Evening Star Newspaper, February 8, 1922, Page 3

FIRE LEADER THANKS POLICE FOR SERVICES IN THEATER DISASTER George S. Watson, chief of the firé department, has written a let- ter to Inspector Danlel Sullivar, acting superintendent of police, respecting the work at the scene of the Knickerbocker disaster. The letter. reads: T desire 1o express to you and the officers of your department my sincere thanks and appreciation for Your kind assistance rendered to the officers and members of this department, who served at the re- cent Knickerbocker disaster. ‘The excellent assistance which You furnished rendered immeas- urably lighter the onerous duties ‘which we were called upon to per- form. 2 “Delay in_acknowledging your most welcome services has been caused, as you can no doubt realize, . by the work necessary in getting into proper shape the apparatus of the department, which was dam- aged during the recent snowfall DEPEND ON SENATE ORWATER CONDLT Belief That $3,000,000 Item, Omitted From D. C. Bil, Will Be Restored. $20,400,000 IN MEASURE l Adopted by House Without Amend- ment, Though Omission Held Dis- regard of Real Needs. Confidence that the Senate will in- clude in the District appropriation bill which passed the House yesterday without amendment, the item of §; 000,000 included in the budget recom- mendations but omitted by the House committee for building a new conduit from Great Falls to give the seat of government a safe and adequate water supply was expressed during the de- bate in the House yesterday. The District appropriation bill, car- ing $20.400.000 to keep the National Capital a going_concern during the fiscal vear starting July 1 next, was passed by the House without amend- ment. “Ruthlessness” Fmphasized. Friends of the District in the House. especially Representative Fred Zihlman of Maryland and Representa- tvie R. Walton Moore of Virginia, dur- ing debate on the bill, emphasized the ruthlessness and utter disregard for the real needs with which the sub- committee on District appropriations had slashed into the budget bureau recommendations even after the bud- get bureau had cut the District offi- cials’ estimates. ¢ The question of providing a new conduit was one which was most in sisted upon as of immediate impo: tance. In replying to the objecti that only the legislative committee of Congress had passed upon the project, Representative Zihlman reminded his colleagues: “Is it_not a fact that two Secreta- ries of War and the chief of the Corps of Army Engineers and the water- power commission. which is composed of the Secretary of War and the Sec- retary of the Interior and the Sec- retary_ of Commerce, have reported on this proposition, and the present Secretary of War, Mr. Weeks. has in two instances. at least. urged upon ongress the imperative necessity of heginning the construction of this condui they say, practically $10,000,000 to provide & new system we ought not to be left at the end of six years in practically the same condition in which ‘we now are. My suggestion, made to one of the engineers, was to connect the lines of pipe which now carry the water from the McMillan reservoir or filtration beds to the high level with this system, which will_of necessity be connected with the McMillan ervoir by putting in a by-pass around the engine or pump, and in the case of the loss of use of this aqueduct under Rock creek you would get for practical purposes the same amount of water back to the McMillan reservoir that it is now furnishing to the higher levels. The engineer admitted that it might be worked out nicely. The line which propose to run from the Dale- carlia_reservoir is more than suffi- cient to take care of the water con- sumpticn on these fwo levels. You could do the same thing. with refer- ence to the reservoir, by connecting the bottom of the reservoir with the Dipe that pumps the water from the McMillan reservoir to the reservoir in the highest or third level. and by putting a by-pass around that pump, I am informed that before they used the McMillan reservoir there was a system by which this water was car- ried through to what we now know as lower Waghington, or the business portion of Washington, without fil- tration, and that at some place not more than a hundred rods from the end of their line is the old system of distribution. and if you would connect the lize that rtns southeast from the Dalecarlia reservoir with the old tem you then would practically what would give you l;‘gtlc:mturnlsh Jater to all of n . even though you did have difficuity with the tunnel, Diseussion of Det: “When the engineer and the'gentle- man from Virginia (Mr. Moore) and I were considering this question I asked the engineer to fix approxi- mately what would be the cost of this connection from the old Georgetown reservoir down to the old water sys- tem. He