Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-05-02
OFFICIALS ANSWER
CHARGES ON PLANS
Hold Contractor Violated
Code by Failing to Put
in BraCing.
Continued From First Page.)

Continued From First Page)
spection tour two days ago, when, after
additional guys had been installed 1oi-
lowing the accident, he found the guy
ing still insufficient and ordered still
more guys to be strung.
The officials admit that one OF the
contributory reasons for the fact tnat
the steel blew down was that the
masonry work was not put up as fast
as the steel work. This was also the
view of the president Of the National
Construction Co., as explained to them
shortly after the crash. The drawings
for the job do not specifically call Tor
this to be done although, according to
Mr.. Marsh, they are such that Ito any
body with ordinary engineering intel
ligence," they would indicate that that
was the way the job was to be done
without specific directions to that erect.
Cites Violation of Code.
Violation of the District building code
in at least three particulars-faulty
structural design and inaccuracy in the
erection Of the concrete footings which
support the steel work-were blamed by
Mr. Todd for the collapse week
ago of the steel frame of the schools
auditorium
Responsibility for the collapse was
laid jointly upon the municipal archi-
tect's Office, which produced the plans
for the structure, and the National Con-
struction Co, general contractor Ior tne
building, which constructed the con-
crete footings upon which the steel
structure rests.
In citing his reasons for the collapse
of the frame Mr.. Todd denounced the
explanation of Mai. Robb. that in
adequate wire guying was the cause OF
the fall, as merely subterfuge" raised
for the purpose Of trying to blot out
the numerous violations of the District
of Columbia building regulations by the
municipal architects ONCE and the gen.
eral contractor and representatives Of
the municipal architects ONCE and in
order to try to succeed in the old game
OF passing the buck"
Lists Requirements.
In a letter addressed to the National
Construction Co.. the Massachusetts,
Bonding & Insurance Co., the Lehigh
Construction Co., Inc, and Mai. Robb,
Mr.. Todd asserts that before proceed
ing with the erection Of the steel on
this lob, we desire to insist upon the
following" /, that the brick and con-
crete work be done simultaneously with
the steel work; 2, that the usual Gus
toms of the steel trade" be compiled
with and that proper braces be put into
the design to brace the columns; 3, that
all the concrete footings be made level;
4, that the proper size anchor bolts be
used in the concrete footingS in COM
pliance with the building code; 5, that
the anchor bolts be set properly TO COM
ply with the steel trade practices, and,
6, that the column slabs be placed to
comply with the Districts building
code.
THE foregoing requests are made"
Mr.. Todd wrote, mot only for the pur-
pose of enabling us to properly erect
the steel, but also for the protection of
our workmen as we'll, and in order to do
our part to help put together building
that will be safe for the general public
at large when it is constructed" Mr..
Todd added that his concern was mot
in any way whatsoever at fault in the
catastrophe which happened" and that
his firm expects to be compensated for
the extra work I'VE are compelled to
do by virtue Of the falling STEEL"
Gives Reasons for Collapse.
In setting forth his reasons for the
collapse Of the steel frame of the
Roosevelt High Schools auditorium. Mr..
Todd pointed out that the Heron Todd
Construction Co. was only the sub
contractor having charge of the steel
erection work." The plans, he asserted
in his statement filed with the District
building agencies and the National Con-
struction Co., were prepared by the
municipal architects office, the steel
was fabricated by 1.-The agent of the
District of Columbia" and the prelim-
mary work, such as the preparation
of footings, anchor bolts, etc. Ca pre-
liminary preparation to prepare the
foundations upon which the steel was
to rest), was done by the National Con-
struction Co., under the supervision OF
the municipal architects Office"
Mr.. Todd blames first, inaccurate
levels of the concrete footing Impair
tial engineers, he wrote, have meas
ured the column footings and found as
follows: Column footing No. l, is 50
inch lower than column footing No.
6. Column footings Nos. 2 and 4 and 5
are Il inch lower than column foot
steel work to be thrown out Of plumb
and was one Of the main factors in the
falling of the steel. These footings
were approved by the representatives
of the municipal architects ONCE"
The unequal level, Mr.. Todd explained,
caused the steel to lean toward the
east, the direction in which the steel
fell.
Anchor Bolts Too Small
Secondly, Mr.. Todd contends that the
anchor bolts used in the concrete foot
ings to fasten the upright steel columns
were only q Inch in diameter while
part 8, section H, paragraph 4 of the
building regulations" require that such
columns be secured to the foundation
with not less than two Is inch bolts
This was the fault of the municipal
architects Office, Mr.. Todd commended,
because the plans called for smaller
bolts. A further violation of the build
ing code occurred, Mr.. Todd wrote,
when the National Construction Co.,
imbedded the anchor bolts in the con-
crete to such depth that the threaded
portion extended below the surface of
the top Of the steel base plates, there