Evening star., 1922-02-05
CRANDALL QUESTIONING
USE or CONCRETE ROOF
Expresses Doubt as to Greater Hazard, Fire
or Weight of Cement Building Code
Reauires Welcomes Probes.

Harry Crandall, one of the owners
Of tho Knickerbocker Theater that
collapsed week ago. is convinced
that there must have been q weak
ness or defect somewhere in the ma
terial or CONSTRUCTION that caused
the roof to fall. He Is anxious to find
out what that weakness or defect
was. not that it could cure what has
already happened, but for the future
protection of the public. He is hav-
ing an Independent investigation
made to try to discover what was at
fault.
Reginald W. Geare, architect of
the Inflated theater, in first author
lied interview. given to The Star
last night, stated that the main truss
of the roof is in perfect condition to-
day and the steel seats on solid tile
and cement supports on which each
truss rested are still in their original
position, showing that the claim that
they were not sufficiently. strong is
without foundation in fact. He denied
that he has reached any conclusion
as to the cause of the roof falling.
. Mr.. Crandan strongly intimates
that in his own mind he is question
ing whether the concrete roof was
not too heavy. for in the first inter-
view he has had with newspaper men,
yesterday, he repeatedly said: "The
building regulations for a fireproof
structure called for a concrete roof.
] have seen hundreds of tin and other
roofs that did not fall under the same
storm conditions. while what we
supposed was most modern, fire.
proof roof. collapsed. 1 am wonder
ing if in making safe against the fire
hazard. the builders and engineers
are not making us liable to a greater
danger. A cement roof is certainly
very heavy
Crandall Welcomes Probes.
Mr.. Crandall is glad. he said. that
full and complete investigations are
to be made. He welcomes them. and
hopes that if any defects are found
there will be proper punishment
let the blame rest where it will, even
on his own shoulders. "If 1 am
shown to be at fault in any respect
I ought to pay the penalty" he said
The calamity at the Knfckepbocker
Theater has been a horror to none
more than to him. Mr.. Crandall said
and none has felt deeper sympathy
than he expresses for the bereaved
lives. In a statement to the news
paper men, he said:
.I have been asked several times
to make a statement. and the only
statement I am able to make at this
time is that I cannot express toe
strongly my sympathy for those who
were SO unfortunate as to lose their
lives or be injured in the falling OF
the roof at the Knickerbocker Thea
ter. also for their relatives and
feelings in the matter.
LAS to the cause, I have not the
slightest idea of what it could be
but if there is anything wrong
hope the investigations that are now
going on will bring it out. and ii
glect, they should surely be punished
although in making this statement
I do not wish to be understood as
thinking any one responsible, be-
cause, so far as I know. the archi-
tect, Mr.. Geare. is very honorable
and capable man; Mr.. Frank Wagner
is an extremely upright, conscien-
tious builder, and I am sure that
none of the District officials would
pass any building that was not right
things, however, relieves my mind of
the fact that there were SO many
people killed and injured in a theater
that happened to bear my name"
Denies Many Reports.
Answering frankly questions put
to him by the newspaper men, Mr..
Crandall denied that there was any
truth whatever in the report that
Robart Etris, manager of the Knick-
erbooker Theater. had a conference
with Mr.. Crandall on the afternoon
before the roof fell, suggesting that
the theater be closed. Specifically
and positively, MIR. Crandall denied
each of the reports in circulation
about weaknesses which it was al
legged were known to have existed
in the building. Mr.. Crandall very
directly and positively denied that
ing had ever been brought to his at
tention. He said that he honestly
never suspected that there was any
weakness or defect - if he had, he
would have closed the building at
once.
Both Mr.. Crandall and Robert Etris,
manager of the Knickerbocker Thea
ter, Used separate statements last
night denying that there was any
truth in the statement that a decora-
tor recently was called in to putty
up and paint over cracks in the cell
ing and who is alleged to have dis
covered cracks in the roof.
Mr.. CrandalPs statement is as fol.
lows:
'I wish emphatically to deny the
reports published in SATURDAYS
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