The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1922-02-08
THREAT To
work
MADE B !
INSPECTOR
Mai. E. G. Curtis Knew OF
Subtle Revision Of Plans
After City o. KID Them.

A threat was made by Major +.
G.. Curtis, former building inspec-
tor. to stop work on the construc.
ton of the Knickerbocker Theatel
because the builders were not pro
ceeding according to plans submit
ted to the building office, 1t wa!
brought out today at the corner
inquiry into the collapse of tn
roof of the theater.
ID. c. Made Threats.
Major Curtis, now dead, pade th'
following report to the building In
spector on November 27. 1916.
Concrete base dimensions per
plan. Notified foreman that II steps
were not taken at once to notily
office of change in plans. work would
be stopped" -..., A..
This report was presented to n.S
Coroner's jury by John Ritchie, chiet
clerk of the building inspectors Oh
flee. In a number of reports pre-.
ceding this one, there is no hint OF
any orders to notify the buhdlng
office of a change in plans. Inc
reports presented by Ritchie did not
bring out the causes tor Gurus
threat to stop building.
Richie had with him all papers
in the building office with reference
to the Knickerbocker. The papers
disclosed that A. K. Selden and Major
T., G. Curtis were the inspectors as
signed to the building.
Richie presented to the jury
number of written reports, which he
said Curtis filed daily after his in
spection of the progress of the
Knickerbocker. In some instances
Richie could not read Curtis writ
ing, and in some instances many
words were eliminated.
Watched Builders.
Here is the way Ritchie read some
of the reports of Curtis:
November IS, 1916. Notified
foreman as to building.
Will be on the alert. Must
take precedence of all other work.
October 10, 1916 CThis report made
nv Selden). Grading lot and building
shed.
October rs (Selden). Excavating."
Admitting that while he was com
putting engineer Of the District he
had approved the plans and specifi-
cations for the construction of the
Knickerbocker, Thomas l.. Costigan,
ing, declared that in doing so he
had found that the plans met with
the building regulations Of the Dis
trict.
Approved Materials Also.
Costigan also declared on the wit
ness stand that he had approved the
materials used in the construction
work, such as cement, brick, steel,
and iron.
THE plans were in accordance
with the building regulations, said
Mr.. Costigan. 'If they were
changed or IL materials different
from those called for in the specifi.
cations were used, the inspectors
from the building inspectors office
should have discovered the dis
crepancies. That was his business,
and in making daily reports to the
chief inspector of the building in.
spector's office, any such alleged dis.
crepancies in construction of the
theater should have been reported"
To Call Inspectors.
After Costigan had left the stand,
District Attorney Peyton Gordon
and DIR. J. Ramsey Nevitt. District
coroner, who is in charge Of the in.
quest, sent Detectives Pratt and
Mullin in search of the inspectors
who daily kept in contact with the
work of construction of the theater.
Costigan stated that Il general
layout Of all the plans and speci-
fications were handed to him for
computation by the then building
inspector. He said he found that
all the building regulations had
been reasoned with, and that he
found no reason for disappearing
them. A permit for the construc-
ton Of the theater, he said. was
then given.
"Who represented the District
Building Inspectors office In see
ing that the contractors and build
ers constructed the theater in ac-
cordance with the specifications and
plans that you had approved?"
asked District Attorney Gordon.
at that time, as far as 1 re.
call, 'the inspectors were Mr.. Sci.
den, Major Curtis, Mr.. Proctor, Mr..
Hunt, Mr.. Kern and Mr.. Neido.
maski. Which one OF two OF these
inspectors were detailed to the
Knickerboc'ter job do not know"
what computation Of the plans
did you maker" asked Mr.. Gordon.
"I checked on the structural Tea.
lures. tho general arrangement Of