The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1922-02-24
Commissioners to Exact
. Rigid Compliance
With Code.
GRAND JURY HEARS
DISASTER EVIDENCE
National Permitted to
Open Doors on Tenn
pOrary License.

Rigid compliance with the de-
mands Of the District Commission
ers for alterations in the seven
theater buildings ordered closed
last Saturday night will be de-
manded. il was intimated by the
Commissioners yesterday as one
license was restored. temporarily
only. and engineers were employed
by the District TO examine more
closely alterations demanded IN
other buildings.
The New National Theater
opened its doors TO a capacity au-
dience last night after permission
had been granted by the District
Commissioners.
Following an inspection by Com
missioner Keller and assistants.
the playhouse was declared safe
and license to operate was ex-
tended to April ,, the end of the
season. At that time further re-
pairs will be made, IL is said.
Theater Now Safe.
"All alarming conditions in the
building have been removed salts
factorily and the National Theater
is now safe absolutely. The Com
missioners. however. will demand
that the structure be made abso-
lutely freproof. This may be done
at the conclusion Of the season
without any risk of safety of pa
irons. we feel" Col Keller said
last night.
One balcony OF the National The
ater may not be opened. The same
condition is true of Polls Expert
engineers were sent by Commits
sioner Keller to examine the roof
OF another Of the suspected build
ings
Commissioner Keller said he
would inspect Polls Theater next
week. Management of the theater
week from Monday but they indi-
Gated yesterday ns1 this date
might be postponed
s Must Protect Public.
The amendment TO the building
regulations OF the District build
ing code adopted BY the Commits
sioners last Saturday prior to their
closing edict demands that all
buildings in the District be made
fireproof and safe structurally.
Time viii be given theater own
ers TO make complete alterations
pending cleaning up of all out
standing features which might be
considered alarming" Col. Keller
said yesterday.
Construction Of the old stvle
buildings with combustible mate
rials makes immediate remodering
OF some of the structures impos-
sible. However, We are willing to
permit the buildings to open under
close fire protection. il all imme-
date dangers are successfully re-
moved We will inspect each OF
the theaters carefully and abso-
lutely will not take any chances
with the safety of the public for
! the sake OF permitting a few move
dollars To be earned" Engineer
Commissioner Keller declared.
Order Restoring License.
The order granting permission
for the theater to reopen last night.
given w. II. Rapley, owner. by the
Commissioners yesterday. reads:
Il am directed by the Commits
sioners Of the District Of Colum-
bia to advise you that the license
Of the National Thester, which was
suspended temporarily by order bf
the Commissioners dated February
/ ls, 1922. is temporarily restored TO
be effective beginning with the
| evening performance on THURSDAY.
February %, to continue until the
conclusion Of the present theatrical
season, but not later than April 8.
1922. Upon the latter date the
license will again be temporary
suspended until the theater build
ing is made in all respects to com
ply with the existing requirements
OF the building regulations OF the
District for buildings of that ma
ture."
Grand Jury Hears Case.
Construction OF the ruined Enick-
] erbocker Theater and the theory OF
five expert government engineers a :
to why il collapsed were described
TO the grand jury yesterday after
noon as that body opened its in
vestiEation into the collapse which
cost ninety-seven lives.
Col. william Kelly. L. S. A.. En-
Eineer Corps. speaking for the
joint board of army and navy en-
gineers who examined the wreck
age OF the theater and studied the
plans for the structure at the cor
mand Of the secretaries Of the War
and Navy departments. under Dire
tion of District Attorney Gordon
testified before the grand jury.
Col. Kelly was the only witness
summoned. The grand jury opeIed
its hearing early in tNP aftern -.
Col. Kelly explained his theory by
use OF a model Of the Knicker-
booker Theater built by government
engineers.
Col. Kelly testified before the cor
ner's inquest that insufficient pro-
lection from unusual conditions
existing at the juncture OF the
high. curved Columbia road wall
and the stage wall aided materially
in the collapse OF the roof" ssSsss=e
men had been ordered held for the
grand jury by the coroner's jury.
The grand jury is not eXpeeted
to complete its investigation before
the close OF next week. District At
torney Gordon said last night.
Management of the Cosmos Thea
ter last night announced that the
theater was ready for final inspec-
tion By Col. Keller and had already
been, approved for reopening by t&e
fremen and the employees OF the
building inspectors office. No ef-
fort will be made TO reopen before
next week, IL was said. because OF
cancelling on last Saturday night
of all engagements for the week.
The show will reopen next Mon