COLLAPSE OF TEXAS TOWER NO. 4 121 



the decision, and I would not say we would not make the same de- 

 cision. But if we had made it, we would have had the problem of say- 

 ing, "Boys, we wish we had taken it off, because we had the other 

 connection to make." Since you had to make the connection anyway, 

 it would be one more. 



Senator Stennis. By that line of reasoning, this problem goes back 

 to the method selected in getting the tower in place ? 



Mr. DeIvONG. Well, Mr. Chairman, we just disagreed with the 

 method. 



KUSS METHOD OF ERECTING CREATED PROBLEMS 



Senator Stennis. Well, it is a fair statement, is it not, to say that 

 this trouble actually goes back to the metliod selected in putting this 

 tower into position ? 



That is the way it looks to me, as a layman, based on the testimony 

 that I have heard here. As I understand your concept of this thing, 

 that was the wrong method by which to erect it, and the facts have 

 certainly proved that something was seriously wrong. 



Mr. DeLong. Mr. Chairman, under our method we would not have 

 faced these problems. 



Senator Stennis. I know you would not. 



Mr. DeLong. That was our objection to it to start with. We were 

 visualizing and foreseeing problems that could arise like this, and 

 worse. 



Senator Stennis. That is correct. 



Well, I think that is clear. You have made that clear. I shall not 

 press that point any more. It seems obvious to me. 



Senator Jackson, do you have anything further ? 



Senator Jackson. No further questions. 



Senator Stennis. Senator Bartlett ? 



Senator Bartlett. No, sir. 



Senator Stennis. Mr. Kendall ? 



Mr. Kendall. Mr. DeLong, had this Kuss tipup method ever been 

 used before this time ? 



Mr. DeLong. Not to my knowledge. 



Mr. Kendall. Has it ever been used since this time ? 



Mr. DeLong. I would not know. 



Mr. Kendall. As far as you know, has it ever been used since that 

 time? 



Mr. DeLong. I would not know. 



Mr. Kendall. I would like you to comment, if you will, on the state- 

 ment that Captain Albers made yesterday when he said the system 

 DeLong submitted was not suitable for use on tower No. 4. 



Mr. DeLong. On Texas tower No. 4 ? 



Mr. Kendall. Yes, sir. 



Mr. DeLong. Well, I think the only one we are talking about is 

 the scheme B, the scheme that he no doubt heard about, and probably 

 in his opinion, it was not suitable for tower No. 4. 



Mr. Kendall. In your opinion, was your scheme entirely workable 

 and suitable? 



Mr. DeLong. We had taken their design, taken the risks, as we saw 

 it in our opinion, out of it, made it a welded structure, and said we 

 would put it in, that the end tower would be as they called for in the 

 plans. 



