THE BOAT HOUSE ACCIDENT.

We present below the most important parts of the report made to President Eliot on the boat house accident by Mr. F. B. Knapp, superintendent of buildings.

CAMBRIDGE, MASS., Oct. 22, 1883. PRESIDENT C. W. ELIOT,Dear Sir: This morning I went to the boat house to find out what I could of the cause of the accident. The faults which helped to cause the accident were:

1. Faulty construction: not having the summer, which had to carry the bulk of the load, rest firmly on the pile; not fastening the pile to the other parts of the structure, and not sinking the pile firmly into the gravel.

2. Faulty repairs: putting the diagonal support in such a way that any pressure on it tended to push the pile out from under the stringers. This could have been remedied by fastening the support rigidly to the pile by bolts or straps of iron, or by fastening the pile directly to the summer.

3. Decay of parts, due to action of weather on unpainted stock, especially of the pin and surrounding wood which fastened the summer to the stringer.

4. Washing away of material from around the pile.

I believe that if any of these faults had not existed, it would have taken a much greater weight to cause an accident; and hence that they are each in part responsible, and that no one can be alone said to be the cause.

The joint north of the broken one was very badly crushed and wrenched, and lacked very little of coming down also, bringing with it another fifth of the lower platform and the remaining third of the upper one.

My opinion is that the weight on the diagonal support pushed out the pile, separated the stringer and summer, tearing off the small piece of stringer which rested directly on top of the pile, and so brought down the other parts.

A careful investigation of the joint before the accident would probably have shown the faulty construction and repairs, and the washing away of the mud, but not the decay inside of joint or the shortness of pile in the gravel. My attention had never been called to the condition of the supports to the platform, and I repeatedly asked if there was anything more which required attention.

I have always considered that the boat houses were in possession of the boat club, and that it would notify me of needed repairs. This is exemplified by the fact that the boat club holds the only keys to the main locks of the buildings, and I was last summer unable to let my workmen in, or get in to see to the work without having the janitor unlock the doors. He is employed by the club and not by the college.

Yours truly,

F. B. KNAPP,Supt. Buildings.