gave it at $130,000, and it seems to me that is quite reasonable. Suppose, however, that you make it $500,000: that is but a little over 4 per cent of the cost of your entire system—that is, of the improve- ment—and it-does give you a dual plant. Permit me to say that most water systems have a dual or circu. lating system. For instance, if a line of distributing mains is run up 18th street and another one up 14th street, with vour pumping plant, we will say, at F street, the proper thing to do is to connect” the north end of 18th street with the north end of 14th street, so that you have circulation in your system. It furnishes an addi- tional advantage. If you should have a break in vour system halfway up 18th street, you have only to shut off the short part of the system in which the break is located, and you can feed from 14th street around to the north Letter Put in Record. Representative Moore put into the record a letter from Maj. Gen. Lan- sing {H. Beach, chief of engineers, whicp he said “points to the pr amendment whic] manner interfere with the fu- : decision_of the question raised Y the committee as'to how the water sathered in the proposed new fiitra- tion plant at the District line shall be_distributed “The view expressed by the com- mittee relative to the _distribution feature of the Tyler project.” Repre- sentative Moore pointed out, “differs from the view of the engineers of the War Department. and the question as to which is_the correct view and the view which sflould receive the approval of Congress can hereafter be determined without much difficulty. Meanwhile the confessedly’ necessary construc- tion of a new conduit from the Great Falls to the District line and the con- struction of a new filtration plant at the District line can be rapidly car- ried on if the bill finally includes an appropriation confined to that portion of the project.” View of Repre: Representative ‘Evans of Nebraska, 2 member of the subcommittee that framed the appropriation bill. discuss- ed the new conduit proposal at con- siderable length. He did not criticize ngineers' plan as submitted, but indicated that it “was not finished with sufficient detail.” Representative Evans emphasized that there is need for additional conduit facilities and south end of 18th street. “It does not seem to me to be the proper thing to spend over $9,000,000 and then have your the course of ten or f. will be where y: g In talking ‘with the engineers it was suggested that it would be much harder to repair the conduit from Great Falls down to the District line than it would be to repair the line from Georgetown reservoir to the McMillan reservoir. I cannot conceive how that can be. - “In the one case you have to put everything up and down shafts and in the other there are many gates or ways of getting into the conduit at various places from the dam down to the reservoir. “Another reason why I think there ought to be hearings on this matter is_that these estimates were w’ 2n things were quite high. hav your report practically made in 1920, ‘and if we ‘would go into am stigation into this~ system by hearings had by the proper legisla- tive committee and examine the vari ous plans I think it would be very much better. Now, these were the reasons we had in mind besides that of the point of order when deciding as we did with reference to this appropriation. “The legislative committee wught to take it up and consider it both as to costs and also as to efficiency. The estimates in detail with the plans ought to be examined so that when you come to fix the authoriza- tion you will be within the limit.” Extract Bearing on That Representative antagonistic to the buil new conduit. but agrees { should be built. is shown by the fol. part: 5 owing extract from the debate: if we are going to spend, as! “Mr. Moore of Virginia—As I un- SPECIAL NOTICES. SPECIAL NOTIC] ATFREDO NAPOLITANG, WATOHMAKE] Jeweler and engraver. from Bems & WiitnER: |1 HEREBY GIVE NOTICE THAT I WILL any ove but myeelf. 2 A CONSOLIDATED CAR FOR_HOUSEHOLD RI,E’“G. 4014 7th st. n.w. 10" xoods for_California about- Febr t Fedured raten wnd mulck. service Hecooity | WANTED—A VANLOAD OF FURNITURE Storage Company. 