The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-01-30
House, Senate and Coroner tt
Investigate Disaster.
Sen. Capper Introduces ResOIu-
ton in Upper Chamber.
CALLS FOR GENERAL CLEAN UP
SOlOns Reused by Death and In
Jury of Hundreds.
Snow as Cause of Crash Not
Satisfactory Explanation.

Washington. Jan. 3O.-While the
national capital mourned today for its
scores of dead in one of the most ter
rble theater disasters on record, the
United States senate was asked to in
augurate a sweeping investigation.
Within a few minutes after the SEN
ate met today, Senator Arthur Capper.
Republican. CT Kansas, introduced a
resolution asking the senate to under
take an investigation not only to fix
responsibility for the Knickerbocker
tragedy, which cost 10S lives, but also
Investigate rumors that there exists
tcollusion among constructors and
building inspectors to evade the law"
Senators Are Angry.
Grim and angry senators, most of
whom lost friends and acquaintance
in the terrible toll of life taken by
Saturday nights catastrophe, voiced &.
demand for general clean up"
At the same time a grand jury Wis
other Investigations were gotten under
way by the coroner/and the District
OF Columbia government.
Declaring that reports had come to
him that the building code of the dis
trict had been frequently violated dur
ing the war when many buildings were
rushed to completion, Senator Capper
announced that the investigation
which he proposes would involve a
sweeping inquiry into the construction
of not only the KnickerbOcker theater
but of all the large buildings put up
since early in 1917.
House May Join In.
. Congressman Barley, of Kentucky,
whose son was injured in the theater
crash, is also understood to be plan
ming to institute an investigation by
a special committee of the house.
John p. Healy, district building in
spectOr, who said today the Knicker-
booker theater was erected entirely in
accordance with the citys building
code, pointed out the steel Orders of
the roof were not anchored to the
walls Of the building, as is the usual
custom, but this was fortunate because
it prevented the walls from falling
inward when the roof gave way.
Officials of the building department
pointed out that much of the evidence
OF how the roof caved in was destroy
ed thru the removal of the wreckage
in getting to the bodies of hundreds of
dead and injured.
The Knickerbocker disaster came
with a stunning force to members of
congress today. One former member
of the house, A. J. Barchfeld, of Penn
sylVania, was among the dead a SEN
ate page boy, nephew of Representa-
tive Sproul, of Illinois, was. a victim (;
of Utah. was killed, and hardly a
rnember of either house but who lost
some friend or acquaintance in Sat
urday's horror.
May Act Late BSday.
It was stated that audits committee
planned to act today on the Capper
resolution which declared the lex
PLANTATION that snow altho of an
extraordinary quantity was the chief
-
pears to be unsatisfactory"
The resolution reads:
Whereas. it is currently reported
that contractors and builders, especial
~ during and since the world war,
have ignored, evaded or treated light
" the rules and regulations provided
in the building code of the District
Of Columbia. especially those sections
which make mandatory provisions for
assurance against such a terrible
calamity as has just occurred; and,
Whereas, 1t has been persistently
rumored that contractors and builders
determined to save money on the cree
ton of residences and building struc-
lures, have acted in collision with in
spectors of buildings employed by the
District of COLUMBIA; and
Whereas, 1t is the imperative duty
of the senate of the United States tC
know all the facts relating to this in
excusa BILE tragedy. and also to learn
what, if any truth there is in the re-
peated assertions that the safety and
health of thousands of citizens and
residents of the District of Columbia
have been jeopardized by the action OF
careless contractors, builders and
building inspectors;
Resolved. That the senate commit
tee of the District of Columbia. be an6
hereby is, authorized and directed t.
make a searching investigation into
the KnickerbOcker tragedy. including
the operations of builders, contractor:
and building inspectors. especially il
relation to structures erected during
and since the world war"