Evening star., 1922-02-07
PLANS DlSREGARDED
IN BUILDING THEATER,
INQUEST DISCLOSES

Continued from First Page.)
but that he had not examined the
plans since the disaster.
All such plans go to the computers.
he said. He couldn't tell who handled
the plans. but said the records of the
Office would show.
Did YOU personally inspect this
building?" asked the coroner.
NO. SIR" the witness replied.
DO you know who did,
NO. sir. / haven't attempted. to ex-
anime the records in any way
T Did you see the plans personally!
Dr.. hewitt asked.
II can't recall
DO you recall whether any of your
subordinates appealed to you on any
point in the plans?
Il do not recall in this case.
Asked by Maj Gordon if he had in
spected the building since the COL
Lapse the witness replied:
II read the article in The Star last
night. but that is all that ! have done
since the accident. All that l can tell
YOU is by recollection"
The present inspector of buildings.
John T. Healy, then took the stand;
He said he had records of the build
ing plans and the names OF the In
spectors who served on the building.
The inspectors on this building were
E. G. Curtis and A. X Selden. They
were the general inspectors There
also was J. r. bowman. inspector OF
structural steel. while T. l.. COST
gan was the computing engineer, the
witness said. The latter is not now
with the building department. He is
in the street cleaning department.
81 am preparing report now for
the Commissioners. the witness said
Asked if he could give any deduc-
tions, he said he had made none. His
investigation was of the walls, foun-
dation and steel members.
r. H. Davis. engineer of the build
ing department at the present time. is
now computing the, data. MIR. Healy
said.
Tell the jury all you know about
| the foundation" the coroner advised
II have estimated the load on the
foundation and on truss No. IL. the
point of heaviest load as being abou,
three and one-haif tons per square
foot" the witness said. The uni,
bearing value of that sort is four.
/ and one-half or five tons per square
j foot"
He said the plans could he produced
Mr.. CostiEan Called.
Coroner Nevitt issued instructions
| to call Mr.. Costigan as a witness
and to have r. H. Davis bring the
| plans to the hearing room.
DO you know why the roof fell?'
asked Maj. Gordon.
81 do not" Mr.. Healy replied.
DO you know what importance
| should be attached to the amount OF
snow on the roof"
"That is a matter of opinion" the
/ witness said.
"What is the load?"
tributed load of twenty-five pounds
per square foot. That is the mini
num-.
| wouldn't it hold weight of 1ot
pounds per square loot:
can You tell how much the load
! was?"
| mo man can"
Have you investigated the walls"
| "I have the walls"
was the building constructed &C.
! cording to building regulations? Maj
! Gordon continued.
so far as know. The report or
the steel has not been completed. the
| witness answered.
Have you made Investigation t.
| determine whether the arch'tects
! plans were carried out?
"Mr. Davis is doing that now.
Beams Not Anchored.
! "Did you determine whether ths
beams were tied to the walls?"
| 81 left that TO Mr. bdNlS, uuI
have talked with him and he has
! found that as rule they were mo-
anchored. The beams rested on bear
| ing plates. There was no anchorint
! so far as we know"
! "Have you determined what TIM
size of the plates were?"
| NO"
! 'Did you determine the condition
of the terra cotta" asked Maj. Cor
! don.
! 'sThey appear to be bedded in con
! crete, That is. the tile blocks ART
| filled up with concrete at the end o.
| every truss where there Is q bear
ing BEAM"
| There are five trusses. he said. ont
| principal and four secondary trusses
The principal one ran in a north ant
| south direction, and the secendar!
| ones in an east and west direction
| framed into the main truss.
| "What were these long steel gir
1 ders?" Maj. Gordon continued.
'aThat is a system of beams, bear
ing in size in proportion to weight
| did you determine whether tn
4 plates were bedded in cement?"
The witness said he made no investi
] cation to determine this.
"Were the trusses bolted?"
yes" r--r
4 (which il more secure!'
L THAT depends entirely on thA methOi