1140 15th st. from New York ity Feb. 11, 15, 23 and 27th. THB BIG 4 TRANSFER CQ, Inc., 1125 14th Asbestos Roofing Cement |s:--n.w. Main 215. Cements leaks, preserves and keeps any kind [ THE CARPETS AND RUGS IN STORAGE, of will apply same and guarantee the property of the followl be i sold on our premises Febi 3 at 10 o'clock a.m.. to pay uniess called conduit from Great Falls to the District tine. He did not dispute the need for a new filteation plant at the District line. He did not propose a system of distribu- tion from that new filtration plant which differs from the plan proposed by the Army engincers. Former Republican Leader James Mann of Illinois and Representa- tive Moore, in ques:loning Repre- sentative Evans, brought out that there is no disputing the fact that while there is difference of opinion re- garding the method of distribution, there is no disputing the need for the new conduit. Representative Moore, in letters to Gen. Beach, proposed that the construction of the new conduit should be started, leaving the disputed auestion of distribution for later set- tlement. and Gen. Beach indorsed this proposal. It also was put into the record that $2,000,000 was all that the Army engineers estimated would be required for this work during the next | e You In his speech Representative Evans said, in part: “Now, eppa u Taylor, Mra. H. T. Topiey. Mrs. E. M. Wilson. ALBERT KAHLEBT & CO. 362 B st sw. 33 J. F. TOMPKINS. 528 21st of. n.w. _11% | oNE MINUTE'S THOUG] - ‘WANTED—-TO BRING A VANLOAD OF FUR- | yon that you should be ?.T WILL: C?flnmc= ;' the froi Ne York and 35'{?5-: T“BAN;;& oA'ND 'BTORT&‘;‘E 3 b LD;I-Q Building Asseciation, Penna. ave. ROOF L G W AL Y Ol e QUICK SERVICE—CALL | St iesttt Sumton. Trous. Residence. Lincoln 2908. _Col. 7845, VLA, ..’Enn ANOa N ‘WORCH, 1110 G n.w. Kranich & Bach erson pianos. - 2 and Em¢ Shop -Rialto Gift Adjoining Rialto Theater, has dainty, rticles in needlecraft. Greeting cards. framed motto pictures, film developing and printing, odg 1011 E Street N.W. end of 18th street and also up the|d ¢T; | under such Department engineers” findings an important structure, the o % o\ listed as follows Columbia road. truss at the wall, Inadequate bearings of be bearing plates. sideratoin is given to the skew angles.) bearing plates on edges of tiles. Insufficient anchorage of st Roof slab was too thin far sufficient steel reinforcement. | stiffened for bearing. ! Absence of bracing betwee at ends of main truss. No stiffness in connection ¢ insufficient bolts at truss conne main column shows evidence o explained as grinding flat.) Reinforcing steel in roof s | of concrete slabs. | Heavy load of 9% inches o of drainage ridge. 1 Defective detailing as wit | All tile not hard -burned : lumbia road wall. units of the wall were not boun | The disaster was evidently probably have been localized. A supplementary report clusions above, Summary of Engineers’ Findings In Knitkerbocker Theater Probe Following is the official summary of the Army and Navy inquiry presented yesterday afternoon to the coroner’s jury: There are evidences of work of an inferior grade for such Use of tile walls to carry heavy concentrated loads. Unusual height and length of unsupported tile wall on column with knee brace or pilasters under the main This is particularly important when con- setting the beams on slanting angle instead of at right Absence of concrete fill in tile ut beam bearings, avith wall Absence of restraint at sides of roof slabs. | Ceiling load concentrated in center of roof slab. | Short bearing of main truss on lintel and truss Use of bolts instead of rivets on all field connections, and Column top ‘and splices not milled. ! take negative bending over supports. 2 i No evidence of increase of reinforcement in end panels | Loads of ventilating equipment where cinder fill occured, and absence of- special bracing to take vibration. for chord and end post cover plates. plates were not added to the truss and walls, notably at top of Columbia road wall. | Insufficient bonding between front and back tile in Co- | (This means that the outside and inside to sufficiently provide for the unusual conditions e the juncture of curved Columbia road wall to the stage wall. Had, however, the remaiming part of the construction been of a high grade and well braced, failure at point of origin would photographs, sketches and other data in support of the con- in the Xnickerbocker Theater st important of which may be ams on tile wall, with small bearings. (The latter means eel to walls. : ] span and loading and had in- end not n steel members, particularly bf main truss to column. 5 ' ctions. The clip at top of (Milled was f truss rubbing. lab not raised over beams to Al f cinder concrete fill at center nessed by absence of splices | (This means sufficient ) and some have nt webs d together by concrete.) | a direct result of the failure ting at will be submitted covering D. C. BUILDING RULES DO NOT - 'ACCOUNT FOR QUALITY OF MATERIAL (Continued from First Page.) according to plans?” asked Maj. Gor- o} 0. Of course, it is assumed that it was proceeding according to plans if there was no comment.” witness re- plied. A “Novem vey of walls O.K. laying south wali. ‘ovember 26, 1916, under concrete base dimensions” (pause then), “I can't make that out. There is some comment,” witness said. “Is that signed Curtis?” Maj. Gor- don asked. “Yes, sir.’ - November 27, 1916, on. “concrete base dimensions per plans, putting in footings. Notified foreman that if steps were not taken at once to motlfy office of a change in plan, work would be stopped. November 28, 1916—Building south wall; putting in footings. ‘Building south wall; O. K. part. Walls Agaln 0. K'd in Part. “December - 1, - 1916-—Resurvey of walls, 0. K. in part. Bricklaying 0. K. Five per cent completion of construction. “December 4, 1916—Resurvey of walls, 0. K., in'part. - “December- 6, 1916—Same report, except percentage on construction. 15 per cent completed.” 'Maj. Gordon directed then that witness pass over the routine re- ports and put in only any comment. However, he was required to put in the record each report by date. December 16, the witness said, the ————————————————— derstand, the gentleman is of opinion that it is necessary to provide an, additional water supply, and that construction of the facilities ought to be carricd on as rapidly as it can be carried on? . % “Mr. Evans—That is. my opinion, and I think the facts that I have enumerated would suggest that. “Mr. Moore—In the gentleman said in answer to a question from the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Mann), I understand that the gentleman thinks that this mat- ter of determining the method of dis- tribution to the east of the District line. need not delay the construction of the new conduit from the Great Falls to the District line and the con- struction of the new filtration plant at the District line? = “Mr. Evans—I do not think it will delay it at all. I may say, in further answer to the question, I think this ought to be done; that before the money is appropriated, or before the appropriation is made for the con: struction of the eonduit and the fi tration plant, there ought to be hear- ings to which I have alluded, and they ought to fix with reasonable accuracy just whatthe cost is going to be, and provisiops. ought to be made which would insure the proper.construction within a proper limit of cost and terms as ‘would insure the government against loss. ‘Mr. Moore—Assuming the construc- tion.of the new conduit and filtration plant at the District line will cost approximately $5,000,000, ~does the gentleman _think it would. be inex- pedient before this bill is finally e Zcted to amend it by making an ap= propriation of, say $2,000,000, which ber 24. 1916, reports resur- south wall; brick- witness read in dition _to what | g report contained the statement, “See Mr. Wagner. Not in. The reports indicated that Inspector Curtis made daily reports during De- cember and January. skipping then until February Then periods then spaces of a few d he didn’t go there. Reports in the latter part of Febru- ary. 1917, showed the resurvey of daily inspections, each when walls “0.'K.” During March the re- ports showed tile laying was in prog- ress, and, the reports show, during this period “bearings and connections Reports “Merely Routine.” For the most part the reports are merely routine statements, showing what “work was being done on the building, with no statements as to condition. April 16—The report showed: “Bear- ing and connections, O. K. Beams, O. K.” indicating the steel work was then in progress. May 4th report showed another ap- proval of bearings .and connections. May 10th report showed assembling of steel for roof framing began, and May 16, erection of steel roof beams. May 22, pouring of the concrete on the roof began, the reports said. Reof Reported Secured. ‘The roof was reported approved and “secured” May 30. Subsequent reports made similar statements. ““What does roof secured mean?” asked Maj. Gordon. “Well, I suppose he means the roof is safe,” witness answered. Approval also was made of the height of the building, fireproofing, éte. On_June 27 the plastering received an O. K. and ‘again on June 29 the plastering was approved. The witness continued reading the reports by date for nearly an hour, putting in statements only where other than those of routine character were made. July 24. the report said: “To see Mr. Wagner in re projec- tions,—not in.” It contained a further statement as ows: . “Mr. Soott (of Wagner) in re apply- ing for permit for ‘projections not covered by existing permit. Will at- tend to at once.” 4 !ie,tl Reports Lacking. Maj. Gordon asked the witness to look through the reports and see if ny of them refer to inspection of the steel work. He pointed out that there was only one reference to the steel work; that on May 24, and that show- ed assembling. Witness said he would do it before adjournment today. Mr. Richie was still on the stand when the coroner at 1 o'clock or- dered a recess until 2 o'clock this afternoon. % —_—_— COMMISSIONERS PRAISE FIRE CHIEF AND HIS MEN ‘Adopt Resolution Commending Efficient Work of Rescue at !nickgrboeker Collapse. resolution A commending Fire STARTINSPECTION . OF