Evening star., 1922-02-08
81 IMPORTANT DEFECTS FOUND
IN PROBE OF TT1EATER. CRASH
Col. Kelly Says Failure to Tie Columbia
Road Wall Allowed Creeping, Unseat-
ing Beam and Bringing Collapse.

reached by a study of the marks on
the bearing of B-21. Below this wall
plate there was lighter tile than in
any other portion of the building. and
tile. which was shown to have been
crushed. The decrease in the seat
ing of B-21 was also caused by the
detection Of the trusses during sue
cessive periods of temperature
changes, he testified.
Reinforcing Found Faulty.
The board also found fault with
the method of reinforcing tn. con-
crete. Graphically. on blackboard.
Col. Kelly showed that the wire re-
Enforcement was not made tn dip
between the spans. This fact caused
cracks in the concrete over the
beams. when sag occurred between
the beams for any reason. This diff
fculty is overcome in a properly con-
structed building by carrying the re-
inforcing wire to a point over th.
beam where crack would occur, he
said
The estimated load on the roof at
the time Of the collapse was given as
$4,000 pounds to the square foot as
against $1,000 pounds assumed that it
would bear under most favorabl con-
ditions. The snow load on the even
ing or the collapse was estimated by
the board as twelve pounds per square
foot.
The beam which fell second, said
Coz. Kelly. could not have been more
than three inches on the seating plate
at the time IL came off. he said. Col.
Kelly also told the jury that there
were evidences that there was an
initial bend on the main truss be-
fore it fell to the floor The failure
was progressive from the northwest
corner. toward the south
The main truss he exnIaiued rested
on a long eightinch column running
through the balcony. He pointed out
that this important column had no
stiffening at the joints.
Scouts Vibration Cause.
The board discounted the idea Of
vibration as a cause. saying it was not
possible without developing noticea-
pie cracks in the wall. The board also
gave consideration to the question of
collapse at other points. but the marks
on the wall clearly indicate that the
Ialllns was progressive and due to
the failure of beam B-2I.
arthur b. LIE Il. Mesney. a draughts-
man IN the Navy Department. prob
ably owes his life to the fact that he
was not much interested in the pic
ture which was being shown at the
knickerbocker the night of the crash
Mr Mesney testified yesterday after
noon that, being little interested in
the story that was being unfolded on
! the screen, his attention was attract
ed to the ceiling. He was fascinated,
he said. by the design of the ceiling.
suddenly. he said. he noticed a crack
in the ceiling about the width of his
finger. This was followed by a shear
ing noise. When the noise became au-
| dible. he said, he decided it was time
ito get" and he started for the exit.
which was only few feet away He
| reached the lobby just before the main
roof fell.
The first witness yesterday after
noon was Charles Nash. carpenter.
| of 3103 street, who helped rescue the
victims.
Coroner hewitt asked Nash il he no.
! ticed anything at the theater that he
felt competent to pass upon.
He replied he saw soIi:e things he
did not like, mentioning the fact that
steel supports for the roof rested on
hollow-tile wall.
The coroners jury, on whom rests
the responsibility of determining the
cause of the accident and to fix the
blame. if any, is composed of NJ. A.
Winter c. J. Gilbert. r. c. Brown, w.
w. Riley, NJ. w. Kelly and H u. F.
| Long.