Part 606: The Wonderland Disaster Investigation in Detroit, 1898, second section
While researching the Temple Theatre in Detroit, I encountered an interesting article about an 1898 theater roof collapse. It was published in the “Detroit Free Press.” Here is the second section of the article.
Scott Finishes His Story.
The examination of Arthur Scott was concluded at the morning session. He admitted that he had figured on the strains to the members of the truss, using the Carnegie and Pencoyd tables as far as they applied, and then working out the rest with his own knowledge. On Wednesday, Mr. Scott was asked to figure out the strain on a three-inch channel, used in construction of the truss, but admitted that he could not find any table for it. The prosecution will contend that he could not find the table for the reason that there is none for a three-inch channel, such a size not being recommended for such work, on account of being too small for safety.
Attorney Boyton continued his cross-examination. He showed the witness the different plans of the new Wonderland building, which had been introduced in evidence and asked him to designate the work done by Col. Wood. Mr. Scott admitted that nearly all the drawing had been done by himself, but said that some had been made from rough sketches by Col. Wood. It was shown that the lines drawn by Col. Wood referred mostly to the pitch of the floor lines of vision and seating. The witness was unable to produce any other sketch made by Col. Wood, although he insisted that Col. Wood had made a great many small ones that had been destroyed and it was hard to recall what they were.
“In your direct testimony, you sated that in the balcony and gallery you put in the same weight of material as indicated in the Detroit Opera House plans, so that you practically followed them?”
“Yes; I did not follow them literally. The overhang was smaller than in the other house.”
“How did you compute the strains if the truss?”
“Took them from the analysis of the truss.”
“It is a question of mathematical computation and you did the computing?”
“The truss was already analyzed.”
“Where did you get the type of truss used on the Wonderland building?”
“Took it from Carnegie’s book.”
“Did you take the load for all the members from Carnegie?”
“Not all. Took the channels from Pencoyd, the sizes and weights according to the tables.” Mr. Scott then admitted that he used the Pencoyd tables as far as they applied, and that he then worked out the rent from his own knowledge.
“You did not follow the opera house truss at all?”
“Not in form; only in detail.”
“You followed it because certain details in both trusses happen to conform?”
“Yes.”
“Is there any similarity in assembling the details, it lies in the fact that the Carnegie tables indicated such a similarity?”
“Yes.”
Witness was positive that Col. Wood took the plans of the Wonderland structural steel work out of the office, having seen him do so. Regarding the book in which Col. Wood is alleged to have kept all the weights of the iron and steel work, witness said that Col. Wood has told him that he had worked out the details of weights and would have them whenever it was necessary to make out an estimate to pay for work.
“Did he ever make an estimate to pay for work?”
“He did not. He was not here, I think.”
“Where are the specification that you gave him corrected?”
“The original ones were destroyed, after being corrected. He gave me verbal corrections.”
“It is not a matter of fact that the only suggestion Col. Wood made was regarding the corrugated iron, in connection with the balcony and seating?”
“At that time it was all that he made.”
“Did he ever take the general specifications?”
“Not at that time. He took them the day before they were given out to the contractors.”
Mr. Scott said, in reference to the shop drawings made by the Peninsular Engineering Co., that they had never been formally approved, but that he had examined them as to the measurements sufficiently to satisfy himself that they were made in accordance with his designs.
To be continued…
Many thanks to Richard Archer who discovered a DeMan System of Fireproof Construction book published in 1901. Here is the link: https://books.google.com/books?id=c9o0AQAAMAAJ&pg=RA1-PT44&lpg=RA1-PT44&dq=deMan%20truss&source=bl&ots=Qsznjo39tt&sig=N3SlspWsgAbRm160yzPbhAJ43w4&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiC64i0tdTfAhWEVN8KHUJwCTUQ6AEwC3oECAEQAQ&fbclid=IwAR2GXwH1WhZNzn6ZMyK-tSG4xGPbBTxS9OTPbh7NIKvEG4ARTZRPM0-ZaAM#v=onepage&q&f=false
