Evening star., 1924-06-28
TRUCK KDR|VERF|NED
IN BRIDGE DISASTER
Vehicle That Crashed
Through Floor Is Proved to
Have Been Overloaded.

Following testimony that the truck
and load of lumber which crashed
through the flooring of the Pennsyl-
vania Avenue bridge yesterday
weighed approximately ten and one
half tons, or more than four tons in
excess of the minimum weight al
lowed by regulations. Judge Nc
Mahon in Police Court today SEN
fenced Earl Smith, operator of the
truck of the Tri-State Trucking Com
pany, to pay a fine of $40. with. an
alternative of fifteen days in jail.
In passing sentence. however, Judge
Mcmahon expressed the opinion that
the owners of the truck were just
about as responsible as the driver,
and he remarked that he assumed
the owners would pay the fine.
''Such a weight" he said, "Weakene
the supports of the bridge, and it makes
possible such a condition that some
vehicle following might plunge into the
Eastern Branch"
Testimony of Witnesses.
Testimony developed that two trucks
crossed the bridge, and the one which
had the accident was the second John
Tracy, watchman of the engineer de-
partment at the bridge, testified that he
"
truck carrying three tons of lumber.
This statement was denied later by the
driver as far IS the three tons or lum-
ber were concerned. He said he had ap-
proximately 5000 board feet OF lumber
aboard At any rate. Tracy declared he
was under the impression that he was
told the two trucks and loads weighed
only six tons each. He therefore allowed
them to pass, and few moments later
the second trucks right wheel was
nf
which gave way.
Mr.. Rosefield, official Of the Tri-
State Trucking Company, told the
court that the boards in the flooring
of the bridge were rotten. He testi-
fed that the truck was three-ton
capacity.
Policeman Lewis w. Giles of the
fifth precinct testified that after the
accident the truck and the load OF
lumber were weighed. 1t was found
or bit more than tons, and the
load weighed 10.375 pounds.
Drivers Had Been Warned.
Judge Mcmahon in questining Mr.
Rosenfield obtained statement from
the latter to the effect that drivers
of vehicles of the company were
warned against loading the trucks
showed level. which indicated that
the threv-$on capacity had been
reached but Mr.. Rosenfield added that
very often persons hiring the trucks
loaded them much heavier.
The drivers, he said. were reluctant
to say anything against it for fear
that complaints of various sorts
might be brought against them. A
lumber company here had had this
truck and others yesterday.
The bridge has been repaired.
Bridge Condition Discussed.
Officials in the Office of the Engi-
neer Commissioner discussing the
question of the need for Replacement MT
of old wooden floor bridges, called
attention today to the fact that when
such structures were erected many
years ago there was no thought o1
the six ton trucks which now traverse
the streets of all large cities in long
procession.
These officials say the Pennsylvania
avenue bridge is perfectly safe as
long as the weight limit for vehicles
crossing it is regulated. The Com
missioners declared yesterday that
they are in favor of a new Pennsyl-
vania avenue bridge as soon as the
necessary appropriation can be OBJ
tanned from Congress