The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-27
Things Beginning to
 Happen in Probe of
 Wednesdays Disaster
(Continued from Page Five,


 at both ends and had been pronounced safe by competent architect, contractor and building inspector as Steel-Smith wal had he would consider wall safe: that if wall fell Under slight wind pressure he would think something extraordinary had effected it; that if wall of this char acter fell of it's own weakness it would probably gradually lean out of plumb and not fall instantaneously as this had done; that joice falling out of wall as thick as Steel-Smith wall would not weaken it; that present building laws are entirely adequate entirely up-to-date and modern. At this point MT. Darden ques- tioned witness.
 F. Larkin. builder First National Bank building, stated that he considers Mat fhews very efficient building inspector; that building laws are good as can be made; that he inspected building after hre. checking damage for insurance com pany on estimated made by Charles AL len; that walls above first floor were a total loss to owner of building, and so considered by him in estimating insur- ance loss. that this does not always mean walls were unsafe to be used in another building or unsafe to be left standing that he was superintendent of construe- ton on Empire building and other big buildings in this city that he knew noth- HE oI tOHtlllO0 OI WdllS TOT t1me lmmP- diately prior to fall of walls: that walls above second story were considered a loss largely because they were without sup. port and therefore would be of no use to owner of building; that he would ac- cept judgment of Wheelock Allen Mat thews, Bostick and others of this char acter who had examined wall and said 1t was safe; that generally a wall like Steele-Smith wall would stand and be o,,tf. local circumstances that in his estima . tion this kind of wall would stand wind exerting 20 pounds pressure to square foot; that examina tion to tabish safe ty of wall would be to ascertain whether walls were plumb, cracked, bent or dam aged by fire in the ways of deteriorated brick and mortar; that he does not be- lfeve wall would have stood for p years; that cubic foot of wall weighs approxi- mately 135 pounds and wind would have to exert enough pressure to move this dead weight but height of the weight above the ground would make it lose resistance in ratio heighth was in- crea sed.
 D. M Evans, 2312 Avenue F. contractor. stated that he had known MT. Matthews for 25 years and regarded him as fair and entirely competent. that he was one of bidders on reconstruction of Steele Smith building. that he carefully exam ined side walls; that they were not cracked nor damaged by fire or freez- ing and thawing of mortar and bricks; were not out of plumb and were braced some by toice and end walls and adjoin- Ing vans of Ham store and picture show building: that he considered all walls safe and figured on using them in re- construction of building if he was award ed contract; that he did not take into account any wind pressure making wall unsafe: that he would not have bid on work if he considered it unsafe that there was not to be a concrete wall in- side the brick wall but concrete floors supported by concrete pillars: that the walls were not injured by freezing or shaling off: that "no ordinary wind could have thrown wall over; that some thing abnormal'-but he does not know what-caused wall to fall. At this point MT. Darden questioned witness and then adjournment until 2:3O o'clock was taken.
 Mcintosh First Afternoon Witness
 w. r. Mcintosh, 3311 Twelfth avenue, north, states he was directly in front of Steele-Smith building on same side of street; first thing that attracted his at tention was crash; knocked him down; had just remarked that there was going to be a cyclone in town" was some wind hut is pretty sure there was flash of lightning; he did not feel electric shock; thinks lightning knocked wall down.
 Charley Hall, builder, stated he had figured on putting in basement in pro- posed rebuilding of Steele-Smith place: had casually examined walls but did not plumb them or make exhaustive exam nation; that he considered the walls safe or he would not have bid on base ment; that if Allen Matthews and Whee- lock lad pronounced walls safe he would not have hesitated a moment to accept their opinion; that Matthews was able and efficient and he believed was care. full of interests of public; that he did not see fire but walls not necessarily were weakened by fire; that nothing but ''hard storm would blow down walls in his estimation: that taking down wall after insurance company had paid for them would rest in option of owner; that if it came to his notice that wall had been paid for as total loss in settlement of insurance it would not make him re- gard 1t as unsafe if he was using 1t to rebuild; that practice of re-using walls paid for by insurance loss was a com mon practice in this community.
 Told to Mind Own Business
 J. c. Gilchrist, 19SO Second avenue, a druggist. stated that five or six days after Steele-Smith fire he talked over telephone to man who said he was Build ing Inspector w. o. Matthew's; that he told Matthews wall was cracked; that Matthews answered it was safe; that he answered it didn't look safe and Mat thews answered by asking: Who's run ming this office, you or me?" Witness stated he answered that nobody seemed to be- MT. Matthews then said: You attend to your drug business and I'll attend to this office ' Witness stated. ''he had heard thousands of people in his drug store complain about dangerous Steel Smith walls" that he had never heard Of anyone else complaining to Matthews of crack In east walls: that this was same crack as referred to by Prof. s. A. Ellis that he did not know if crack was still there. Mir. Bowie then stated MT. Ellis had testified the crack was still there and that he wanted the commission to go down there and see it still standing and see that it had noth- ing to do with fall of the walls
 A. H. Davis stated that he helped take