Dear stephenh-ga;
I was pleased do research your question. In doing so I also learned a
great deal about the theater that I did not know.
The Knickerbocker Theater, designed by Reginald Geare (who also
designed the Metropolitan Theater and the Lincoln Theater) and owned
by theater magate Harry M. Crandall was constructed in Tivoli Square
while America was in the throes of World War One. It was located on
the southwest corner of 19th Street and Columbia Road in Washington
DC. The Sun Trust Bank now occupies that lot.
In January 28, 1922 the worst snowstorm to hit the city in twenty
years (soon to be remembered as “The Knickerbocker Storm”), piled as
much as 26 inches of snow in the roof of the Knickerbocker and
tragically, the building could not sustain the weight and collapsed.
Three hundred movie-goers, undoubtedly seeking distraction from the
woes of war, had gathered in the auditorium for a screening of the
comedy hit "Get Rich Quick Wallingford" starring Sam Hardy, Norman
Kerry, and Doris Kenyon when the disaster occurred. At 9 o’clock PM,
as the orchestra struck up and intermission tune and huge crack
appeared in the ceiling. Few barely had time to get up from their
seats and the room came crashing down upon them. When rescuers
searched the rubble they found 98 bodies and 136 injured survivors.
Among the dead was former Pennsylvania Congressman, Andrew Jackson
Barchfeld.
A subsequent review of the disaster, conducted by Engineering
News-Record, blamed the buildings design on its failure to withstand
the weight on its roof. The original architect, Reginald Geare, would
never be able to come to terms with his guilt and eventually committed
suicide in 1927. Crandall didn’t fair so well either. In 1929 it was
rumored that he lost millions in the stock market crash, and though
his theater empire thrived for some time after, his movie businesses
had all failed by the mid 1930’s. Crandall also committed suicide in
1937, leaving a note behind which read simply: "I'm despondent and
miss my theater[s], Oh so much".
In the 1920’s there were seven newspapers operating in Washington DC.
They were The Post, The Star, The News, The Times, The Herald, The
Bulletin, and Sporting News. You might check their archives for more
details on the theater and the events leading up to the disaster.
You can read more about the brief history fantastic architectural
landmark at the links I have provided for you.
I hope that my answer has proven to be of value to you
Best regards;
Tutuzdad-ga
www.google.com
Search terms:
Knickerbocker theater
Knickerbocker Theater Washington
Knickerbocker Theater disaster
Knickerbocker Theater survivors
Knickerbocker January 28, 1922
Tivoli Square – History
http://www.horningbrothers.com/tivoli/history.htm
Internet Movie Database
Search term: Get Rick Quick Wallingford
http://us.imdb.com/Find
U.S. Army Quartermaster Museum
(One of the few existing photos of the disaster on this site)
http://www.qmmuseum.lee.army.mil/
http://www.qmmuseum.lee.army.mil/historyweek/29Jan-4Feb.htm
Washing Business Journal
“Now vacant, Tivoli theater was once a real showplace” by Mike
Livingston
http://washington.bizjournals.com/washington/stories/2001/08/13/focus7.html
Historical Society of Washington DC
“Neighborhood Memories - Lafayette Square”
http://hswdc.org/Learn_About_DC/Neighborhoods/Neighborhoods_Memories_Lafayette.asp
CSEC Library
“Safety in a Collapsed Building” as told by Ruth M. and Luella Burson
Fouts
(This is a Knickerbocker Theater survivor’s personal account)
http://www.endtime.org/library/testimonies/fouts.html
The Winter Center
Notable newspaper quotes regarding “The Knickerbocker Storm” of 1922
http://www.geocities.com/donsutherland1/quotes6.html
Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
Search term: Andrew Jackson Barchfeld
http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=B000133
Earth Science Picture of the Day
(Photo of the Knickerbocker Storm provided by Goddard Public Affairs
Office)
http://epod.usra.edu/archive/epodviewer.php3?oid=84352 |
