The Washington herald., 1922-01-30
WILL name JURY
and COMMITTEE
TO PLACE BLAME
Congress May Order In
vestigation of Trag-
edy also.
Continued From Page One.

COHttUboo rTo" FuVc OHe.
In many respects. for II the girders
had been riveted to the side walls,
Inspector Healy believed. the huge
walls would have been pulled in with
the collapsing roof and all life with
in the theater would have been
crushed.
The building was erected hve
years ago when Morris Hacker was
Inspector Of buildings. John p. Healy,
present inspector. was at that time
first assistant.
Frank L. Wagner. OF the District,
was contractor for construction of
the building. Mr.. Wagner was de-
clared by Inspector Healy to hold
an admirable record in the District
and throughout the nation for WELL
constructed buildings. He intimated
the disaster resulted from a COM
bination OF unfortunate circumstances
IN which the elements played a lead
ing role.
Inspector Healy said he had a
force of eight field inspectors in the
District. constantly surveying
buildings and seeking signs Of dan
ger. He refused to name the in
spector who passed upon the Knick-
erbocker Theater.
From an engineering standpoint
much of the evidence of how the
disaster occurred was destroyed
when the wreckage was cleared
away In taking out the bodies OF
the injured and dead.
Commissioners to Meet.
poIiciaz 70 he ,o,,rS,ad ~ tha T1is
trict Commissioners during the
course Of the sweeping investiga-
tiOn ordered will be outlined at a
special meeting of the board called
by Commissioner Rudolph for this
morning. 1t is expected that a
committee will be appointed at this
time to conduct the investigation
for the District.
Police of all precincts were or
dered to notify office building own
-crs and pastors OF churches last
night to have all snow cleared from
the roofs Of buildings in an effort
to block any repetition of the
Knickerbocker disaster. Commits
sioner James F. Oyster issued the
order which was Immediately car
ried into effect.
Sees Lack of Equipment.
Only theaters which complied
with the order of Commissioner
Oyster OF Saturday night by which
all theaters were ordered closed un-
til immediate inspection had been
made by members of the police de-
partment or employees of the build
ing inspectors office. were permitted
to open yesterday. A few houses
Ill hV,N -
all theaters indicated last night
that the motion picture houses
would be opened today.
Commissioner Oyster declared last
night the building regulations
would be enforced to the limit this
week and during the period of snow
and that strict compliance with the
rules would be demanded.
Commissioner Oyster was furious
last night with conditions met by
firemen and police attempting to
cut their way through the debris
Saturday night and yesterday to
free the hundreds caught by the
collapse of the Knickerbocker roof
He declared the fire department is
sadly lacking in adequate equip
ment such as actylene torches and
searchlights and saws.
Delay Proves Fatal
Frantic efforts on the part of the
fighters to break through the mass
IF steel and heavy beams which
entombed the theater patrons were
blocked almost completely for an
hour Saturday night by the lack
of acetylene torches and saws with
which to break through the heavy
roof to the prisoners beneath.
The fire department was equipped
with only one acetylene torch, Fire
Chief Watson said yesterday. This
was practically useless in such an
emergency. While hremen and po-
lice fought frantically with made
Iuate tools, small saws and axes.
reserves were rushed to the navy
yard and traction companies for
aCctylene torches and other tools
which were rapidly sent to the
scene of the disaster. The delay
was fatal. however. and acted to
add confusion to the effort, Of the
fighters.
Congress is Blamed.
The disaster plainly showed the
District is sadly lacking in numbers
of men in it's fire fighting and police
forces and regretably weak in
tools" Commissioner oyster de-
cIared.
The Commissioner insisted that
until Congress answered the de-
mand and pleas of the Commission
crs for additional appropriations
with which to adequately man and
equip the forces of the District, citi-
zens were at the mercy of any
emergency.
Particular anger was expressed
by Commissioner Oyster. who d.
rects police a'S fire departments for
the District. against the recent ac-
tion of the House in slicing District
appropriations for the Di- .ict for
1923 to a negligible" a.lount. Com
missioner Oyster declared that un-
less the Senate remedied the mig
gardly policy pursued by the House
the District was upabls tc cope with
city emergencies.
Praise for Cooperation.
Fire Chief Watson declared the
equipment of the department was not
up to standard. but blamed condi-
tions on the failure of Congress to
missioners for appropriations which
would remedy the situation.
The three District Commissioners
Sxpressed satisfaction with the work
4 the firemen. policemen and SOL
SER reserves in their work at the
disaster. They were also loud in
their praise for the cooperation of
the District residents, business men