Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-06-11
GOVERNMENT IS
READY TO PROCEED
Continued from First PaRe.o

cOmputer OF the building department.; J.
B. Clark. the inspector In whose territory
the apartment house Is located. and Capt
Kelly, assistant engineer commissioner
The Question Of Concessions.
Commissioner Morrow and his assistant
Capt. Kelly, are also Of the belief that no
concession was granted the builder in the
nature OF reinforcements and the proper
floor and wall supports by Building In
spector Ashford.
In this connection it was testified to at
the inquest yesterday that Inspector Ash
ford and Architect Beers had some in
formal agreement by which 1t was agreed
that pilasters should be substituted be-
tween the first and second floors to carry
the additional weight of the sixth floor.
instead of constructing the walls thicker
and more substa ntial, as was specified to
in the permit for the additional story.
A plaster is an interior reinforcement
of steel to relieve brick walls of floor
weights. In the case of the Pickford
apartment considerable money could be
saved by substituting the ten-inch steel
pilasters for the increased walls, as called
for in the permit.
Inspector Poynton's Report.
Acting Building Inspector Poynton has
made the following official report to the
CommissionerSregardin the accident:
1 have the honor to make the following
report with reference to the Pickford
apartment house. located at 10th and p
Permit for this building was issued
April IL. 1908, for a "hve-StOry fireprOOf
apartment house." May Il another permit
was issued to build additional story on
building. increasing thickness of walls as
per application"
After issuance of the second permit As
sistant Inspector Clark reported that the
frst-story walls were in place. eighteen
~ =
question of reinforcing these walls by
placing steel beam pilasters under all
supporting floor beams was taken up by
the architect. A. H. Beers; the assistant
inspector. and the inspector of buildings.
Tuesday morning. the 9th instant. Mr..
Clark, assistant inspector, reported to me
that these plaster supports had not been
put in place. and that the concrete floors
were being put in place on the fourth
floor Mr.. Beers. the architect, was in the
building at the time, and l Instructed Mr.
Clark. in presence of Mr.. Beers. to see
that supports were placed in position
within twentyfOur hours. or revoke the
permit.
Check on Contractors.
This action was taken prior to the COL
lapse of concrete slab on building. and
was done to prevent the contractors put
ting on the fifth and sixth story in adj
vance Of supports called for in basement
and first floor.
The accident at the building. in my
Judgment. Is in no way traceable to the
absence of these beam pilasters in lower
floors.
From careful inspection of the condi-
tons at the building. made after the dan
gerous walls had been removed. l am of
the opinion that the collapse was the re-
suit Of either one or both of two cOndi-
tiOns-either the centering used for hold
ing the concrete floors was insufficiently
braced to withstand the impact from ram
ming the concrete into place. or the outer
walls were green, and consequently bulged
from the lateral pressure exerted by the
ramming of the concrete
The walls in the angle where the failure
occurred are cut up intO piers by the i'll
production of Orel windows on each street
front and this would tend to concentrate
the lateral pressure.
have instructed Mr.. PickfOrd that he
might have the debris removed, but that
no further construction work Is tn he don"
until after careful inspection has bean
made by this office to determine accurate
ly as to the present condition of all walls
A. M. PoYNToN.
Acting Inspector Of Buildings.
May Ask Congress to Probe.
Representative Smith of Michigan.
chairman of the committee on the District
Of Columbia Of the House. and Represen-
tative Sims Of Tennessee, one Of the most
active members of that committee. are
both very much interested in the effort to
determine the cause of the disaster. Tn
less the District Commissioners take ac-
ton to prevent the recurrence of such ac-
cidents. Mr.. Sims said today that he will
favor an investigation of the whole affair
by Congress next winter.
Mr.. Sims said he thought the Commits
sioners ought to select building inspectors
and other subordinates who will be COM
petent to protect the lives of the citizens
Of the District. and that the Commission
ers therefore should be held responsible II
anything of the kind should happen In the
future. or il steps are not taken to pre-
vent such n thing. Furthermore, Mr..
Sims said he watched the building of the
apartment house In question: and had no.
ticed that the walls were very flimsy and
put together in hasty manner.
Mr.. Smith. while expressing his inter-
est i'm the investigation OF the accident,
said he was not ready to form any opinion
about 1t until he has given the subject
closer study. He was unwilling to proph-
esy what action. II any. might be ex-
pected from Congress with regard TO the
matter.