Evening star., 1922-01-30
CONTINUED from First Page.)

tigation by the coroner or the District
government. He thought that the
sphere of Senate Investigation
should cover the matter as to what
Legislation Is needed to correct any
evils which may have been RESPONSE
BILE for the Knickerbocker disaster.
Senator Capper intends to press his
resolution for an investigation into
the disaster and particularly the
phase which points. according to In
formation in his possesslOn. to laxity
on the part of the officials of the
building department Of the District OF
Columbia.
While he may defer to the opinion
of Senator Ball that such an investi-
cation should not precede the official
one on the part of the local govern
ment, he believes that an investiga-
tion should be made by the Senate
committee.
House For An Investigation.
Pledge that the lower House Of Con-
gress will stand behind the public de-
mand for a prompt and complete in
vestigation was given by House
Leader Mondell when the House met
today. He said:
I'VE have all been very greatly
shocked and saddened by the fright
full catastrophe which occurred at the
Saturday evening. We are all anx-
ious to do everything that we can to
relieve the injured. to aid and com.
fort those who mourn the loss OF
friends and to prevent, ii POSSIBLE
recurrence of like catastrophes: A
number of gentlemen have asked me
whether the House was going to Or
der an investigation.
/ have suggested to them that mas
much as under the law there must
be a thorough investigation or should
be by the coroner's jury, ana mas
much as the District Commissioners
have given notice that they intend to
make a thorough investigation Of the
matter, and that the District Engl-
neer Commissioner has given out that
he intends to very thoroughly lnvesti:
gate the question OF the character o!
the building. 1t would not ne wen
for the Congress to begin an investi-
CATION until these official bodies di-
rectly responsible shall have under
taken and considered the investiga-
tions they are proposing to make.
I'm the meantime. from converse
mittees on the District of Column
bia. Mr.. Focht, as well as other men,
bers Of that committee, it is my un-
derstanding that the District com
mittee is proposing to keep closely
in touch with the Investigations that
are being made. and IL at any time II
seems proper and wise for that COM
mittee to take up the matter to in
vestigate' it on its own account. 1t
will do So Until the District COM
mittee shall have considered II wise
and proper that an investigation
should be begun by Congress-. l imag-
inc that nothing will be undertaken
by this body"
Thorough Probe Promised.
The District Commissioners did not
indicate today when they would
start their investigation into the
Knickerbocker disaster. They did
saw. however. with much emphasis,
that the probe would be most thor
ough one and every effort Will be
made to determine the cause ana, II
possible, to place the responsibility.
In the meantime the Commission
ara are considering all the details in
their possession regarding the cave
in and are reviewing the plans from
which the Knickerbocker Theater
was constructed. Besides this they
are comforting with representatives
Of various departments whose h.,s,ainn omces es
the theater. its subsequent operation
and with the disaster itself.
The plans for the knickerbocker
Theater show that r. w. Geare OF
327 woodward building was the
architect and Frank L. Wagner the
builder. The names OF George II
pear as the owners at that time The
annlication was made by Mr.. Geare
in October, 1915. According to the
hermit the building was to cost
$40 900. was to be constructed OF
hr,ck. terra Gotta, concrete and steel,
to he three stories in height and to
have a. flag roof with truss supports
If is shown further that the dtmen-
sions are 1894 feet frontage on letn
street and 157 feet on Columbia ROAD
Citizens Approve Plans.
Thomas l. Costigan. now assistant
sunerintendent of street cleaning, was
the inspector representing the build
ing department who inspected the
plans prior to the issuance Of the
permit and upon whose vote %. K.
the permit was signed by the building
inspector. Mr.. Costigan today said
that he does not remember any OF the
he is positive that every requirement
of the law Of the District was COM
piled with.
Maj. e. G.. Curtis, then an employe
of the building inspectors Office, was the
Inspector of buildings during its con-
struction and who made daily reports
regarding the work. He has since died
A. ]. Seldom. another employe Of the
building inspectors office, who passed
upon the completed building, moved to
Florida seven years ago.
Coroner Begins Inquiry.
DR.. J. Ramsay hewitt, District cor
oner, late this Afternoon will formally
begin an Investigation Of the acci-