The Washington times., 1895-03-23
DOINGs OF THE DISTRICT
Further Correspondence Over
Southeast School Building.
REPLY TO LABOR FEDERATION
Commissioners Insist That the Defects Shall
Be Located by Those Who Declare Their
Existence Order Requiring BE- o. Trains
to Come to Full Stop Before Crossing H
Street Northeast.--Prot from Plumbers.

The letter sentDto the Commissioners by
the Federation OF Labor in which the asso-
citation stated it's objections to participat-
Ing in the proposedlinvestigatio OF alleged
defective walls in the new southeast school
building, was the subject of lengthy re- |
sponse.
The board authorized reply, which was
signed by Col. Truesdell as acting pres-
dent, and addressed TO Secretary Potter,
in which, after quoting the letter of declina-
tion, the Commissioners say:
I'm reply thereto, the Commissioners re-
gret that after having made general charges
of defective work and material in the
E-street school building, in response to
which they promptly instructed the build
ing inspector to investigate the same, and
invited the Federation Of Labor to appoint
a committee to confer with that officer and
point out the alleged defects and witness
the inspection, you now decline to take part
in the proposed investigation by Mr.. Brady.
'Your reason given for such refusal, that
Ilt HIS UeHOuiGtu lIIc eiS ldAoCJ 10
only true of the work which is visible, as
to which, after thorough inspection, he did
report as fully up TO contract. and that your
charges were to that extent, therefore, not
sustained. The charge as to hollow walls,
the only one now in question, and the truth
or falsity of which can only be determined
by plugging the walls, Mr.. Brady is now
ready to Investigate, and invites your CO.
operation TO that end
| PUBLIC AND THOROUGH INSPECTION.
| This work can be done in the presence
of as many of your organization as may
| choose to witness it, and it Will be con-
| Quoted in the most public and thorough
manner. Moreover, If the Commissioners
| are unable TO be present al the time fixed by
| you, they Will, after the work is exposed
| to view. and before it is covered up, or in
! any manner disturbed, personally visit the
building ana investigate the matter, OF
which Wis you VIII be daily notified, so that
j your committee can be present.
! Having made the charges, il is pre-
sumed that you know in what portion OF
! the building the defective work exists and
| can readily point it out. Is it not your
! duty as good citizens to aid the building
| Inspector and the Commissioners in their
| Investigations?
Your insistence. as a condition OF your
taking part III the investigation, that the
! Commissioners shall discredit Mr. Brady
! is one that cannot be entertained; neither
can your proposition that the Commits
! sioners shall delegate their duty and re-
! sponslbilitv in the matter to private
! commission.
That officer, the building inspector
! has shown himself, by lopg and faithful
| service. to be a most trustworthy and
competent Official. and the Commission
| ers think that even so distinguished a body
| as the Federation OF Labor may take part
| in an investigation conducted by him with
| out dishonor to itself and with every assur-
auce that the investigation VIII be fair,
| thorough, and impartial.
| The Comm issioners do not mean to
| let your seTio1s charges pass without the
| most thorough investigation, but you can
| facilitate their efforts and save much eX-
pense 10 tie District by pointing out the
alleged defective work. VIII you Go so?"
PRECAUTIoN AGAINST ACCIDENTS.
The Commissioners passed an order yes
terday amending the police regulations
so as TO require the engineers of steam rail-
way trains or engines coming into the
city on the Washington branch Of the Bal
timore and Ohio Railroad, before crossing
street northeast, to bring their trains
| or engines to a fun stop Immediately
| north OF said street, "and not TO attempt
to pass II until so directed by the conductor
| or brakeman IN charge of the train or en-
| gine, who shall be satisfied from personal
| observation that the street may be crossed
| with safety"
This order is the result of q warning
filed with the Commissioners by Fred w.
| Bropdes last December, who at the time
| recited the great possibility of disaster
at the intersection of Delaware avenue and
| streets. The matter was placed in the
hands OF inspectors and was the subject
of several official reports, all sustaining
the charge made by Mr.. Brondes.
Five master plumbers, the delegation
comprising +. j. Hannah, James Nolan,
James Cunningham, James Reagan and John
Mitchell, appeared before the Commission
ers yesterday and made complaint against
the chief plumbing inspector, going so far
as to allege their lack of faith in his fitness
for the place.
The complaint grew out of a letter that
Chief Ban wrote concerning some repair
work done By Mr.. Cunningham, in which he
added paragraph which was exceedingly
dist2steful to the callers.
The repairs were Slight, butfor some reason
afterthey were completed MI. Baliwas as sked
to have it inspected. Not knowing who
had done the work nor whether it vas by
by a registered plumberhe addressed letter
to the owner inQulnDg the name and adding
that for his own protection he need not pay
the bill for the work until he had an official
certificate of inspection.
1t was for this alleged breach and the
principle involved that the master plumbers
made their protest
Mr.. Ball claims that the work should
have been reported to his office by Mfr.
Cunningham for inspection, but the latter
insisted that he was not obliged to do so.
He conceded, however, that to report 1t
would have been the proper thing, and the
Commissioners in turn admitted that Mr..
Ball had committed an improperly in intro
ducing his suggestion about the payment
for the repairs.