The Washington herald., 1922-02-13
SENATORS PLAN
CAMP PAIGN FOR
SAFE BUILDINGS
Will Ask Expert Be Hired
To Revise District
Code.
THEATER INQUEST.
REOPENs TODAY
Ball, Capper, and Calder
Resolved to Prevent
Another Disaster.

Congressional chieftains will open
nation protection from a repetition
OF the Rnickerbocker Thcater dis
aster this week, while government
officials will close today or tomor-
row their first official and public
investigation into the crash which
cost ninety-seven lives.
\ resolution will be 6ffered in
the Senate this week asking per-
mission for employment of a New
York building expert to aid in re-
vision of the District building code
and reorganizatio of the building
inspection department
Awaits Coroner's Verdict.
Congressional investigation into
the crash is practically assured
The course of this investigation
will depend on the outcome of the
coroner's inquest, which is expected
to be completed today or tomor-
row.
Senator Ball, chairman of the
Senate District Committee last
night declared the committee we'll
satisfied with the course of the
inquest under direction of Dis
trict Attorney Gordon and Coroner
]. Ramsay hewitt. If the coroner's
jury. however, fails to determine
the cause for the crash, the Sem
ate committee will seek not only
the cause but to place RESPONSE
bility, Senator Ball indicated.
Three Senators Confer.
Senator Ball was in conference
with Senators Arthur Capper, of
New York. yesterday and Saturday
relative to the Knickerbocker The
ater crash.
1t is the opinion of the Senators
that radical revision of the present
code and system of inspection in
the District should be instituted
Congressional inquiry into the col
lapse will be with a view Of out
lining legislation which VIII pre-
vent a repetition OF the crash, IL
has been indicated by both Senate
and House leaders.
The roof OF the Knickerbocker
Theater could never have been put
in place under the New York build
ing regulations" Senator Calder.
an expert builder, declared.
Ball Fayors Plan.
Senator Calder has taken a spe-
ciaI interest in the disaster, and
has made several inspections of the
ruins.
I'VE cannot do anything for
those who lost their lives, but 1t is
the duty of the District and Com
gress to make impossible a similar
disaster. The building code should
be, revised thoroughly. and the
building department reorganized," !"
Senator Calder declared
He suggested that the District
employ the services of an expert
from New York to aid in the revi-
sion of the building code. Senator
Calder placed this plan before SEN
ator Ball. of the District Commit
tee, and the latter last night said
he favored the proposal personally
and would place il before the Dis
trict Committee this week.
Higher Salaries Urged.
Senator Calder scathingly at
tackled the present system. which
permits employment of men sup
posed to pass on highly technical
problems as expert engineers for
a salary of $4,000 a year.
This payment is ridiculous"
Senator Calder declared.
The same opinion is shared by the
District Commissioners. and it is
understood a plan calling for in
crease in salaries of the members
of the Building Inspectors Depart
ment as well as additional quaIifi-
cations for members of the depart
mcnt will be presented to the SEN
ate District Committee by the Com
missioners in the near future
Perusing Code Now.
While Congress has indicated 1t
,.I- e.
the building code of the District.
Engineer Commissioner Keller an
nounced last night that work on the
revision was going on steadily
through his office working in CO.
operation with the building inspec-
tors office
There are no radical changes
necessary in the present code. With
this code believe that through
careful inspection by the depart
ment and rigid examination We can
make any building erected in the
District safe" Col Keller said last
night.
While he said the present regula-
tiOns would prohibit erection of a
building similar to the Knicker-
booker Theater. in that the con-
struction of the walls as made in
the theater building is not now
permitted, Col. Keller declared he
did not believe the seat of the roof
collapse lay in the wall construc-
tion. He indicated a belief that
faulty steel designing of the roof
was one of the principal causes of
failure.
Col. Keller pointed out that
building codes of other cities. in
cluding New York. were being fol-
lowed by local inspectors and men,
bers of bis office in revising the
District code.
There Is no fundamental defect
in the present code. We must re-
arrange IL carefully, separating the
fundamental principles from the
restrictions outlined and enforce IL
strictly. placing our own interpre-
tation on the CODE" Col. Keller sail
Completion of the Inquest Is ex-
pected today by both District At
torney Gordon and Coroner hewitt.
Completion of the inquest Is ex-
pected today BY both District At
torney Gordon and Coroner hewitt
IL is probable that Richard Fletcb-
or, fireproof contractor for the