COLLAPSE OF TEXAS TOWER NO. 4 89 



Captain Albers. I think it was a warning that something was re- 

 quired to be done. 



Senator Jackson. Well, then, was it prudent to keep these men out 

 there when the warnings started to come in, in 1958, 1 believe? There 

 were complaints sent by operating personnel in July 1958, of consid- 

 erable platform motion on Texas tower No. 4. 



You know, we are just trying to be fair and judicial and to get 

 the facts. There are two problems to this, Captain, that are evi- 

 dent to me. It does not take very long to see what is involved here. 



One: Was due care exercised in providing the proper design, fol- 

 lowed with proper construction ? That is the first. 



Secondly, when things started to happen, was due care and pru- 

 dence exercised by those responsible for keeping persoimel on this 

 tower, even though certain known facts existed regarding the credi- 

 bility of the structure ? This is the whole case. 



Captain Albers. From what I know of the case, up through Donna, 

 I would say that due prudence was exercised ; yes, sir. 



Senator Jackson. After Hurricane Donna hit, was due care and 

 prudence exercised by keeping operating personnel — not maintenance 

 but operating personnel on the tower ? 



As Senator Stennis, the chairman, pointed out, this is a hypo- 

 thetical question. It is also based on fact. 



Captain Albers. I went aboard Texas tower No. 2 when we were 

 building it, with Colonel DeLong, who is sitting out there. We went 

 aboard from a cutter because a hurricane v/as coming and we did not 

 have the tower embedded in the ground at all. We went aboard vol- 

 untarily and stayed there and tried to get that tower down. I think 

 we are faced with such a situation here. They kept only the people 

 aboard who were necessary for the repairs. 



Senator Jackson. You say that you went on tower No. 4 ? 



Captain Albers. Tower No. 2. 



Senator Jackson. I am talking about tower No. 4. 



Captain Albers. It was tower No. 2 that I went aboard in the face 

 of the hurricane, and I knew that if that hurricane hit, the tower 

 would not stand up. 



Senator Jackson. I understand that. But in your judgment, was 

 due care and prudence exercised by keeping the operating personnel 

 on tower No. 4 after Hurricane Donna ? 



Captain Albers. They needed sufficient personnel to make water, 

 to make steam, to make electricity and things of that nature and I 

 believe they cut the crew down to just that crew. 



Senator Jackson. Well, I thought they had the full crew out 

 there. 



Captain Albers. No ; as I understand it, they reduced it to 14 men, 

 which is probably the minimum that can operate the boilers, the evap- 

 orators, the galley, and things of that nature. 



Senator Jackson. Well, I stand corrected. 



Senator Stennis. They reduced it in the latter part of November, 

 Senator Jackson. 



Do you have something further ? 



Senator Jackson. No. That is all. 



Senator Stennis. Just one further matter here. 



