The Washington times., 1914-02-03
CHIEF SULLIVAN TESTIFIES.

we're all right and everything looked
safe. I told Chief Wagner, I'VE have
1t all right Ee said: Have you been
up in the building" meaning the shoe
when l got in there ! saw a kind of a
skylight, and there was a reflection OF
the blaze showing through this sky
light. ! came out on Seventh street
and saw Lieutenant Steele and told
him to get another line from IL and
come up there. and saw Captain Dixon,
OF No. 8, and told him to open the door,
IIe pried open the door and we got on
the roof of the shoe store. and got on
another roof to get on the front roof
wall between the store and the and
le-cent store. and there was where we
had to work. We had to put the fire
out Knowing that No was a third
alarm company. told my man Nash
to ask Chief Wagner to send No z
home. He goes down and comes back
saying that No. had been covered up.
and that is the first time / knew any
thing about their being covered up.
Could Not Hear Collapse.
Q. Couldn't you tell when you were
on the roof that the collapse had taken
place? Didn't any Of the exterior walls
fail?
A. No. sir.
Q. How long did that incident take
place before you we're told of the men
being covered?
A. think about half an hour, may
be; il il was that long
q When you saw this part of the
roof fan in, did IL occur to you that il
might mean danger to the men inside
the building?
A. No. sir. Because it was in an
other building altogether; the building
south of the four-story building. (The
1o-eent store was two buildings)
Chief Sullivan explained In answer to
questions that the roof he saw fall in
vas the roof on the three-story build
ing and he said II just sank as though
the rafters burned out. He said he
never dreamed the four-story building
IN which the men were would give way,
The Commissioner asked him II he
don't know that fire burned upward.
Q. Is II customary to send men
into building that there Is no rea.
son to believe is occupied at the time.
10 fight q FIRE such as this?
A. Yes, sir.
CChief Wagner stated that to do so
was grave error.)
Q. To send them right in?
A. Yes, sir. That is the success
Of our department. And / am salts
fed that if I hadn't sent in Mr.. Hell.
muth and No. 6, any company would
have gone into the building without
any instructions. have seen it done
very often.
Q. You went there lin the building)
shortly after they (No. 6's mem went
there. You went in there when they
did and then afterward; how long after
was that?
4. i don't know. I guess 1t was
half m hour, maybe. When I went
in there, they we're right in there
and knocking the life out OF the fire.
Everything looked as safe as in this
room, and If had the slightest idea
that there was any likelihood OF
walls falling in, ! would have order
ed them right away.
Contradicts Chief Wagner.
Q. Is it good management to risk the
lives, to hazard the lives and limbs OF
yourself and others in extingulshing a
fire in building where there is no rca-
son to believe there are human lives?
A. Well. it has been the practice
with US.
(Chief Wagner stated this was not
good fire management
Q. Well, you are satisfied, then. that
sending these men in there as you did,
and letting them stay there without re-