of buildings did all that was pos
sible In this case. The only criticism can
make is that the assistant inspector who
examined the building did not insist more
strongly to the architect and the builder
as we'll as to the foreman on the order Of
the Inspector of buildings. and that when
M was relieved on Friday. August 3. from
the inspection work in this district (Which
had only been assigned to him temporarily.
he did not invite the special attention of
his successor to this particular work.
"He was however. but recently appointed
in the effice. AS the foreman Of the build
ing had been twice notified of the order Of
the inspector of buildings, however and as
responsibility rests. believe that except
above noted the building department
performed its full dutyrin the matter. The
action of the building department.. after the
accident, in indicating the portions Of walls
to be torn down also prevented further ac-
rident."