The Washington herald., 1908-06-10

No District official would attempt yes
terday 10 fix the responsibility, or ex-
press an opinion as 10 where the blame
belongs for the collapse Of the apart
ment house at the southwest corner OF
Twentieth and p streets northwest, which
killed two men and injured six others.
An inquest will be held to-day to deter
mine who is to blame.
Commissioner Macfarland. T. II. Pick
ford. owner Of and contractor for the
building; Coroner hewitt. and Deputy
Coroner GlazebroOk. and members Of the
building inspectors force declined to ex-
press opinions as 10 the responsibility for
the crash
When Assistant Building Inspector c.
W. Sommervllle was asked what he
thought caused the collapse. he said:
II understand that the office issued
some instructions In reference to the
building, and that Mr.. Pickford, the
owner, was warned that unless certain
laws OF the District we're complied with
work would have 20 be suspended"
In answer 10 a question as 10 what
caused the bulgng of the walls and the
falling OF the floors. he added:
THE hulging Of the walls was due to
hasty construction. and when the walls
gave. the floor fell. We sometimes permit
contractors TO hasten their work and go
ahead, without waiting for the building
material 10 settle"
PickfOrd Denies Warming.
T. II. Pich1ord owner and constructor
Of the building. denied that the building
inspectors Office had informed him that
certain requirements must be lived up 20.
He said:
The building inspectors have inspected
the building two and three times a week
since we commenced work. and at no
time have l received any word that I was
violating any OF the building laws"
Capt. William Kelly. Assistant Engineer
Commissioner, in charge Of the buildings.
said:
The building inspectors have inspected
the building three times every week for
the last three or four weeks"
Capt. Kelly would not say whom he
thought responsible for the disaster.
Deputy Coroner Glazebrook, who lives
in the nelghborhood, and who attended to
the injured men as they were taken from
the ruins. said:
I have been watching the work on the
building for some time, and always with
apprehension. Those walls look fimsy.
and several OF those girders look to be
weak. There will be a rigid investigation
OF the whole affair tomorrow"
w. T. Hendricks, chief foreman OF the
work on the building was very much ex-
cited and worried over the death OF the
two mechanics, and said he hoped the
Injured were being taken care Of. He
corrObOrated Mr.. Pickford's statement
that no directions had been given them
regarding meeting certain requirements OF
the law.
Thinks No One 60 Blame.
1T is one Of those unfortunate things
that happen now and then" he added.
"and no one is TO blame. The building
is green. or unsettled and I suppose that
was the cause OF the bulglng"
After commencing the work Of the
coroner and the police and fire depart
ments and other District officials at the
building, Commissioner Macfarland said
upon his return TO the District Building:
Every effort will be made 10 fix the
responsibility for this deplorable accident
Coroner hewitt. with whom I conferred
while ! was at the scene, will make the
inquest a searching one, and that will
develop all the facts on sworn testimony.
When the Commissioners have all the
facts, they Will take whatever action the
facts indicate should be taken"
prominent subcontractor said last
night that he had been in the building on
Monday. and he noticed the thin material
OF which the concrete forms were made.
He said that all that held the heavy. wet
concrete was a board sheathing seven
eighths Of an inch thick and from six 10
eight inches wide. He also said thar on
top Of this wet concrete tons OF dry ce-
,ment were piled at night. This was done.
he added 10 have the material handy the
next morning, when the men reported for
work.
Let me say here that this is not the
only Job where this is done. Nearly all
the work in the District that is hurried is
done the same way" he added.
Residents Have Complained.
The building has been in a dangerous
condition for weeks. many residents OF
the vicinity declare. and they add that
complaints to the building department re-
garding II have had no results. The brick
work. they say, was fimsy. and was
thrown together. AS 1t stands now. the
brick walls are bulging in several places.
and the door castings all through the
structure are bent and twisted.
When asked his opinion as 20 the prob
able cause Of the accident and who was
10 blame, A. NJ. Poyten, assistant build
Ing Inspector. said he could not az the
present time venture one. in Justice TO
himself and those concerned He de-
scribed the accident as the falling Of
section OF the fourth floor TO the base
ment' the weight carrying with II the in
tervening floors.
The inquest will be held at II o'clock
this morning. Coroner Nevitt Will pre-
side, and VIII examine the witnesses.