82 COLLAPSE OF TEXAS TOWER NO. 4 



Senator Stennis. Well, I do not want to get beyond bounds now, 

 but it appears to me that you are eminently qualified to have an 

 opinion on that. If you would rather not, all right. 



But you do say flatly that something should have been done ? 



Captain Albers. When it was found that it was sliding and slipping, 

 yes, sir. 



Senator Stennis. And something of a substantial nature should 

 have been done, not just a little adjustment of some kind to remedy 

 that defect? 



Captain Albers. To keep it from moving, yes, sir. 



Senator Stennis. Now, was that done ? 



Captain Albers. I am told that they changed the type of bolts, and 

 put one in there and secured it. 



Senator Stennis. What was done, if you are able to tell me that? 



Captain Alberg. They put in a T-bolt, inside of the Dardelet bolts, 

 we used in the design. 



Senator Stennis. Now, did the T-bolt hold ? 



Captain Albers. To the best of my knowledge, yes, sir. 



Senator Stennis. Did they really get the T-bolts in there and 

 finish the job, or was that just an effort which was never completed? 



Captain Albers. As far as I know, that sleeve was complete. 



Senator Stennis. You have not made any specific inquiry about 

 that ; is that correct ? I know you were not there and you have no 

 actual knowledge. 



Captain Albers. No, sir. I have not inquired as to what further 

 was done. 



Senator Stennis. According to your information — we just want 

 your opinion on these matters — what was the next thing that 

 happened ? 



Give us information about the motion of the tower and other major 

 defects according to your information. 



MOTION or tower decreases 



Captain Albers. I believe that upon the completion of this sleeve, 

 the motion of the tower decreased perceptibly. 



Senator Stennis. Upon the completion of the second sleeve job ? 



Captain Albers. Yes, sir. 



Senator Stennis. "Wliat was the next thing that happened between 

 that time and Hurricane Donna ? "^^^lat malfunction occurred ? 



Captain Albers. As I understand it, due to the slippage and the 

 movement of this sleeve, some of the pins and some of the braces were 

 worn on the A-B side of the tower. They still had motion and I am 

 told that that is when they installed these braces up here. 



Senator Stennis. That is the above-water X-bracing which is above 

 the brace where there had been difficulty with the bolts ? 



Captain Albers. That is correct, sir. The bolts at this level. 



Senator Stennis. So that when the original trouble started with 

 the breaking off of these braces, in erecting the tower, that led to a 

 repair and that repair was not effective and that led to another one. 

 In that process, long before Hurricane Donna, there was gradual 

 deterioration; is that not correct? 



Captain Albers. There were continued difficulties on the A-B side, 

 yes, sir. 



