Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-10-26
DEATHS BY CAVE-|N
At NEW HOTEL SITE
CAUSE DUAL PROBE
Building Inspectors Report
on Snoring at Spot Where
Two Men SuffoCated.
INQUEST BY CORONER
WILL BEGIN TOMORROW
Soft Material Gave Way Under
0verhanging Alley Paving,
Is One View.

| by the building inspectors Office as to
the causes of the cave-in at the exca-
| vation. for the new hotel of the Cafritz
Construction Co., at Fourteenth and K
streets, yesterday afternoon, that re-
suited in the deaths of two men and
injuries to three other workmen.
Walter Thomas, colored 80 years old,
Pomfret Md, and Joseph Waters, so,
colored, 1921 Second street, were sut1o-
Gated to death under tons of falling
earth in the southwest corner OF the
excavation. A fourth workman was
slightly injured during rescue work.
A coroher's inquest tomorrow morn
ing at II O'Clock will hear reports from
building inspectors in trying TO flX re-
sponsibility for the deaths OF the Two
men. Meanwhile, Inspector OF Build
ings John w. Oehmann was pressing a
rigid investigation today.
Snoring Work Studied.
After examining early reports of in
snectors. Col. Oehmann declared ne pe"
lieved the cave-in may have been
caused by insufficient snoring or Drac-
ing against the 27-foot side wall or
bv cutting under the snoring. Although
three other slight cave-ins are said to
have occurred at the site since con-
struction started, Col. Oehmann has
received a report on only one, which
occurred October Is. This report indl-
Gated a hair-line crack along the
building wall on the Fourteenth street
side of the excavation opposite the
point where yesterdays accident oc-
Cured. There was also crev1ce in the
wall of the excavation. Both the earth
and building walls were ordered re-
inforced.
H. D. Dollins of the building in
spector'S Office today submitted a re-
port of his inspection which declared
that in his opinion the cave-in was
caused by soft material under the level
of the alley, parallel to the excava-
tion, flowing into the excavation. This
left the material above with no under
lying support and allowed the bank to
drop from above. His report, in part,
Is as follows:
"The bank of earth on the west side
of its site and adjacent to a parallel
alley fell into the excavation, which
was approximately 27 feet deep. The
bank of earth consisted of clay sand
and rotton rock composition, capped by
an alley pavement.
Preparing for Concrete Work.
"At the lower two feet of this bank
there was soft layer of wet sand and
clay. At this level excavation had been
made in readiness to receive the con-
crete footings. Before the footfngs
could be placed the soft material flowed
out of its location and into the foot
ing excavation, leaving the superim-
posed bank unsupported on its under
side. This allowed the material above
to drop into the excavation.
along the west side of the site and
on the opposite side of the parallel
alley there is a five-story building
known as No. 1402 K street northwest.
This building is adjacent to the alley
along which the cave-in occurred.
There is no evidence that this building
was affected by the movement of the
earth on the opposite side of the alley.
This building is owned by MFR. M. F..
Mangan and is occupied on the second
and third floors by the Temple School
and on the fourth and fifth floors by
offices, the first floor being vacant.
Support Being Strengthened.
"At other locations of the building
excavation the bank seems to have given
away. There is one old building adjacent
| to the southeast portion of the eXcava-
ton which is overhanging the solid
ground. Snoring has been placed at this
point. Some support should be placed
| under the projecting corner. Shores are
now being placed to support the banks
where the fall occurred.
This was my first visit to the site and
did not see what snoring had been
| nj m toi 1a1
excavation
| Col. Oehmann was waiting for an
| additional report today from Alvin L..
Aubinoe, the inspector who is regularly
| on the excavation job but who is not
connected with the District Office. He
| is paid by the building owner, his
| appointment having been approved by
| Col. Oehmann in accordance with Dis
trict regulations.
Alley Closed to Traffic.
Previous reports by Aubinoe, it was
| said have indicated that nothing was
wrong in the work being done. Col.
Oehmann said he had ordered the alley
closed to traffic as a precaution. The
| fact that the construction foreman,
John w. Jenkins, was injured in the
accident, he pointed out, would indicate
that he knew Of no reason to suspect a
cave-in.
Two inspectors from the District Of
fees are regularly in touch at the site.
They are Percival Grant and Civil En-
gineer A. j. Sculler. They were at the
excavation before the accident oc-
Cured, but have numerous other jobs to
watch in the wide area assigned to
them.
Col Oehmann, who said he "had no
apprehensions over possible cave-in,' -
as that side represented an ordinary
cut, is trying to determine what work
was done yesterday by the steam shovel
used in the hole. Reports conflict, he
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