D. C. THEATER |Experts Chosen to Examine Buildings Work First -at Legitimate Houses. Taking the legitimate playhouses first, the committee of experts ap- pointed by the Commissioners today began the task of inspecting all places of public assembly in the city. The committee is composed of Maj. John C. Gotwals, Corps of Engineers. U. S. A.; Edward Donn, jr.. architect; Charles H. Tompkins, bullder; Lester {G. Wilson, engineer, and Arthur L. Smith, contractor. These men started out this morn- ing and will make the most complete physical inspection possible of all of Washington's theaters. Today they are visiting the structures in which the spoken drama is presented. * Redraft Building Code. As announced first in The Star a week ago, the building inspector’ office is now engaged in redrafting the entire code of building regula- tions to bring them up to date, strik- ing out obsolete sections and insert- ing new ones. tovk ofice and thought building code. 5 The Star also called mttention la; week the fact that the building department of the District govern- ent, with five inadequately pal fleld 'inspectors, is not equipped to glive proper supervision to all of the nstruction work going on at .on time in Wi which covers an area of six 5. When the Commissioners again con- sider estimates to Congress they are expected to endeavor to obtain larger appropriation, so that inore inspectors at better salaries may be employed. Cammissioner Oyster's Views. Commissioner Oyster, although not ectly in charge of the enginger lepartment. was outspoken in his be- lief that there should be more in- spectors and higher salaries in the building office. 1t became known at the District building today that in future the plans for all large buildings will be referred to the Engineer Commission- or for approval before a permit is issued. Heretofore reference of plans to the Zngineer Commissioner has been made »nly when there was some question as to how the plans fitted in with the building code. —_— EMPHASIZES PLAN OF STANDARDIZING FEDERAL SALARIES tinued from First Page.) salary to offset changes in the cost of living. The entrance salaries for new employes should always bear a very close relationship to the precise re- quirements of the service and com- pensation in private enterprise. Provides for Control “The principal merit of the pro- posed legislation is that it provides a simple legislative and administra- tive system whereby the salary levels for the government seryice may be reviewed and controlled. ‘It proposes to do away with the practice of con- sidering. or possibly more accurately failing to consider, each vear the aries of thousands of different po tions. unclassified and ungraded so far as duties and responsibilities are concerned. It proposes to substitute 2 compensation schedule of services and grades that when conipleted for the fleld services will probably not be more than forty pages in length in bill form and which can be re viewed by the Congress and its com mittees in a fraction of the time now required for an adequate review of i the salaries of individual positions. It further proposes to require the classifying agency to maintain in jco-operation with the department heads the _closest relationship be- tween the detailed duties of the pos tlons and_the controlling schedule fixed by Congresw, and it makes i jthe duty of the bureau of budg consider what rates of pay. consistent with efficiency and economy in the government service and the mainte- nance of a reasonable standard of living, should be paid to the civilian cmployes of the "government.” and “to make a study of the rates of jcompensation provided in this act for i the various services and grades, with la view to any readjustments deemed by said bureau to just and rea sonable.” The_establishment of a system for an adequate review of governmen salaries and for a real control ,of ex penditures for services, with duie re- gard to the duties and responsibilities of the positions, is one of the funda- mental reforms required to put the operations of the government on a business basis. 1t has the indorse- ment of impartial students of govern- ment administration, of many busl- ness _organizations. including the Chamber of Commerce of the United States, of progressive administrators in the federal service and of the great body. of employes. Price Trend Uupredicted. Thé committee has not felt called upon to predict the probable future course of prices and the cost of living in recommending the salary rates pro- posed in the bill. Some people pre- dict a continued gradual- decline in prices, and others, including Prof. Irving Fisher, believe that after the present depression prices will. ad vance again to high levels, although not 8o high as were reached follow- ing the armistice, and that after that 2 slow decline will