The Washington times., 1908-06-11
PRESIDENT DIRECTS
COLLAPSE INQUIRY
Pickford'S Testimony Be-
fore Coroner Denied by
Architect Beers.
Owner and Builder Depend
ed Upon Subcontractors
and Inspectors.

~4iA AllolJONlOl b
Startling discrepancies dev eIoped to-
Day between the testimony OF Thomas
+. Plckford, owner and builder OF the
apartment house at the corner OF
twentieth and streets which col
lapsed Tuesday causing the death OF
two men, and the testimony OF Albert
h. Beers. the architect who drew up
tHe plans regarding the supervising of
lhe construction. at the inquest 10 DE-
lefmlne the responsibility for the tRo
deaths.
Ihfre was no practical builder in
charge Of the construction. This was
admitted by Air. Pickford, but he said
that he personally was in daily touch
WITH the work and that the architect
was called whenever questions OF a
technical nature arose.
Architect Beers q few minutes later
denied that he had ever been called
in conference or had eyercfsed anv
supervisory authority over the work.
He did not remember eitks- being call
ed 70 q conference Over the buekling
OF IRON beams. 10 which Mr.. Pickford
had testified.
MacfaTland and West There.
As on yesterday. Commissioners Mac
farland and West were on hand 10
assist Coroner hewitt in his examina-
ton OF the witnesses. Half a dozen
lawyers appeared in behalf Of subcon-
tractors employed on the building. and
the District Attorneys Office was rep
resented by Assistant District Attor-
ney Charles H. Turner, who took a
very active part in the examination OF
the witnesses.
Mr. Pickford, when called, said that
ne IS not practical builder although
ne builds houses for himself. letting the
WorE out by subcOntracts and having
an architect in charge. The architect,
ne said is recognized as the man in
claFge, and he can discharge any en-
plOye.
The building was started APRIL lO.'
s2ld MI PickfOrd, and we expect 10
have Il completed BY October when tba
renting contracts begin. I think that is
a reasonable time. No time is specified
In the contracts for the cornpIetion OF
me work, IL being understood between
tne contractors and myself thar there
should be no delay / did nor in everv
case select the lowest bidder. but was
careful to choose the most reliable men
When 1 let the contract for the brick
WORK let II 70 a man who was well
recommended. and I told him IN he
extremely careful
Wanted Good Job Made.
Il also told Mr. Reavis. who did the
IRE proohng, 10 use the best materials
and make hrst-clas5 job II there
was any extra cost 10 make 1t flrst-
class I was willing to pay II. told
him that If more cement should be
added not 10 spare it, that I would pay
for II all
7 had the plans drawn up for the
building by an architect. they were
approved by the building Inspector ana
work commenced. Then l sent for the
architect and told him he had better
60 one story higher A plan was sIlb-
mitted and permit granted on condi-
ton that when We reached the fifth
story we should so no further until
pilasters had been put n. The sixth
story was not yet started when the ac-
CiGent occurred and the work of put-
ting in the pilasters had 5egun.
think Mr.. Reavls. VINO was doing
lle nre pfoonng, did The worl. honestly.
He would nave no object in doing otber-
wise, for I had told hin. that i would
pay Tor any extra work which he sid
Says Architect Visited Work.
I was at the building daily. but nm
less there was something with which I
was not well versed arose the architect
would not be there. He came about
two or three times q week
Z do not know whether Ba-ber e
Ross. the structural iron contractors.
were supposed by ne terms OF their
contract 20 ancho- the beams. They
drew up the contract themselves, as I
had had dealings R1th them before and
had the utmost confidence in them The
architect was TO suTeTvise this work
Depended Oh Architect.
Did you hold tbs architect response
bic for the safety Of the buiIGingg'
asked the Coroner.
well, I depended o. him, and 10
some extent on ths Building Inspector"
Did you have a general superin-
tendent on the building?"
only the architect"
''IIave you eycr heard of any accident
ir the building2'
'I have neve- heard Of a single one"
1T has been testified that there was
an accident a wees- ago"
"Oh, yes a prop slipped under a bay,
but there was no damage done.
What precaJtion did you take for the
safety of the work."
'.Wen, I relied upcn the contractors
TO perform their work safely, under
the direction Of the architects and the
building Inspector"
Wanted Light and Az.
DO you think the appearar se Of the
building would suggest that here was
possibly too much open space in the
front due to the bay? Was a partieu-
lar object OF your aTChiteC- 10 get in as
much light and air. as ssible2' 4"
'Weu, I suppose it waa his object 10
get in light and air at ne said the
building would be thoroughly protect
ed"
DO you think lhe strength of the
walls were sacT:sced?"
mo, / think not"
Did you ever consider the walls
'green?'
Il never did. There was no sugges-
ton Of such a thing"
Who was there. Mr.. PickfOrd, 70 say
that the walls were done right and that
the iron was placed satisfactorily
Il had confidence in Mr.. Baines the