The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1916-03-30
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III HAo BUILDING INSPECT.
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REPLACING.


statement TO The Ardmorcite concern
ing the article published yesterday
In reference to the condemnation OF
the Robson Opera House, The i'm
preston was made upon some that
the inspectors voluntarily Inspected
the building, when such was not in
tended.
Mr.. won Wcise was uneasy about
The building. and he had the inspect
ors go over H. 4 girder, which is OF
pine. has been carrying $4,000 more
pounds than # should be- required to
carry, according 10 the plans of the
federal government The walls Of
the building are IN good condition.
and can be built to a height OF four
stories, and with n steel sgder taking
the place Of the pine girder. the
building would be absolutely safe for
for any use required Of Il.
Mr.. Won Weisc's statement follows
In full;
ON the issue Of March Goth your
paper carried under scare headlines
on the front page an article entitled,
THE Robson Opera House Condemn
ed From the tenor Of said article.
It would appear that the public au-
thoritics had taken steps 20 have the
building inspected as matter OF
public precaution, and that "a a re-
suit of such action Il bad been de
clared unsafe, and | had been Obliged
to close the building, insofar as per
mittlng the upper portion to be used
for public gatherings.
your article Is unfair, both 10 me
and to the building, and believing
that YOU are ever striving 70 be just
and fair in your paper, | desire to
give You The real facts in the matter,
trusting to your sense of justice to
give equal publicity to said facts
that you did to the article complained
of.
"For years have believed that the
girders and other supports to the
second story of the Opera House
were inadequate to support the
weight of the crowds that often fire.
ouented it, and when, on March 18th
of this year, | purchased the building
| decided not to permit 1t to be longer
used as an opera house; however,
Mr.. Frank Robson. the manager, had
already booked a number OF plays
one of which, Every was to
be presented on March 25th and a
heavy advance sale thereon had al
ready taken place, so, much against
my will, permitted him to carry out
his contract as to said show. | my
self was present that night and when
4 behcii the large crowd in attend
ance, | mentally resolved that before
another gathering should be allowed
there. a thorough inspection by an eX'
pert should be made, and so inform
ed Mr.. Felix West of the commercial
club when on Monday he requested
the use of the building for the New
York Philharmonic Orchestra.
"On Tuesday afternoon, Mr.. Frank
l.. Moore, the official L. S. inspector
of postoffce buildings, in company
with Mr.. West and the fire chief,
went with me over the entire build
ing. and thorough inspection and
measurement of walls, girders and
floor supports was made by Mr.. Moore
in accordance with the government
requirements, and as result Thereon
it was disclosed that the walls were
more than adequate for all purposes,
but that the pine girder which sup
ports the upper floor was OF sur
ficient strength to support with safety
the weight of a crowded house, but
that if said wooden girder were re-
placed with a steel one, the upper
room could be packed to its fullest
capacity with absolute safety.
Not intending to continue the use
of the building for opera house pur'
poses, and intending sooner or later
to remodel it into offices on the Sec
ond floor, i saw no reason to at this
time put in the required steel girder'
hence | notified Mr.. Frank Robson
that he would be obliged to cancel
all contracts for plays booked to ap-
pear in said building.
Permit me in closing, to suggest
in A spirit of utmost friendliness, that
il were better that you obtain first
hand all facts pertaining to matters