COLLAPSE OF TEXAS TOWER NO. 4 279 



from the pins, to make measurements of tlie pins, pin clearances, and 

 to take underwater photographs of the pin clearances. 



These measurements were made, the underwater photographs were 

 taken, and the underwater photograplis were supplied to the Air Force 

 directly by J. Eich Steers, Inc., as a part of their contract. 



We receiA^ed the measurements, which are included in our report. 



With reference to Mr. Brewer's testimony, he was testifying for 

 conditions of waves which were far less than the design criteria con- 

 ditions. The forces exerted by the waves w^ere relatively small. The 

 stresses measured and created were relatively small, and in my opinion, 

 it is quite possible, under these quite small stresses, that the stresses in 

 the underwater bracing in the truss system were so small that it didn't 

 show much effect of the underwater bracing. His measurements do 

 indicate when he gets to the 28 foot waves, which I believe was the 

 highest during his measurement, that the underwater bracing was 

 working. 



^Senator Stennis. All right. I think you have made your testimony 

 clear on that point. 



So your point is that when you got the above water X -bracing in- 

 stalled in September 1960, this restored the tower to t^e original 

 strength ; is that correct ? 



Mr. RuTLEDGE. Yes. 



Senator Stej^nis. All right. 



Now, Hurricane "Donna" occurred soon after ? 



Mr. RuTLEDGE. Yes, sir. 



Senator Steistnis. September 1960, was it not ? 



Mr. RuTLEDGE. Yes, sir. 



Senator Stei^tnis. Isn't it ti-ue that the deterioration in the pin con- 

 nections and the resulting motion of the tower, was caused by the 

 wear and tear resulting from the motion of the sea? If not, what 

 did cause it? 



MOTION BECAME EXTREME 



Mr. RuTLEDGE. Sir, in the report that we received initially, that Mr. 

 Kuss testified to, which created considerable alarm, the report was a 

 motion in the order of 1 inch. This was extremely alarming, because 

 we could not understand what was causing this, that some new element 

 had entered in. 



We could not believe that the pins could wear this amount and on 

 the basis of that information, we considered it an emergency situation, 

 and that the above-Avater bracing should be installed on a crash pro- 

 gram. 



At the same time we requested these accurate measurements of the 

 pins. 



Senator Stennis. Yes. 



Mr. Rutledge. The recorded measurements w^ere three-eighths of an 

 inch clearance, and we are not entirely sure whether this is entirely 

 wear, or part of it existed in the original construction, because we do 

 not have records of measurements from the original construction. 



Senator Stennis. Now, that is a new point, as I understand, that 

 you raised, that this slackness of the pins which showed an obvious 

 danger might have been due to faulty construction ? 



Mr. Rutledge. I would not classify this as faulty construction. It 

 might have existed in the constructed condition, sir. 



