COLLAPSE OF TEXAS TOWER NO. 4 229 



Just one minute more now. Going back, Mr. Rau, you certainly 

 know the facts in this case, and you say that you had completed a 

 certain amount of construction there, as I recall, sometime in Novem- 

 ber 1960. 



Did you sa}^ that you finished some construction at the time? 



Mr. Rau. We actually finished a change order to our initial con- 

 tract on about November 13, 1960. 



Senator Stennis. 1960. 



Now, you said that in November 1960, you knew of one broken 

 brace, and then in January 1961 you found there was an additional 

 broken brace ; is that correct ? 



Mr. Rau. That is right, sir. 



Senator Stennis. I beg pardon ? 



Mr. Rau. That is right. 



Senator Stennis. Two broken braces. 



You said that after this second broken brace was found, in your 

 conversations, you gentlemen talked about doing something, but that 

 nothing was said about danger or anything of that kind. Why were 

 you having these conferences if you didn't think there was some 

 danger ? 



Mr. Rau. Are you referring, Mr. Chairman, to January or are 

 you 



Senator Stennis. Yes. The January conferences after you found 

 this second broken brace. You have testified about having con- 

 ferences even prior to January 12, and you have covered these in de- 

 tail. Wliat were you conferring about on January 12 if it wasn't 

 dangerous ? 



Mr. Rau. Well, we recognized that the tower was in a weakened 

 condition. 



Senator Stennis. Yes. 



Mr. Rau. And that we didn't believe it would withstand a hurri- 

 cane or any extreme, very extreme, storms; in fact, on the 12th of 

 January I requested from the Air Force the weather reports. 



Senator Stennis. Yes. I think you have fully covered the situa- 

 tion on January 12 ; that is very clear. 



But what I am asking you is why were you having these confer- 

 ences after you found the second broken brace if it wasn't about the 

 danger that was involved ? 



Mr. Rau. Well, there was definitely an amount of danger. 



Senator Stennis. Yes. That is very obvious, isn't it? 



Mr. Rau. That is right, sir. 



Senator Stennis. You say that the tower was in a weakened condi- 

 tion, but still no one discussed the possibility of danger yet. I 

 haven't heard any other reason given for the conference except that 

 a dangerous situation existed, and something had to be done about it. 

 That was the situation, wasn't it? 



Mr. Rau. That is right, sir. 



Senator Stennis. Yes. 



Now, I never have called upon one witness to pass on another wit- 

 ness' testimony. Unfortunately, however, we have such a direct con- 

 flict in evidence here, that I think I owe it to you to read to you a 

 portion of the former testimony. This is no suggestion that you are 

 wrong in your testimony but I do think we should point out the area 



