That the accident to the elevator in the Wiss building Wednesday night was unavoidable and was caused by the breaking off of a flange on one of the sheaves on which the supporting cable runs, was the statement made this morning by Inspector Fiverson of the Building Department. He declared that the breaking off of the flange, which may have been from a flaw in the steel, allowed the cable to slide off the wheel, where it wedged. This impeded the action of the drum of the safety device, which could not revolve.

Consequently the grips which should have clutched the runners in the shaft were not thrown out.

The wedging of the safety device threw the whole weight of the car on one length of the cable, which snapped under the strain, according to the inspector.

"This was one of those unavoidable accidents which happen right along with elevators" said the inspector this morning, "and which will continue to happen. Although the cable looks in good condition today, it may snap tomorrow. It is one of the things which cannot be explained in elevator evidents."

The flaw came in the mechanical part of the elevator. Hitherto nearly all the trouble had been with the electrical arrangements, the inspector said. Inspector Fiverson stated that he had examined the mechanical devices about thirty times in the past year and that they had been in first-class condition.

Jerome Wiss, one of the owners of the building, said this morning that he had done everything possible to keep the elevators in good condition. Since the accident the remaining car has been dropped, heavily loaded, four times in the presence of the inspector, and each time the safety devices worked, he stated.