The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-29

wall was dangerous and should have been braced or torn down.
 s. A. Holt. brlcklayer and brick in- spector. stated he had climbed to top of walls and that in his opinion that the adhesion of the mortar and brick was broken and consequently wall was merely n plumb pile of brick and nor tar dust: that if was not safe to leave the east wall stand: that he plumbed walls left standing and found them all right.
 J. G. Gam. architect and engineer. another member of the brick inves- tigation committee. stated hc took off seven courses of brick from present top of east wall and that mortar wns loose and brick shaled off about inch and quarter; that he does not con slider wall was safe by any means; that he found wall was plumb and in line; that when he went to make inves- tigation he thought 1t unsafe; that he did not believe much ofs evidence in present probe could be depended upoIs.
 Q. w. Fiddler. builder. another o- committee, stated that he examined wall where iron window frames were twisted by fire. that men tearing dow n wall were using picks and crowbars. that he found wall in very good con- dition that he examined many fal.en bricks and they were in good con dition and mortar was good.
 Pete Bostick said he had accompan- led Investigating committee and had examined walls himself; that he found walls in good shape; that walls were total loss in insurance but 1t would have cost as much 10 use them again as to build new walls.
 karrh Saw Accident
 s. W. Karrh stated he saw accident as he was coming down Second ave nue; that he was looking right at tho ele-Smith wall: first noticed bricks and glass striking sidewalk then saw whole wall collapse; that he saw no lightning and wind was blowing only fairly hard.
 J. c. Ringer. architect stated that he had heard wall was leaning and Thursday before accident he made ex- animation of building; that there was draft up Second avenue and Secord alley and these two drafts would meet behind west Steele-Smith wall. shoot through "v"-shaped cut in west wall and then strike east wall; that hc thought over subject and intended com ing to city hall to talk over matter out did not do so: that he arrived at conclusion wall was unsafe: that first 80 days after fire wall would have withstood 20 pounds wind pressure; that last 80 days before accident 1t would not have stood this much pros sure; that constant vibration of wall since fire Is what finally broke bonds of brick in a half circle and thus lett if ready to be pushed over by firsc strong wind; that he does not believe wall was safe half hour after lire, that he felt that wall was in com petent hands under Wheelock. Mat thews and Mir. Allen; that only way to test wall would be to tear 1t down until sound brick and mortar were found that wall did not look to be Ilr< sontal cracks In wall that could not be detected until wall was torn down.
 J. G. Gam arose and said he wanted to make a statement in Interest or pure science" and said hc had fig ured that a 2o-mile wind would blow the roof off church in Avondale."
 The hearing was adjourned until a:s0 o'clock this morning. It is said there are but three or four witnesses to be examined and probe probably will close after another hour or two Of work.