The Washington herald., 1922-02-09
War Demands Necessi-
tated Substitution in
Plans, Ford Testifies.
REVISION o. KID
BY INSPECTORS,
Explains Knickerbocker
Roof Features to
Coroner's Jury.

Five main members OF the steef
structural plans for the Knicker-
booker Theater roof. which buried
ninety-seven persons when it col
lapsed January IS. were changed
from original plans by John II
Ford. whose plans were those sub
mitted and passed by the building
inspectors once.
Mr.. Ford, the last witness called
before the coroner's jury yesterday
afternoon, as the government sought
to learn the causes Of the defects
pointed out by the joint board o.
army and navy engineers the day
before, testified to the changes.
Mr.. Ford, who worked out the
! final steel structural plans as en-
gineer for the Union Iron Works
Washington. testified the plan-
were changed from the original
| drawings because of the failure OF
mills to supply members demanded
in the first plans.
Changes constituted substitution
of trusses for beams. Trusses are
built-up pieces Of steel. Beams are
solid members, it was explained
Additional changes in the main
members OF the roof included sut,-
| stitution Of eight lighter beams
than called for In the original plans
| for four heavier beams in the rear
Of the building. Ford testified.
Approved by Inspectors.
Although Ford assumed respon-
4 sibility for the changes in the plans
4 they were the plans which were
submitted to the building insper
tors Office in application for a per
nit by Reginald w Geare. architect.
! and approved by the building in
| spector's office.
In speaking OF the inferior work"
in the building. Col. William Kelly
| testifying on the first day Of the
| inquest for the joint board OF army
and navy engineers who investiga
ed the ruined theater. pointed out
the following defects in the steel
structural plans which Ford says
he worked upon, changed and ap-
proved:
Inadequate bearings OF beams 81
tile wall with small bearing plates
This is particularly important when
consideration is given TO the skew
bearings"
'1nsutficient anchorage OF steel
to walls
Roof slab was too thin for spar
mad loading and had insufficient
steel reinforcement"
Ceiling load concentrated in cen
ter of roof slab"
short bearing of main truss OF
Intel. and truss end not stiffene,
for bearing"
Absence OF bracing betwecr
steel members. particularly at ends
of main truss"
mo stiffness in connection Of
main truss TO column"
Reinforcing steel in roof slab Not
raised over beams TO take negatiV'
bending over supports"
Coroner hewitt and District At.
torney Gordon plunged into an in
vestigation of parties connecte,
with inspection and construction o.
the fatal thester building whicl
was declared TO have been con
structed by inferior work" 10
twenty-onc different respects L.
the engineers. at the opening o.
the second day of the inquest iI
the board room OF the Districl
building yesterday morning.
Tells Of Approving Plans.
At the morning session Thoma
. L. Costigsn. engineer and computut
who inspected plans for the build
ing in the building inspectors Office
! now superintendent Of the stree
cleaning department. testified h,
had. approved the plans.
Reports OF Z. C. Curtis. who mad,
! almost daily inspections OF IN,
building during Its course OF con
struction as an employe of IN,
building inspectors office and wh'
is now dead, showed that he ha,
notified the construction foreman &,
cease construction or notify tn,
building inspectors Office al
changes in plans being pursued"
This report. read by John Eitchie
chief clerk Of the building depart
ment, was dated November p. 1916
two weeks after he had made hi.
first inspection OF the building al
the start of construction.
The building inspectors orlcs
las no record OF any report from
Mr.. Wagner in answer to the re.
corded demand made upon him b,
Mr.. Curtis" Ritchie told DistriC'
Attorney Gordon.
Morris Hacker. building inspocto,
~ t'iS Nhhes lolo Ine jury on IueS-
day he knew OF no changes in plan.
by the contractor for the building
Joseph p. Healy. present building
inspector. and Thomas L. Costigan
in the building inspectors once ir
1916. testified likewise Frank 7.
Wagner. contractor. has not We
been called before the coroner ,
jrry.
Substttutions speclfed.
Changes outlined by Ford befor,
the jury during the afternoon ses
sion. and explained on the sam,
chart used the day before by Col
Kelly TO point out the causes for tn,
collapse, included the following
substitutions. according to his ties.
timony
Beam across the center Of ths
roof structure. the main support
changed TO a truss. The bean
measurements called for four Hnt
a half feet depth The substituted
truss was six feet deep.
-Four other shorter beams. maIr
members I'M connecting the Eiaht.
eenth street wall to the main sup,
Nport. were changed to trusses, witt
the same changes In measurements
-Four twenty-inch beams in tn,