Evening star., 1896-10-27
MORE FORCE NEEDED
Only Two Field Building Inspectors in
This City.
lR. BRADY SUBMITS his: REPORT.
The Absolute Needs Of the Office
Pointed Out.
SCHOOL HOUSE CONTRACTS

The annual report Of Building Inspector
John B. Brady was submitted to the Com
missioners this morning. 1t gives in detail
the work Of his department for the past
fiscal year, and shows among other things
that the total estimated value Of the new
buildings erected and the repairs made, for
which permits were issued, was 81, 192, 162.
The tota1 .humber Of brick dwellings erect
ed in thu city during that period was $40.
at an e4tipafeds cost of 1884, ,O05. and 19i
frame dWelinE4sAt an estimated valuation
OF $326.695 There were thirty-four stores
erected and eighteen combination buildings
Of stores and dwellings: Their estimated
total value was $24O.SSO. A total Of fifty
SIX stables and carriage houses were erect
ed, eight storage warehouses, nine churches.
three halls. six offices, five apartment
houses and 298 sheds. An increase of 1O4
buildings over last year Is shown and a de-
crease OF sixty-one dwellings A computa-
uon shows a decrease Of $195. .9O5.2S in the
valuation Of buildings erected this year
over last. The following summary shows
the distribution of improvements in the
dnerent sections of the city and the value
OF OF tn the 1 same: Northwest. 1882. $50: county,
y, 1855; northeast, $591, ,T95: southeast
$S4I0O, and southwest. $92,6O
Continuing, Inspector Brady says:
renew my request Of last year that the
number OF assistant inspectors be increased
to seven, and that the salaries he made
$,2OO each, also that an additional clerk
at u 2OO be provided. The necessity for this
additional force exists because of the con-
stantiy increasing amount of work of a
miscellaneous character that this depart
ment must attend to. With it the admins
trat1on of this office would be more eff
1ectual. and the community would be bet
Ter satisfied with the prompt service this
oepartment could render under such a
with an increased force of assistants
they could be assigned to supervise the con-
struction of the new buildings annually
erected by the District and thus save the
temporary assistants, to whom are paid 81
Physical Equipment.
In this respect 1 note with much pr.+i-
ication the increasing interest manifested
by the District in the question of the
proper equipment of the building deDar,-
ment. and the recent discussion Of this
subject in the meetings of some of the cit
izens' associations prompt me to renew
my appeal for additional assistants The
reasons heretofore existing for their helm
nave not abated in the slightest degree.
rortunately Tor the material advantages Of
" washington, politics DO not enter into the
composition of its government. Fast he
coming as 1t Is an educational center It is
proper that in its structural aspect 1t
shouid become an example for the archi-
be substantial and conducive to the enioy-
ment Of liberty, life and the pursuit of
happiness. AS the capital city Of a great
nation. 1t does not want such architectural
ornamentation as will develop its thor
orghfares into magnificent vistas at the
expense OF security and confidence in its
structural features. Such security and
such confidence can only be obtained by
physical equipment of the building depart
ment. l trust, therefore, that the citizens
of the District will agitate the subject be-
fore the law-making body until proper re-
lief is AFFORDED. 1t Is a measure of pro-
lection to which this department is en-
titled.
"a comparison of the building department
of Washington and the District of Colum-
similarly situated reveals the following as
to the inspection CT buildings in those re-
sIective cities:
Area in Number Number of
City. Popu:aton MIL buildings Inspectors. @
L Ldon .....4.Ss4 4s1 1ls s55.ls4 Unlimited.
s. y city: 1,soo,oso 4i.So 1850 % ''1'e'' s.
"6i. Dist T 81 Coi. 27e,ooo es.22 $4,000
I'm view of the foregoing table and the
well-known statistics CT other cities in
the United States and Europe, the capital
of the United States, the most enlightened
OF nations, Sul1erS Sucn Illuminating dis
paragement that the less said about 1t the
better. No comments are needed.
Extent of Arrears.
"The extent of the arrearage of the work
is purely a matter of conjecture. The
cement of duty cannot enter into 1t. This
office is confronted by condition for
which 1t is not responsible and which it
cannot alter. Given the limit of human
possibility as exemplifed by the united
exertions of the employees of this office, to
be subtracted from the province assigned
to them by the building regulations, and
the difference will show the arrearage
1t is too intangible to be measured and
computed, but 1t is evidenced from time to
time by appalling disasters which supply
our hospitals and cemeteries with mangled
and charred humanity.
Cnes. s,f Disfricf n Moo RuRldSnDs