begin. Prof. Fisher predicted to your com- mittee that this country would not re- turn to the pre-war level of prices at least for many years. As the situa- tion appeared to the committee, it did not require a prediction of the-future course of prices, but the establishment of a system which would permit of adjustment to meet serious changes in the general level of prices and the fixing of a level of salaries for the present that fairly meets present con- ditions. ‘The report gives the committee's reasons for placing under the Civil Service Commission the work of re- < Then 4] t|as well as those in the District of Co- 21 IMPORTANT DEFECTS FOUND IN PROBE OF THEATER CRASH 1 Col. Kelly Says ‘Failqre to Tie Columbia Road Wall Allowed Creeping. Unseat- ing Beam and Bringing Collapse. | SureRelief FOR INDIGESTION W\ A BELINSY DIGESTION DELL-ANS 25¢ ond 75¢ Pockafes Everyubere Read All the LATEST FICTION For zsc Per Book PEARLMAN’S BOOK SHOP D. PEARLMAN, Proprietor 933 G Street Only “SUPER- SPECIALS” —What does it mean? Turn over to page 17 this min- ute and look in the upper right-hand _corner of our ad- “verlisement. reached by a study of the the bearing of B-21. Below this wall plate there was lighter tile than in any other portion of the building. and there was no concrete fillins in _this tile, which_was shown to have heen crushed. The decrease in (h- seat- ing of B-21 was also caused by tie deflection of the trusses censive changes, h Relnforcing Found Fai The board also found the method of reinfore crete. Graphically, on Col. Kelly showed that the wire re inforcement was not made to “dip” between the spans. This fact caused | cracks in the concrete. over the beams. when a sag occurred between the beams for any reason. This dif- ficulty is overcome in a properly con- structed building by carrying the re- nforcing Wwire to a point over the beam where a crack would occur, he said \ The estimated load on the roof at the time of the collapse was given ,000 pounds to' the square foot, against 16,000 pounds assumed that would bear under most favorable con- | ditions. The snow 1, ing of the collapse nated by the board as twelve pounds per square | oot. H The heam With the preciseness of a military strategist detailing the plan for the annihilation of an enemy, Col.” W liam Kelly yesterday, with curt.de- liberateness, unfolded before the cor- oner's jury Investigating the Knick- erbocker disaster the cause of the catastrophe. . And then he left with the spectators | the felling that some people erred n faet, he told them so. “When he i detailed “'twenty-one important” de- fects in the building, ax he read each one he paused, while the spectators | had an opportunity to digest each one, and when he concluded by r marking that.it was “evidently a di- | rect result of the failure sufficiently |to provide for the unusual condi- tions existing at the juncture of the curved Columbia road and stage | walls” a look of awe passed through the board room. weuring four gold icating 1wo | ith the American { during the | a4 plan_detailed the | ions of the di qu i world technic war, by ) explin following | Peyton Gordon, Uni trict attorney, he interpreted {into the language of a layman. | simple that any one not trained in building. or with no knowledge of the technical terms of trussex, Leams, | channels, lintels, hard-hurned, tile, | bonding. ete.. could understand them. | Findings of Board. | 1t was not the opinion of Col. Kelly that was being presented to the jury, hut the findings of fact as a result of study and mathematical deduc- tions of the plans and physi laminations of the ruins by a b iservice civilian exper dition to Col. Kelly, there | mander G.” A. , Civil ° United s which fell second. them i Col. Kelly, could not have been mor. o | than three inches on the seating plate at the time it came off, he said. Col. | Kelly also told the jury that there vere evidences that there was an initial bend” on the main truss be- fore it fell to the floor. The failure was progressive from the northwest corner, toward the south. The main truss, he explained, rested on a long eight-inch column running through the balcony. He pointed out that this importunt column hud no 5. BavnHonsCo " | Wassingioo DE. | e board :1:«:':;;:‘1(;7: e o | R UR Specialtie \‘ibrqliun as a cause, faying it was not possible without developing noticea- | ble cracks in the wall. The board also of , Corps gave consideratio) i intil « 4 s n to th s — v’;:::: A\r:i\(,\l. l,;‘,:r.u‘flh:;.\, varis and |¢Olapse at other points, b‘;umxx;e n?i‘rfi g"""f:f i {eering aid hureau of vards andlom the wall clearly indicate that the 1 e ) .~ Navy Department, 3 | falling was progressive and due to —Upholstering Michaelson, designing bureau of vards and dock: engineer, count on the failure of beam B. high-class workmanship. Arthur B. Le B. Mesne; a draughts- | Col. Kelly told the jury that the| i o 25 . failure started at the junction of the | npjy o orp 4y ment. vrob- | Geo, Plitt Co., Inc., 3w 524 « 4 : ¥ . 