120 COLLAPSE OF TEXAS TOWER NO. 4 



Mr. Kendall. The chairman asked this question, Mr. DeLong: Is 

 it not a fact that if that had happened to you, you would have taken 

 that tower back to port for repairs ? 



Mr. DeLoxg. That question I think I answered to the chairman. 



Mr. Kendall. I think you declined to answer it, and I think you 

 have a very definite opinion on it right now. 



Mr. DeLong. I would not know. I do not know what my decision 

 would be; yes, sir. To be perfectly frank, we would probably have 

 a meeting to see what could be done and so forth. To say that I 

 would definitely go back to the harbor, I would be making a state- 

 ment that I do not know the answer to. 



Senator Saltonstall. I value your testimony more when you give 

 that answer than if you had given an answer yes or no. 



Mr. DeLong. Well, Senator, you really do not know. 



Senator Saltonstall. I said I respect all your testimony because 

 you did not answer it. 



Mr. DeLong. Thank you. 



Senator Stexnis. Proceed, Mr. Kendall. 



Mr. Kendall. May I have just a moment ? 



Senator Stennis. Certainly. 



Mr. Kendall. Mr. DeLong, I do not want to belabor this matter, 

 and certainly I do not want to embarrass you. The point was made 

 m my original question, and I can understand that you do not care to 

 say bluntly what you would have done, because you did not face those 

 facts. However, on your other testimony and your knowledge and ex- 

 perience, I very definitely get the impression that you would certainly 

 have leaned toward taking the tower back for repair or rebuilding. 

 Is that correct ? 



Mr. DeLong. Mr. Chairman, you see the problem that would face 

 you at that time. If you went back, you would open what we have 

 referred to as a Pandora's box. You would say, "Well, I had this 

 problem once, will I have it again?" So your natural reaction would 

 be to try to tough it out, stay there and try to repair it and do some- 

 thing with it. If I were committed to this course, that would be my 

 reaction. If I were in this position, I would make every effort to stay 

 there. 



Senator Stennis. That is the next point. As 3'ou have expressed it, 

 having been committed to that course — ^you mean by that the method 

 of erection, I assume ? 



Mr. DeLong. Yes, sir. 



Senator Stennis. In other words, if I understand you correctly, 

 if you had gone back for repaii-s and had continued to follow that 

 method of erection, you could have been confronted with the same 

 problem again? 



Mr. DeIx)NG. That is correct, sir. You might be. You might at 

 that time leave the diagonals off instead of trying to lash them, which 

 is — that decision to lash them is not an unreasonable one, because to 

 take them off, you would have to make another pin connection down 

 there. 



Senator Stennis. If they had taken them off before they upended 

 the tower, they would still have had the problem of putting them on 

 under water ; is that what you mean ? 



Mr. DeLong. They still have the problem of putting the top pin 

 in. That is the pin in here [indicating]. But they evidently made 



