The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1917-03-14
DUPONT TO
TESTIFY IN
FIRE PROBE
Chief Building Inspect
or Expected To Take
Stand Today
INQUEST is
NEARING END
Testimony Given On
Tuesday Shows Third
Floor Sagged

Floor Sagged
Coroner Rothscher's inquest into
the Fields Cloak 4 Suit COMPANY
ere. which cost the lives % ave
nremen one week ago SUNDAY is
expected 10 come 10 an end this
after moon. Chief Building Inspector
Henry Dupont and Safety Engineer
John c. McCabe are expec Ell 70
testify during the morning concern
ing inspections which were made in
the building at No. Is7 Woodward
eve
Thus far, no testimony has been
in reduced 20 show that there had
been an inspection Of the building
in the last few YEAR BY the depart
r1ent OF buildings. Dupont has 81.
tcnded all the sessions and has a.
Alsted the prosecutor in the inquiry
Judging from present indications
the need Of q strict code OF fr, reg
Ilations in Detroit. clothing the are
department with absolute pcweg In
regulating buildings. viii D. the
nucleus around which the jury viii
form its verdict Testimony has
been offered tending 70 show that
The building was Of faulty construc-
ton. but nothing mas been intrOdue-
ed TO show who built IL nor who
weakened Il % reconstructioo and
IT'S attendant boring OF ioists
Prom the mass OF testimony taken
Tuesday morning in Coroner Roth
acher's inquest into the are In the
Fields Cloak 4 SUIT company store.
No. 1877 woodwsrd-ave in which
I've fremen lost their lives, three
bfg facts were brought out. as fol-
lows.
That the soists on the fourth and
nfth floors o. the building were un-
dersized. weakened by being bored
for wiring in the center and OF stch
small dimensions that the man who
put them in could be termed negii-
gent.
That the Ere department had no,
complied with the rules which re
quire company chiefs TO keep dis.
grams OF the floors OF the big build
ines in their districts.
That the third door sagged abou;
an inch for distance Of about Il
feet from the rear. and that the OF
coials OF the Fields Cloak A. Suit
company had known OF this. tho nc
ono warned them that II was a
dangerous condition.
Archltecs Adoiph Essen. engaged
by Coroner Rothacher AZ an expert
told the jury that the joists or the
Upper noor broke in the center. Al
the points where holes had beer
bored and openings cut for wirinI
and piping IN reconstruction worn
Architects today hgure thar a Zoo
in a light merchandise buFldins
should carry 100 pounds per squar'
foot in safety. said Eisen He judg
Cd that the capacity on the twS
upper sSors in the Fields store Fa
between 20 and 80 pounds. The iwv
inch joists on the fourth and an
floors were entirely TOO light. h,
said.
The man who put them in va
negligent" said Eissn, "zltho n,
might not have known how mrel
weight the floors would be require,
Ic stand after he had built them
Chief Broderick. OF the nre C
partment. declared that Lns captain
Of Engine Company No shculi
have kept a diagram Of the hoo
plans OF the building. Lieut.. Ale
Thompson. OF this company. said n,
plans had been made, because I
was impossible 10 cover all tn
downtown buildings Only the ,srE
CT ones were diagrsmed. be said.
Charles Hassenbusch. sscreiar-
and treasurer Of the Fields CON
l'any. admitted that he had know
OF the sagginE OF the third Ncoi
II had existed from the time hi
company moved into the building
he said. That was Ave years ago
The place burned on the fifth am
ssrsary Of the company in n
Woodward-ave building Mr. Hal
Fsnbusch said that so FAR "a h
knew no building Inspector IA
been thru the place. tho he freqgen
~ saw hremen In a.
Assistant Prosecutor speed, VII
Ilsde the examinations. frequentl
asked members OF the nre depur
nent who testified whether the d
Dartmeni experienced any della,
They all replied In the negative.
Speed had 20 examine his broU
er, John Speed. accountant for N
Fields company The brother tol
Of the sagging In the floor and
the machinery kept there
| } + Mayhem. contractor. WI
built platform for r. n. Fyfe
Company. which occupied the four
and hfth floors. explained 20 n
coroner and the jury that the pls
form did not rest on the hoor. N
weight OF Il being sustained I
steel Eirders placed two feet abo,
the floor
Charles = Carmody photograp
er for the police departmenf. or