Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1912-04-24
MORE
OPINIONS
ON TRUSSES
ENGINEERS SAY THE TRUSSES
ARE STRONG ENOUGH - THE
PUBLIC NOT INTERESTED IN
DISCUSSION BUT IN COMPILE
TION OF BUILDING.

DISCUSSION BUT IN COMPILE.
TI0N OF BUILDING.
Concerning those trusses which
collapsed on the public library build
ing here is, 1t is hoped, final word
Everybody, or pretty nearly every
body has rushed into print about 1t,
when the matter should have been
settled outside of the newspapers. 1t
is evident that some OF, those making
the calculations as to the strength
of the trusses are wofully mistaken.
And after all the columns Of matter,
opinions, statements, charges and in
situations made, the big public
knows just as much about the sub
ject as 1t did before, only 1t is more
uncertain about it.
Here Is More Opinion.
A. H. Cullers, chief engineer Of
the Northwest Steel company, says:
"Forty-three pounds per square
foot is the total maximum load that
will ever be imposed on these trusses
| have used for my authority, Ridder
on loads and Carnegie on strength Of
materials, and do not think anyone
will question the authority of the
above. In every member the safe
load is considerably in excess of the
load that will actually come upon it,,
making the trusses amply strong to
carry more than the 43 pounds"
Ellis f. Lawrence, architect for the
new Masonic temple, and of Port
land says;
"The truss is of good design, with
no members stressed more than is
considered good engineering prac-
tice."
A. E. Lambert, engineer of the
trussed Concrete Steel company, of
Portland, says;
"The loads assumed are in general
use as standard loads and in my
opinion are safe
Lockwood Gives Opinion.
c, W. Raynor, chier engineer of
the Coast Bridge company of Port
land, says:
81 see no reason why the loads as
sumed in the designing of the truss,
and the design itself, should not be
satisfactory for the loads which it
will have to carry as roof in this
section of the country"
J. B. c. Lockwood, chief engineer
of the Port of Portland, says:
81 have examined the plans and
specifications for the proposed roof
for the library building and find that
the trusses are heavy enough for the
loads to which it is proposed to sub
ject them.
"T consider total load of 40
pounds to the square foot for a roof
of this kind, in the proposed location,
is ample"
A. Il. Burkhalter, engineer for the
S. p s., who is designing the bridge
work for the Oregon Electric and
making an expert examination of the
Willamette river bridge, says:
81 have investigated the trusses Of
the new public library building.
Erection Responsible.
81 feel safe in saying that had the
top chord of each truss been proper
ly braced as It was erected and the
purlins put in place and fastened as
soon as possible after the trusses
were erected there would have been
no failure. The design of the truss
was well done and erection alone
was responsible for failure"
G, Bennerscheidt, engineer of the
Olympic Brewing company, has made
complete report Of the trusses in
every detail His report is on file in
the architects office and examina-
tion Of II will clearly show that
these trusses are perfect In every
way.
Walter Skelton, city Of Salem en-
gineer, has also made a complete ex-
animation Of the trusses and in his
report says;
Contractor to Blame.
my opinion is that II the contrac-
tor had used the necessary precau-
ton in erecting the trusses, and had
used sufficient bracing, there would
have been no danger of falling"
"The foregoing gives eight author
tiles, the best on the coast, whose
opinions are that these trusses are
all right, Their verbal expressions
Of the cause of failure is one and the
same; namely, inferior erection.
"The test recently made was made
under very adverse conditions.
There was absolutely no way of brac-
ing one truss, and the test was made
on only one truss, 1t was not proper