224- Columbia road and This was a point to the left of the stage. Eye-witnesses to the first break had testified that that was the point where the first crack w stage walls. Was not much interested in the pic- ture which was being shown at the | Knickerbocker the night of the crash Mr. Mesney testified yesterday after- noon that, heing littie interested in{ the story that was being unfolded rm| { i 7z LI Constant Colds noticed. Col. Kelly then told the jury that} had the construction of the roof been proper and in accordance with sound engineering practices. the failure of this beam would only have been local, and the entire roof would not have come dow | He explained that the trusses were not properly built to withstand tfe stresses put on them. The braces, ! which were supposed to take up the strain throughout the truss, were | merely “stiffeners,” and there were not the necessary tie plates to throw any local strain throughout the truss. Pictures Ald Explanation. When some particularly technical nt was explained from the plans, Kelly would produce pictur which would show graphically just what he meant, in a clear and con- cise manner. When the beam to the Columbia road wall failed, it came slowly, he said, according to indications, and this in turn let down the whole roof structure. & bolts which to the trusses. o ular fault with the failure to “tie” the Columbia road and the stage walls. The successive changes of temperature during the five. years which the building stood, he gaid, had caused expansion of the Columbia road wall outward. When it expanded the absence of a tie made it_difficult for it to come back. i This _expansion, he said, was not more than three-quarters of an inch. If it had been greater it would have been noticeable by cracks in the Co- lumbia road wall. He explained that |Jf - the circular construction ©f tho Co- lumbja road wall alone made it d ficult to come back after periods of | expansion. It was this expansion | which decreased the wall bearing of beam B-21, the unseating of which was blamed for the entire roof col-i lapse. This conclusion, he said, wa e e the screen, his attention was attract- €d to the ceiling. He was fascinated, he said, by the design of the ceiling. uddenly. he said, he noticed a crack n the ceiling abour the width of inger. Thix was followed by a sh g noise. When the noise became au- dible, he said, he decided it was time | to get,” and he started for the exit. which was only a few feet away. He reached the lobby just before the main | roof fell. i The first witness yesterday after- noon was Charles Nash, a carpenter, of 3103 P street, who helped rescue the ims. | = Coroner Nevitt asked Nash if he no- ticed anything at the theater that he | feit competent to pass upon. He replied he saw sore things he did not like, mentioning the fact that steel supports for the roof rested on hollow-tile wall. The coroner's jury, on whom rests the responsibility of determining the cause of the accident and to fix the blame, if any, is composed of M. A Winter, C. J. Gilbert, R. C. Brown, W W. Riley, M. W. Kelly and H. D. F Long. nt colds imperil health, and in most cases traced to poorly heated homes. A xafe. steady, ~oothing heat ean be main- tained thru the . weverest weather if HOT-WATER eat or VAPOR System ix used. 1 Our special repair de- rtment is at your i diate wervice for emergencs calls. Biggs HEATING Co “Found Reliable for Over Thirty Years W. H. Gottlieb, H. E. Huntsberry. Vice Pres. Pres. 917 H Street N.W. Phone Main 4886 PR, . o NEW -AND ENLARGED SCHOOL BUILDING 721 Thirteenth St. N.W. (BETWEEN G AND H STS.)~ SUPERIOR EQUIPMENT MAGNIFICENT CLASSROOMS APPROVED BUSINESS COURSES POSITIONS FOR GRADUATES New Classes Now Forming In Stenography, Typewriting, Bookkeeping, Secretarial Training Day and Evening Sessions Phone Main 3430 P. J. HARMAN, Principal the fleld employes of the government, The Senate committee has amended the House bill so that no salaries of employes shall be decreased. In re- gard to this matter the report says “In the rules for fixing an em- ploye’s salary in accordance with the compensation schedules the House provided ‘If the employe is receiving compensation in excess of the range of salary prescribed for the appro- priate grade the compensation shall be reduced to the rate within the grade nearest the present compensa- tiontion’ In the abstract this pro- vision has much to commend it, but the wisdom of inserting so drastic and far-reaching a provision is, to say the least, doubtful and much | narm may arise from it. I C. C. Fears Resignations. The Interstate Commerce Comm: sion has written that the inclusion of such a provision