Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1922-02-02
THEATRE WRECK
IS BLAMED ON
ENGINE EERINC
Senator Capper Also Alleges
Faulty Construction as
Part Cause
BLAMES OFFICIALS
Inquest Into knickerbocker Disaster
VIII Begin Observation-Disclosures
Are Still Pouring In

Washington, Feb. 2.-"I believe
that the Knickerbocker Theatre ca
tastrophe was due to bad job OF
engineering and cheap, faulty con-
struction, and those who had to do
with the work and its inspection
should, generally speaking, share the
responsibility. It's premature to say
exactly upon whom this responsibility
should be placed"
Senator Capper, of Kansas, men,
Der of the Senate Committee on the
District of Columbia, made this state
ment yesterday after he. Senator's
Weller. Jones, Gooding and Shep-
pard, of the committee, visited the
ruins in body and talked with Gov
ernment engineers there.
The Senate committee met later.
! It decided unanimously that there
should be a Congressional investiga-
ton, but that it would be unwise to
begin it Immediately. The commit
tee feels that it would be better to
| wait a few days and determine how
adequate the other Investigations un-
| der way may be- If they are deem
ed sufficient the committee expects
to be called together with view to
recommending such legislation as
may be necessary to nrevent a re-
"urrence of such a disaster by re-
drafting the building code for the
| District and by taking such other
stems as may be necessary in the
light of the information developed
at the different inquiries.
In his statement, Senator Capper,
who introduced the Senate resolution
If inquiry, said:
"a superficial examination of the
| walls and conversation had with those
on the ground who are competent to
express an intelligent opinion on the
cause of the disaster has caused me
to arrive at the conclusion that. the
| roof truss system was dependent
upon central truss which rested at
one end of a steel ] beam Intel on
| the north wall. making a sharp angle
with the Intel. Other parts Of the
russ system attached to this central
russ were placed on bearings in the
| EAST wall.
Government engineers on the
| ground told me that none of the bear
inps of truss or beams upon the
walls were anchored or fastened to
he walls, which. in my judgment.
was a fundamental error in such
| construction, because any unusual dis
| turbing cause mi ght gradually slip
the beams from their support.
"From the hypothetical construc-
ton. as explained to me. it would an
near that any unusual load on the
"oof system would tend to draw from
IFS support the main truss. which, as
T have said before, rested upon an
~ beam Intel at an acute angle and
vas not fastened to it. The result OF
| the bending was to cause the truss 70
slim off from the Intel and the whole
roof system rested unon and was de-
! pendent upon this one point of sup
mort. the truss would not have slipped
| rff the supporting Incl and the ca
tastrophc would have been avoided"
District Attorney Gordon conferred
with five army and navy engineers
over building details. the original
plans and building regulations. the
| contractors plans, whether the con-
struction was properly done. whether
! the materials used were those called
for under the plans, whether the
building was properly put up. the eff
| feet Of snow weight and other prob
lens. He had nothing to say regard
| ing the views expressed.
Coroner hewitt is busy arranging
! for the inquest to be held Tuesday.
The funerals of many of the victims.
;ncluding Lonis W. Strayer and C. G.
| Brainard. Washington newspaper
| correspondents. and Colonel and Mrs.
| G.. C.. Tucker were held today.
Coincident with Senator Capper's
statement the American Association
of Engineers, through its offices
here, issued a statement in which it
declared the disaster, "was evidently
1uo to either faulty design or con-
Struction which would not have exist
ed had licensed engineers or archi-
tccts supervised the work" The asso-
citation has committee investiga
ting the collapse.
| Three more messages of cOndolenc'
from diplomatic. representatives of
foreign governments in Washington
on the tragedy were received vester-
day by Secretary Hughes. Express
oions of sympathy came from Arthur
]. Balfour, head Of the British dele
cation to the Washington Confer
ence: Minister de Cesnedes. of Cuba,
and Minister Sze, Of China.