Evening star., 1922-02-11
PLACED CEMENT BAND IN TOP
OF WALL ON COLUMBIA ROAD
Fiireproo6ng Company Official at Inquest
States Work Was Done to Add Strength,
Though Not in Contract.

, i 1nougn mot
Placing of an additional band Of
cement around the top Of the Column
bia road wall of the Knickerbocker
Theater, not called for in the speci-
fications, and by way of strengthen
ing, was admitted before the coro-
ner's inquest yesterday by Richard q.
Fletcher. general manager for tho
Hammett Fireproofing Company, con-
tractors on the job.
Fletcher told the jury that when
the wall had reached the top, and
after a conference with Frank l..
Wagner, the general contractor, he
recommended, because of it's height
and curvature. that an additional
cement band be added to strengthen
it. M Wagner agfesdd greed with dhr,ng him. me ne
terrogations, that the specifications
and his contract did not call for this.
but it was decided upon after the
wall was completed. Questions fall
ed to bring from him an admission 1t
was necessary, the witness insisting
on his statement that 1t was ms pc
lief that 1t would strengthen the wall.
When adjournment of the inquest
was taken yesterday afternoon until
1880 o'clock Monday morning the
end of the inquiry seemed to be In
sight. There are still five witnesses
to be heard, and it all depends on
the length it is found necessary to
interrogate them whether the inquest
will be completed Monday. Two dls-
interested engineers are on the list,
and 1t is probable that their testi-
mony will take some time. But tnere
is the hope now of those conductihs
the inquiry that the whole matter
may be given to the jury shortly
after noon Monday.
Will Tell of Tile Work.
The first witness to be heard Mon
for the Hammett Fireproofing Com
pany, contractors for the tilework
on the Knickerbocker. from whom
information will be sought as to the
reinforcement concrete inside the tie
blocks. The two engineers who are
to give expert d testimony s n Rvehssm7 are H. j.
Frank L. Wagner. general con-
tractor for the building. will be re-
called to the stand. He has been in
structed to bring with him, for this
examination, papers from his MES.
which will show all the details OF
asking for bids, specihcatlons. con.
been unable to have produced in the
record a copy of the specifications
for materials to be used on the work,
and this point is expected 10 oe
pressed at the resumption OF the m
uuiry on Monday. r. w. Geare. the
find his specifications. although he
produced other papers bearing on the
He did state. however,
that they should be on file in the
building inspectors office.
Thomas L. Costigan. who was COM
putting engineer in the building IN
spector's Office at the time the knick,
erbocker plans were examined. and
who passed on them, is to be recalled
to the stand Monday. 1t Is probahie
that he will be asked regarding the
specifications for the building.
BrickIayer Adds Little.
Joseph O'Connor. a bricklayer, of
aa1s O street, who worked on the
Knickerbocker, the first witness
Yesterday afternoon. did not shed any
material light on the cause Of the
disaster.
He testified that Re heard the iron
workers on the job talking about one
beam over the main entrance to the
playhouse not having enough wall
bearing. Before leaving the stand.
however, he stated, in answering
Coroner hewitt. that the beam to
which he referred did not fall and is
still in place. :.
before the roof framing @ was put IN
Fletcher who lives at 1890 Chappell
lane northwest, then was called. He
said he was general manager for the
firm that put in the f1reproofing at
the Knickerbocker.
Did you superintend, the concrete
work." asked District Attorney Cor
don.
"only in a general way: We had a
Harry Freeman. on
the job" witness replied.
In answer to a question by the
district attorney, Mr.. Fletcher ex-
planned that the roof Of the theater
was a three-inch concrete slab, rest
ing on the steel beams and reinforced
with wire mesh.
The district attorney asked him If
the wire mesh was drawn taut. or
If it was higher at one end than the
other.
The witness replied that there was
no way to draw it taut. that it was
rolled out the full length of the roof
in its natural position, supported by
frames, which were removed
after the poured concrete had set"
Depended Upon Beams.
Ibid you inspect the work." asked
MAJ: aies;e Gordon.
while in progress"
Frequently"
Mr. Fletcher said they didn't depend
on the walls for support Of the con-
crete slab. The beams, he continued,
carried the slab. The slab may have
borne only an inch on the wall, he
testified.
"Did the stability Of the building
depend on how that wire reinforce
asked.
II wouldn't say that the general
depended on it," the witness
answered.
Would Garry Load.
He testified that a beam could be
knocked out in the building and that
the wire reinforcement would carry
the slab load.
Asked If the wire was raised over
the beams, he testified no effort is
ever made to do this in q slab three
inches thick. The board of engineers
had found fault with failure to do
"Fault has been found with insult
hcient reinforcement Of the end pan
els ss.ted. Of the slab" Maj. Gordon sug-
Il don't recall what was done in
that particular"
Did you put anything in not re-
quired by the specifications?" asked
Ringold Hart, assistant corporation
counsel.
Put Concrete I'm Tilinx.
I'VE put concrete in the top tiling
around the Columbia road wall"
"Why did you do that?" Mr.. Hart
pressed.
Because 1t was a high wall and
curved, and I thought it would