would require it to reduce the compensation of some of its very best men who are in po- sitions of very great responsibil and who are receiving less than is paid by the railroads and other pri: vate enterprises for corresponding work. It might even result in the resignation of these men. They are now paid from lump-sum appropria- tions and their present salaries are not specifically authorized by law, al- though they have regularly been re- ported to the appropriations commit- | tees. z “Other agencies in direct compeu-l tion with outside organizations are raying salaries higher than those carried in this measure, and probably will have to continue to pay them. The - reclassification measure cannot make such high salaries the rule, but it does not seem like sound practical administration blindly to prohibit them as exceptions or to wipe them out pending formal authorization and approval by Congress. ““The.specialists in salary standard- ization who worked with the re- classification - commission and ap- peared before the committees have been unanimous in their recommenda- tions against reducing those who are above grade to grade, even in Cases where the employe is actually over- paid for his work. Reductions of this A Business Asset \ 'HEN you open a Checking Account ‘with the Riggs National Bank you check drawn on an institution old and well acquire a valuable asset, for a hemstitchi pecoting and plaiting. Mittha Washington candy. o8 Ve cary W. H. TURBERVILLE Formerly of Turberville & Harding viewing the allocations of the govern- | nature, they point out, are harsh and ment emploves, instead of the bureau |in some cases are likely to result in of the budget, and also for caring fo: | suffering and hardship. known not only serves as a medium of ex- change—it also conveys to those with whom you deal an impression of strength and stability, adding dignity and prestige to your business. X “Riggs" Service aids you to get maxr mum benefit from the financial transac- tions ‘incident ‘to your business or your private life. The Accounts of Individuals, Firms and Ts about all that ccould be spent up|Chief George Watson and his men | to ‘the expiration of the fiscal year|for the prompt and efficient manner {1923, to_be expended altogether inyin which they began the work of res- Ground Floor. Bookbindin, H | the construction or toward the con-l cue when the Knickerbocker col- has not advanced in price and mow fs the time to have it done. Bring ur old nd have them bound. )y H w A i G;‘;f{o;:‘ & Son, w;.-‘n.‘u‘-‘-.: lrust | 1719, a.fi% slgg?lltfns; 9407, av-::t;u Roofing Exverts 35 Years.” |- Good Printing: _ ‘When you want-it. If it's service you waat —Doors, Sash, Blinds and|*&iéa eraps BUT NoT irmet . Ofes, Millwork by turningt o] THE SERVICE SHOP o |58 Fet he o S oo ~divct 'y ; account our Low Prices. |BYRON S."ADAMS, FRuvrTans, el S o Geo, M. Barker Co., Inc. |Specially Equipped | __Births Reported. struction of a new conduit to and the | jJapsed was adopted by the Commis- construction of a flltration plant at)sionera in board session today. The the District-line, assuming. that such| resolution was offered by Commis- amendment could be drawn in proper | sioner Oyster and reads: 2 terms? “The Commissioners of the District | Where there is a “Mr. Evans=T think it is a wise | qommend George 5. Watson, chief en- & hing 1097, gy de ik ipumucce el o) persistent cough or general run-down and the men under his command on condition, there Havans—Atlantic Coast Line. «Ha- the occasion of the collapse of the Knickerbocker Theater on the even- ing of January 38, 1923 “The promptitude with whiclk- he arrived at the scene.of the disaster and the expcutive ability displayed 849651 N. Y. ave.: veorh il The following births- have been reported tof DY him in ing command of the % = = . The Shade Shop <dition preinting. the haaith department in the last twenty-four oy - eithieimascnolof 9 . Corporations Are Cordrally Invited. dead will be admitted’ by all who W. STOKDS SAMMONS. 830 13th St. ™% The et Window Shades Made to Order in Our Factory CEAREIN NYE SYESIAEL. Roof Need Attention? “Bad Weather ' - look it over and tell what is | Plays havoc with the average roof—look for acasd owhat the cost will e, Our work | lesks, then call us. Erei it ¥ | g K FERGUSON, Inc. were esent at this dread catas- trophe and the record of this signal achievement will always be a monu- ment to him and a credit to the gov- ernment of the District of Columbig which he so ably represents. -FOUR DIE IN FIRE.- NTREAL, February 8—Mrs. An:(ncmnl and l:orr u:r):o children today were burned to death when fire destroyed thelz home. ip. the-east end, Capital Press Dot nw. " % RIGGS NATIONAL BANK " OF WASHINGTON D.C. Ch ~ md Viols Parker, boy. srence > Imanza 8. T Lindss: De Gra: Emulsion worry with leaks? Cail us up.