The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-27

"I certainly would not have paid for those walls above the first story" de- cIared Mir. Lawrence, eff l had known they were going to be used ngain in rebuilding if there had been any way for me to get out of it." MT. Law renee and other witnesses stated. how ever. that insurance companies fre- quently thus paid for wall and aft crward 1t was used again.
 Altman Questions Matthews
 Another feature came in when John w. Altman,- well known attorney. suddenly appeared at the probe and asked to question Building Inspector Matthews. He was given permission. although Mr. Matthews had not yet been ton the stand.
 What are your duties, MT. Matthews?" he asked
 'I inspect buildings old and new to see that they are properly constructed and safe"
 Do you inspect occupied buildings to on their f1oorss"
 '1es, ST..
 Did you ever inspect the buildings occupied by the Commercial Printing company and also the one occupied by the Birmingham News?"
 "Yes, sir"
 Do you know whether or not those two buildings are safe? Do you know that the News building is cracked from top to bottom?''
 No, sir"
 Do you know there are 10 linotype machines on the top floor of that News building? And the other building is just as bad The old News building was erected as a rooming house, hotel and office building. I just came down to let you know about it." and MT. Altman stalked out of the room.
 J. Carey Thompson, a well-known real estate man, declared he thought Charley Aliens opinion of the safety of the burned walls was biased as he could not reconcile the fact that MT. Allen had considered the walls total insurance loss and yet all right to leave standing there and be used in another building. Dodge Is Outspoken
 James Dodge a contractor and builder. appeared before the board voluntarily and struggling to control his emotions charged with tears in his eyes that the three commissioners, Harry Wheelock and MT. Matthews were responsible for the disaster. MT. Dodge repeatedly stopped in order to control his voice, which wavered several times to the breaking point as tears came into his eyes Tn impassioned tones he asked why the commissioners had trusted in God not to make the wind blow so that wall would not fall?''
 James Gilchrist, druggist. told of a conversation in which he alleged Buld- ing Inspector Matthews had told him to attend to his drug business and he would run the building inspectors of fec when the witness complained about the danger of the Steele-Smith wall. John Marriott and H. B. Breeding. two well-known architects, declared that the Steele-Smith wall nor any other wall like it should never have been left standing like it was and that in their estimation the wind blew it over Mir. Breeding de- clared lightning would not have knocked the wall over if it had struck it. He pointed out that the wall as the wall of building might have been perfect but as a wall to stand there by itself with no ties to bind 1t from one end to the other, it was not all right and that there was section of the building code which limited the heighth of walls between floors of a building. which was for the purpose of protecting them against the wind and the same thing would have applied to the Steele-Smith wall.
 Asks Witnesses for Names
 The session opened by President Ward asking all witnesses to stand up and give their names. The room was comfortably filled with people and the interest in the proceedings appeared If anything to be increasing.
 Miss Catherine Coby stated she worked at Kress and was looking out second story window; there was no lightning and wall fell before wind got very strong.
 Miss Anna May Whalen stated she was standing on second floor of Kress' and wind was blowing lace off table; that she saw slight flash of lightning. followed by strong "blast of wind and in mo- ment or two then she saw wall fall.
 Sanitary Inspector J. O. Wolff stated he was in Cdeon theatre to get out of dust and heard wall fall; that wind was blowing strong.
 Sanitary Inspector T. F. Holcombe stated he was in front of Merchants & Mechanics bank when crash came and saw dust wind was blowing hard and 1t was getting dark; didn't see any light ming: that wind was out of ordinary" but not greater than at this time of year.
 R. E. Middleton stated he was at Oak Hill cemetery and that wind and storm were so bad that he feared to drive back to town and turned buggy around; then heard crash and decided -o r ie ta4t fson Fi.d Hifa nearly 4eu $4 1tes tlslne ta4 tasE Hl4 rusl have Daen seaAaR luiwA natdsr ss tae.