COLLAPSE OF TEXAS TOWER NO. 4 97 



platform erected. The DeLoiig Corp. was an unsuccessful bidder for 

 the construction of Texas towers 1, 3, and 4. 



We understand that this committee's investigation principally in- 

 volves the tragic collapse of Texas tower No. 4. The DeLong Corp. 

 had nothing to do with the design or erection of this platform, either 

 directly or indirectly. Unfortunately, since the DeLong Corp. is 

 preeminent in this held, there has been considerable confusion in 

 the public mind as to its responsibility, if any. Business concerns, 

 commentators and others, both orally and in writing, have assumed 

 that the DeLong Corp. designed or erected the now collapsed Texas 

 tower No. 4 despite the fact that it was in no way involved. This 

 has created some serious business problems for the DeLong Corp. 



While the DeLong Corp. and its officials will comply fully with 

 the subpenas of this committee, they are gravely concerned that the 

 public may receive the impression from the fact that the committee 

 has required their presence here, that they are in some way responsible 

 for the disaster which occurred in January. 



It is, therefore, respectfully requested that the committee recognize 

 on the record that the DeLong Corp. was not directly or indirectly 

 involved in the design or erection of Texas tower No. 4. 



Senator Stexxis. Well, you have prepared a good statement there. 

 I think that is well for the record. The committee cannot reach any 

 conclusion, of course, until the facts are in. The facts will speak 

 for themselves. 



All right. Mr. DeLong, you have heard the preliminaries here. 

 You understand the situation. You heard the testimony yesterday, 

 did you not ? 



Mr. DeLoxg. Yes. 



Senator Stexnis. I understand you do not have a prepared state- 

 ment. But I am going to ask you to make a general statement now 

 covering all the facts and the developments with reference to any 

 discussions you may have had, conferences you had about the design 

 for Texas tower No. 4, or any other one of these towers. To make it 

 specific, I will just put it this way : Prior to November 1, 1955, did 

 you or your engineer discuss with Captain Albers or with the de- 

 signers and architects, a method of design and construction of Texas 

 tower No. 4 substantially different from the method that was actually 

 foUov/ed; and if you did, give us the outline, fairly briefly, of those 

 discussions and the engineering principles involved. Yve are con- 

 cerned here with the soundness of desigii. 



Mr. DeLoxg. Mr. Chairman, we had some discussions with the 

 design engineers, with the Nav}^, Captain Albers, and they were in the 

 main part handled by our chief engineer, Mr. Suderow. 



DISCUSSIONS ON FEASIBILITT, 19 5 4 



We were called in, in the early stages of 1954, to discuss the feasi- 

 bility, or whether it was possible to build towers such as 



Senator Stennis. Pardon me, now. Mr. Suderow is the gentle- 

 man who passed away ? 



Mr. DeLong. Yes, sir. 



Senator Stennis. All right. 



Mr. DeLong. To build towers in the Atlantic — and we so advised 

 the Navy that we thought it was feasible. Then in the latter part 



