The Detroit times., 1917-03-12
SAYS JOISTS
IN FIRE TRAP
WERE TOO WEAK

(Censinuea frem rsEe 0.s)
been used. Mr.. Bryant IL secretary
and treasurer OF the arm OF Bryant
a Detwiisr. He told the coroner
and the jury he had no criticism
to make OF other phases OF the
construction.
Detroit's lar IRE regulations also
came In for a share OF criticism
and even ridicule. during the first
session OF the inquest Fire Mar
shall Gabriel coldwater was called
to the. stand. and he explained that
his authority was limited because
the city had no adequate code OF
fire protection regulations.
Il 20 around and see II there Is
any rubbish or other innammable
material around buildings" said
ooldwster. but as the city ordt
nances now read. the ere depart
ment has no real authority 60 or.
der changes In construction"
In other words" suggested Chief
Assistant Prosecutor Paul ". voor
HES. you are a rubbish Inspector. :"
Goidwster pondered for mo
ment. and then answered: IF I
find any faults In construction that
impose IRE dangers on the city. J
notify the city building depart
ment"
Chief Building Inspector Henry
A Dupont sat behind Mr.. VOORHEES,.
He win present 10 the jury records
of his department showing the
various stages OF reconstruction
thru which the Fields building
passed.
Inasmuch as the jury, Is com
posed OF men familiar with every
phase OF building construction. Cor
oner Rothacher instructed the iur.
ors at the outset that they were AZ
liberty to ask the witnesses as
many questions as they wished.
Otto Misch. president OF the Detroit
Builders q Traders exchange. ques-
toned Mr.. Bryant concerning the
amount OF tar paper which was on
the top door. Bryant declared he
believed about three different lay.
ers had been placed on the roof
DR.. Albert l.. French. county ply.
stefan, was the nrst witness He
viewed the body OF Capt Alexander
Cockburn and said death was due
TO asphyxiation and internal in
iuries. The captains chest had been
crushed. he said
Battalion Chief Timothy Y. Gala.
han. whose orders sent the Ave men
into the death trap. took the stand
next. He has been a member of the
IRE department 30 years.
The chief said he saw only a little
smoke coming from the fourth noor
OF the Fields building. He went into
the Fyfe building hrst. When he
returned. be found Lents. Thomp-
son and Brown on a ladder az the
second floor of the Field building
Oscar Locke. who vas killed a few
moments later. was buttressins the
ladder. Callahan then ordered an
extension ladder brought Locks,
hearing the order. walked away from
the ladder. II crashed to the side
walk. and the lieutenants were taken
10 the hospital.
X saw burning wood failing down
the elevator shaft" continued the
chief Il went In with the boys. We
gave the are q shot down below and
killed IL there. From the outside ve
could only. see IRE on tho ffth noor.
Then I told the boys TO back out.
They were night at the door They
were In there three or four minutes.
They didn't have any warning or
they could have gotten out was
looking at the building and I saw
the mass OF stun come dovn-and
knew the boys were in there. We
had 10 keep stream playing on the
wreckage all the time 70 keep the
bodies from burning.
80 Tar as i could learn. there was
only one man alive In there. That
was Mattick. He was telling the
boys not 20 throw too much water
in or they would drown him But
we had 20 keep those bodies from
burning"
Callahan said he made no obser.
vations az 20 the construction OF the
building.
II am OF the impression said he
that the elevator machinery came
down and brought the floors with II"
did you hear any report OF an ok.
plosiohY" asked Juror Misch.
None whatever" said Callahan.
Inspectors william p. Rutledgs
and Thomas O'Grady followed on
the stand
O'Grndy said that 80 many hremen
had gone into the wreckage 20 DIG
out their comrades that they we're
interfering with each other The
Inspector volunteered the informa
ton that heavy sewing machines