The Detroit times., 1912-12-13
Beams That Gave Way made
quate to Carry Load. Says
Engineer Adams
CRIMINAL PROSECUTION
NOT LIKELY TO FOLLOW
Prosecution Doesn't Think
There's Sufficient Evidence to
Make Charge Stick

building in Detroit takes his life in
his hands," said Chief Building In
spector Henry A. Dupont. at the close
of Friday mornings session of the in
quest before Coroner Rothacher into
the death OF The three men killed in
the collapse of the Cowhey garage,
Larned and st. Antoine-sts, Nov. Is.
Fifty engineers in the city build
ing department might check every
plan submitted, and still accidents
would occur" said Mr.. Dupont. Con
crete buildings all over the country
are constantly failing in the course of
construction. Once built, however,
they seem to stand up all right. The
failure may be due TO any number OF
things. and engineers will not agree
as to the cause"
This pessimistic utterance came al
ter William H. Adams. of Adams d
Cummins, civil and consulting engl-
neers, had occupied, the stand during
the entire session and had testified
that the design of the Cowhey garage
was faulty.
THE beams that gave way were un-
safe as designed" he said They
were very inadequate TO carry the
load"
Mr.. Adams took up each beam that
gave way, showed its design, and told
what he thought the proper design
would have been. Beam F., for in
stance, he said, would have had
dead and live load of 3,100 pounds,
where the building code allows but
$50 pounds TO the square foot It's
depth of IL inches, he said, should
have been 27ta inches.
"As the building stands today. is it
safe for men TO walk about under the
beams that stand?' asked Attorney
Alex J. Groesbeck.
1T is not" Mr. Adams replied
Taking up the columns, Mr.. Adams
said that the bases should have been
Ave feet two inches square, instead of
four feet nine inches as designed.
The design, he said, called for $500
pounds to the square foot, whereas
the building code allows but 5000
pounds.
The building as designed would
have been sure to fall. even allowing
for the use Of the best materials
he said.
Asked IL there Is any way OF repair
ing the building, so that IL would not
be dead loss to Mr.. Cowhey, Mr..
Adams said:
Il see no way OF repairing the build
ing. The beams will ultimately crush
down the Snoring"
Attorney Arthur Webster, for the
Gabriel Reinforcement Co. designers
of the building, cross-examined Mr..
Adams. They had q long argument as
A.. a. - NnIr
slabs OF concrete, poured over siN-inch
tiles, would not strengthen the beams.
Mr.. Adams said that they would not
strengthen the beams materially. Mr..
Webster called his attention TO the
building code, which allows the figur-
ing OF these floor slabs in such com
putation Of strength. Mr.. Adams
differed with Mr.. Webster on the in
depreciation OF the code. He said
that the code had TO be interpreted
in the light of good engineering judg-
ment.
Mr.. Webster intimated that some
beams which Mr.. Adams criticized
had provided for fianges not shown
in the plans. Mr.. Adams admitted
that the presence of these Ranges !
would have added to the strength OF
Mr. Webster submitted in evidence !
copy OF concrete magazine which |
contained description OF the failure |
OF the Cowhey building, and which |
said that the floor should have beeE |
properly shored to prevent the col /
lapse.
The inquest will be resumed Mon
day morning at O'Clock. when II is
probable that engineers will testify in
favor OF the Gabriel Reinforcement
, &c. Coroner Rothacher's efforts to
close the inquest Friday were of no
avail. He had planned an afternoon
session, but the attorneys found /. |
impossible TO continue.
Asked whether there has been SUI.
fcient evidence on which TO base a
prosecution, Assistant Prosecuting At
torney Fitzpatrick said
Il do not think a prosecution could .
be based on the evidence thus far
presented. IL is very unsatisfactory /
No one seems to be able to piac
definite responsibility There appears
to have been many different factors
in the failure OF the building, and no
one Of them alone seems to have beer
responsible. At least, the evidence
does not point overwhelmingly to any !,
one - them" 80 4