The Washington herald., 1922-02-18
Commission to Call on
Congress for Power to
Close Traps"
SEVERAL LACK
FIREPROOF WORK
Senate Committee to Re
ceive Views Before
Adoption of a Policy.

Condition OF seventy-nve wash
ington theaters will be reported by
committee OF five engineers and
builders Of the Commissioner to-
day.
Unusual structural designs
which ought 10 be repaired and
lack Of firepnood equipment" in
several theaters will be reported.
This afternoon the Commissioners
will arm themselves with an amend
ment to the building regulations.
drawn yesterday by Corporation
Counsel Stephens, giving the Com
missioners power to revoke the H.
censes of a theater owner and close
the building IL conditions warranH
A special meeting Of the Board
OF Commissioners has been called
for this afternoon, when the report
Of the special investigation COM
mittee will be considered.
From a preliminary report OF the
investigation committee, in charge
Of Maj John GottwaIls, U. s. A.
Engineer Corps. received early in
the week, the Commissioners
deemed IL wise 20 seek full power
tc close any theater.
All Theaters Inspected.
The report of the special inves,,-
cation committee covers every the
ater in the District Inspected from
basemept TO roof, with special at
tention TO bearings Of the steel arch
roof members on the walls.
We Inspected every nook of the
roofs. lighting olr way with search
lights and scratching through the
ccncrete and digging away bricks in
some places TO determine accurately
eoncttion Of the structures"
member Of the committee said,
III the Commissioners adopt the
amendment to the building regula-
Ito be Proposed by Corporation
Sounsel stephens, all theaters ana
naees OF public assembly in the Dis
srict VIII nave 20 be made as nea
nreproot as their construction per-
: Inc nreproof regulation in the
slo. II does not require that build-
ings erected prior TO that time he
nreproof merely giving rules for
ureproof construction to be foIIovc5
IN construction Of all buildings
hereafter"
whether the Commissioners deem
IL necessary TO close theaters =.
now equipped with freproof nro-.
lection pending repairs expected
TO be ordered will be decided Al
their board meetings.
Seek Stronger Inspection.
FOLLOWING a week Of investiea-
tlon the Commissioners will 20
oelore the Senate District Com
mittee this morning prepared :,
outline their plans for strengtben-
ing the building inspectors offic.
TO prevent a repetition of the dis
aster and their policies TO be pur-
sued In protecting the public.
we are anxious to learn of
plans Of the Commissioners" SEM
tor L. H. Ball, chairman of m.
Senate District Committee said in
speaking of the conference he has
called for this morning at II
O'Clock between the District Com
missioners and his committee
Senator Ball said an increase fp
the personnel of the building 10
spector's department, was apparent
Col Keller has prepared a supple-
mental Appropriation bill asking
for seven additional men. This will
be considered by the District Com
HhtASS dI lnc meeting this morn
ing. Senator Ball said IL was NOT
likely that the committee would
attempt TO dictate the policy OF the
Commissioners to be pursued in
closing of theaters as recom-
mended by the coroncr's jury.
Senator Ball said he would tzSSe
up with the Commissioners consid-
GRAFTON Of the advisability of em-.
ploying a special architect and
builder TO SUPERVISE revision of the
building code OF the District
Policies to BE Adopted. F
Policies to be pursued by the
Senate District Committee in it's in
vestigation of the Knickerbocler
Theater disaster will be adopted
following the conference with the
District Commissioners this morn
ing.
Members OF the special commit
tee summoned by Engineer Com
missioner Keller to investigate
theater buildings Of the District
and who have completed a survey
following, two weeks of work in
cludes Maj. John GottAalls, Engi-
neer Corps, u. S. A, chairman; Ed
ward w. Rom, ir., architect: Lester
Wilson, engineer; Charles n.
Thompson. builder and Arthur /.
Smith. builder. The committee has
worked without compensation. de-
voting practically every day Of the
last two weeks to investigation of