The Washington herald., 1922-02-12
WEAK COLUMNS
CAUSED CRASH,
SAYS ENGINEER
Another Expert May Give
Theory Before Coroner
Jury Tomorrow.
Con.inued from Paae one.

find gross negligence" as con-
tributing to the cause OF the col
lapse on the part OF any person IL
that person Is to be held, District
Attorney Gordon pointed out last
night. II the coroner's jury orders
any one held Cor action Of the
grand jury or IL the grand jury in
diets any persons on its own fnitia-
tive. for 1t will be presented with
the evidence in the case regardless
of action by the coroner's jury.
charge of Involuntary manslsughter
would have to be placed against
those indicted, according to law! A
maximum penalty of fifteen years is
provided in the District for convic-
ton upon this charge.
Both Senators Capper and Calder,
the latter an expert builder, de-
clared they were not satisfied with
the construction and. design Of the
structure.
IF IT is proven that there was
carelessness shown 1 certainly hope
responsible persons will be brought
to account" Senator Calder de-
clared.
Says Piasteref Saw Flaw.
Weakness OF the two columns
running from the floor of the
theater to the front of the balcony
and on the roof. which had to bear
approximately two-thirds of the
entire burden of the roof" caused
the collapse. is the theory advanced
by Sanders. The engineer declares
the large column which supported
the main truss was not in plumb,
but was leaning toward the south"
He says this fact was known to
the plasterer at the time II was
constructed and he plastered the
column so as to give II the appear
ance of being plumb" Sanders says
the plaster on the column on the
northwest side was two inches thick
and was hardly half an inch thick
at the base. whereas on the south
west side of the column tho plaster
was more than two inches thick al
| the base and not more thar orc
| inch thick at the top
Reports Mt Variance.
This theory does not agree in
whole with that presented the jury
by Col. Kelly. The government en-
gineers place the cause OF collapse
as due to weakness of the juncture
! of the Columbia road wall and
stage wall. Movements of the roof
in collapsing. however. are de-
scribed by both the joint board and
Sanders and the report of F. E
Schmitt. of the Engineering News
Record, printed exclusively in The
Herald yesterday. practically the
same. All have the starting point
of failure at various places.
That the weakness of the column
supports had been recognized has
been brought out in testimony pre-
sented before the jury. ]. II. Ford,
engineer for the Union Iron Works.
who modified original steel plans
for the roof. said he added to the
plans an additional beam running
between the two columns.
Capper Lands Sanders.
Architect Geare testified that
while inspecting construction OF
the building he decided to have
another beam placed between the
two columns and directed Frank
l. Wagner, contractor. to add this
beam six feet below the beam
placed in the plans by Ford. Mel
vim s. Rich. engineer for Geare
who drew the original plans, did
not provide for either OF the con.
Meeting beams in his original
plans, Ford testified.
Sanders, who Is now connected
with the James I. Tucker firm. ap-
praisal engineers, of Oklahoma City
| Okla. was declared TO be very
| substantial and thorough engi'
neer" by Senator Capper. who ex'
! pressed the hope Sanders evidence
would be called before the coroner's