The Washington herald., 1908-06-14

Since the collapse Of the apartment
house under construction at Twentieth
and p streets northwest IN which two
workmen were killed and others injured,
events looking to a complete investiga-
tion of the catastrophe have followed one
another IN rapid succession.
The coroner has completed the prelimi-
nary investigation, holding four men re-
sponsibe under the law for the action
of the grand jury The United States
district attorney has received a letter
from the President. directing him TO
make the investigation vigorously. and
impartially, no matter whom II hits
The grand jury viii probably begin its
probing into the causes OF the accident
this week. The District Commissioners
have temporarily removed Snowden Ash
ford. inspector Of buildings, from his po-
sition. and have ordered a thorough IN
vestigation into the conduct of his office
with reference TO the Issuance Of the per-
NIT for the building and other matters
pertinent thereto.
VIII Reveal Weakness of Laws.
The result OF all this official activity on
N-tN EeaAN Va AAi' NfAA - INV AlAN A'AoAA lNA
government may be expected TO reveal
whatever weakness exists in the building
laws, whatever may be at fault in the
Office OF the Inspector Of buildings, and
lead TO the revision OF the building regu-
lations in the interests Of safety 20 the
public and better construction methods
for the future. Nothing less than this
VIII be regarded as satisfactory 10 the
people Of the city of Washington.
The testimony brought out at the
corOner's Inquiry was OF a startling ma
turc. Much Of Il was contradictory, wit
nesscs making statements which could
not be recOnCiled with one another, but
certain facts We're made clear, which,
in the minds of most observers, seem to
Justify the verdict reached by the jury
Conditions were revealed which are dis
graceful I'm an intelligent and law-abid-
ing community.
Regulations Were Violated.
II was made fairly plain that this large
building. four stories high at the time Of
the accident. was being constructed in
violation Of the existing regulations. and
contrary to the principles Of sound
methods Of building. as recognized by
experts in the business. It was shown
that the work was going forward with
out adequate supervision, either by the
authorities or the persons responsible for
the construction. The testimony showed
that materials below the standard were
used. that the plans were defective. and
the construction pressed hastily forward
beyond the point of safety.
These points were established through
the testimony Of two experts summoned
by the coroner. One Of them was Rich
ard /. Humphrey. a consulting engineer
Of Philadelphia, engaged at the present
time with the Geological Survey Of the
government. Mr.. Humphrey was on his
way TO the city when he read of the
casualty and made an inspection Of the
building Immediately upon his arrival in
Washington.
Says Concrete Was Atrocious.
His testimony was substantially as fol-
lows:
Unfortunately. it is n type of building
which Is all too common. not only here,
but elsewhere in the country. II struck
me thai the structure was erected entire
ly too hastily. The concrete was simply
atrociOus. Much concrete now used is Of
the same character. just ashes mixed with
the cement. Il does not have more than
-LLAAAu A4l8 SLANAAhLA III Va NOAAOANt1 pADp-
erly made"
Asked whether the fault lay with the
Districts building department Mr.. Hum
phrey said. so far as inspections were
concerned, that inspections could not pos
sibly be made frequently enough unless
a man should be kept there all the time.
The plans may have passed the de-
partment and have met the requirements
Of the law" he continued. but to my
mind the laws which permit such con-
structiou should be revised"
"Unquestionably there should have been
some competent person N charge. Every
thing should not have been left simply TO
the foreman.
1T struck me the pier at the corner
was entirely too slender Then the quail
ity Of the brick construction and of the
concrete was such that II must have dried
slowly. and the rapidity Of the construc-
ton was such that the walls and loora
must have been green. In NY opinion
the brick work was rot lad Up with tire
care which was calculated TO enable Il 10
withstand the strain which il was 10
bear and the failure of the corner pier
somewhere was the initial cause Of the
accident
"The unequal load on the inside caused
the side wall to buckle. so that il would
give way along the line Of least resist
ance."
Explains Structural Weakness.
l. r. Whitted. a structural engineer in
the office of the supervising architect OF
the United States Treasury. was also
called as an expert. He had visited the
partially wrecked apartment house, and
said:
1T appeared to me the brick work and
the iron work were not up 10 the stand
ard In several places 1t was evident
that bolt holes in the beams were not
nlled. that is, only part Of the neces-
sary bolts were used in setting the frame.
The effect Of that sort Of construction,