Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-06-12


twisted, as though It had turned partly
on it's own center, and several bad cracks
opened In the masonry.
Mr.. Whitfield. the expert from the Of
asked fer an opinion Of the effect of the
collapse in the light of Mr.. POynton' >
explanation.
Il believe the pier could not have
buckled without slipping the iron beams
partly from their positions" no said.
| Attorney Warren. representing barber
& Ross. sought TO shake the witness te1-
timony by asserting that the iron frame
after the accident, but Mr.. Whitfield per-
sisted that he could not understand how
such could be possible.
Building Inspector on Stand.
Snowden Ashford. building inspector.
was one Of the most important witnesses
OF the afternoon. He said he knew Of the
building officially. only in a general way.
! and that he had never seen passed on
the plans He explained that at the pc
Rod the permit WAS issued for the Pictford
! apartment and during most Of the time
| since he was engaged in the work OF re-
vision OF the building regulations-many
, Of the proposed new regulations dealing
! with just such problems as those contain
ed in he form of building OF the su-called
modern apartment house.
Are you familiar with the character OF
| the work of the architect who designed
the Pickford building?" Coroner hewitt
| inquired.
Yes" Mr.. Ashford responded.
What is your opinion of his plans for
| this structure?''
Il would rather not state it. think 1t
was not in his line His work heretofore
| has been confined almost exclusively to
speculative building-rOws Of houses"
| 1t was developed from Mr.. Ashford's
testimony that he could not refuse to
| tn
| spective of the fact that the applicant
might or might not be a practical builder.
SO long as the plans presented for q new
building were in compliance With the
| Asked what he knew about the pro-
posed addition OF a sixth story to the
| PickfOrd building. the witness said lie had
| not seen the plans
Understanding With Architect.
What understandin did you have with
the architect about the walls?' the coro-
| ner continued.
| 1T was agreed that the south party
wall should be thirteen inches in thick
ness. because 1t was to he built directly
against the adjoining house. The lady
living there objected seriously to having
the wall torn down: though this would
understood also that the hreproofing
should be self-supporting, that Is, carried
| on its own iron framing and not depend
ent upon the walls
times?''
Yes
What was your impression of it?''
| Il looked in several times. and the
brick work seemed up to the average.
observed the centering particularly. and
| noticed that some of it was spliced. but
| all of 1t was in place in the lower floor
AMI the men were working with the con-
| crete on the upper floors
| Mr.. Ashford said he could recall eight
or ten accidents of somewhat similar
nature in which concrete fireprOOfing
material fell through from floor to floor
in different buildings. but he had never
known lie walls to buckle they did in
the Pickford building. Such accidents.
he said, were usually due to a fault in the
centering or in the forms.
Gould the weight of the concrete buckle
the walls?'
II should say not
Use Of Pilasters.
1T has beer stated you gave permits
| sion to the architect to use pilasters in
| the building to help carry the weight of
the sixth story. Is that a fact?"
II did not
Coroner hewitt then called on Deputy
Building Inspector Poynton and asked him
the use Of pilasters!''
1T was taken up in Mr.. Ashford's of
fee was the reply. Il told the archi
tect. when the subject was preached. that
he positively could not 'haYe a permit. He
went away, but q few days later brought
back plans and took them into Mr. Ash
ford's Office
Did you give permission for the use
Of piiasters?" Coroner hewitt asked. as he
again turned the query B. Inspector Ash
ford.
NO. but that would he the natural way
Of putting in fireprOof floors the in
spectOr answered.
The apparent tangle concerning the use
Of the pilasters was slightly unraveled
when Assistant Inspector Clark. who had
actual supervision OF the work the
apartment house, arose in his place and
said that Mr. Beers the architect came
to him, after a conference with Inspector
Ashford. and said that the latter had
| agreed to let him put in the desired iron
columns.
Was Mr.. Beers statement true?" in
quired Coroner hewitt of Inspector Ash
ford.
Il never saw such plans and gave no
permission" the witness answered.
Production Of Plans.
Plans for the additional floor in the
building were produced and it was shown
that while they provided for the pilasters
and while they were part of the records
of the building department., they did not
bear the official stamp which would In
dictate that the plans had been approved
by Inspector Ashford or any of his as
| sistants.
Charles Wisner, foreman carpenter, en-
| ployed by Mr.. PickfOrd, was called as
| witness at the request of Attorney HOOv-
err. counsel for Mr.. PickfOrd. and he
stated that he was the first floor
when the accident happened. but he
formed no opinion as to its cause. He
| had never heard any of the labOrers COM
planning about the insecurity of any part
| Of the structure. Mr.. Wisner was posi-
| tive that he had seen Architect Beers at
| the apartment house two three times
| every week since the building was started.
| Thomas l.. Linney, the contractor who
placed the concrete foundations of the
| building. said that MIR. PickfOrd. even
| after the foundation had been approved
| by the District officials. had required him
| to add six inches more Of cement to In
| sure safety.
Testimony at the inquest closed with a
statement by Deputy Coroner Glazebrook
as to the cause Of the death of Richard
West, the cOlored laborer. over whose
body the inquiry was held.
Based Solely on Evidence.
After the six Jurors had reached a con-
| clusion and their verdict was announced
persons who were about the morgue en-
gagged In general discussion of the af-
fair. 1t was limited that President Roose-
velt's letter may have had An influence,
but the jurors denied that such was the
case. They declared they had not even
n he hAl