The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-01-03

An interesting portion OF the District
! appropriation bill which viii be discussed
| by Congress during the present session is
that portion Of 1t which bears directly up
on the Office OF the Inspector Of Buildings.
Inspector Brady shows in his annual re-
| port that the business OF his Office has
greatly increased during the last few
| years, and that an increased force IS neces-
sary. The volume OF business has become
so great that the present force in the Office
cannot handle it,
There are at present in the Office Of the
Building Inspector five assistant inspectors.
who have inspected u 1863 buildings during
the year The condition Of affairs in the
| Office is best explained by the Inspector in
! a report 20 the Commissioners on this mat
ter. Inspector Brady says:
Year after year recommendations have
been made having in view an increse in the
number Of employees for this Office. 10 meet
the Increasing demands Of the public. with
out success. 7 have been frequently con-
ironted with applications for examinations
OF both new and old construction so numer-
Gus that the small force al my command
could not reach the cases with that prompt
! ness that would avoid delay in the progress
or the work OF the applicants
The building community has a'wavs
conceded that this department has accom-
pHshed all that can be expected fro.l it.
equipped as it is with such a small force
we nave exercised all the physical energy
usually allotted to man in meeting the de
Inanus made upon US, yet find Il impossi-
Die 10 avoid arroarages in work and give 10
hal o. A.
The District Of Columbia has passed its
era OF inactivity, and its rapid develop
ment IN both its business and residential
thoroughfares is shown by the many build
ings recently completed and in course Of
erection To give this work the proper su-
perVislon necessary 20 ensure its executio
IN compliance with conditions exacted by
the regulations. force Of inspectors mus.
De provided sufficient in number 10 meet
the demands the Office is called upon TO
supply.
When you reflect that the building area
OF the District OF Columbia covers sixtv-
TWO square miles IL will be observed that
it becomes physical impossibility for four
men 10 supervise the construction Of build
lngs IN satisfactory manner Ny assist
ants, both in the office and I'm the field are
constantly employed and ever on the alert.
yet / IND that there are not a sufficient
number OF hours IN day TO give that In
speciOn the importance of the work re
quires The number OF inspections made
IN the field is shown by the statement
above. namely, 1859. and incidental there
10 there was great amount Of correspond
euce.
81 have visited the building departments
Of other cities and find them well provid-
ed with employees. sufficient in umber 10
render effective service. and ! know OF no
reason why Washington should not have a
building department equal in efficiency 10
mat or the best in any other city.
To provide service that will be posi-
bic 10 meet the demands OF the public. I
leg leave 10 recommend that the clerical
force be increased by the addition OF two
men. one 20 assist in the examination Of
plans for buildings and the issuance OF per
mits and the other to take care Of the cor
respondence OF the assistants. to enable
them 10 devote their whole time to the
held. The situation at present Is such q
10 cause many builders and Others 20 com
plain about The length Of time # takes TO
get through with this branch of the bust
ness. Il is an urgent necessity 20 provide
clerk 20 assist the present efficient but
overwoTked gentleman in this par, OF the
Office
The corps OF assistant inspectors should
be increased by the addition OF four men.
inasmuch as at the present time each man
covers an area Of fifteen and one-half
square miles. and his duties comprise not
only me supervision OF the new buildings
and the alteration and enlargement Of ex-
listing buildings, but the examination and
disposition OF complaints OF a miscellane-
Gus character coming within the purview Of
the building regulations. The number O.
Inspections that these men have made has
been alluded TO. and shows the great
Of OIL haf hoe = IrF -,
and further emphasizes the fact that Il has
been sufficient in itself 10 justify the en-
ployment Of more men, and as the city i'm
proves there Is imposed upon the Office
more labor and responsibilities. so that the
request 10 increase the efficiency OF the
field inspection is a reasonable one and
should be granted. espeJi ally as the safety
and security OF the lives of the community
IS in a great measure dependent upon the
substantial execution Of the work they are
required to inspect. This result can on.y
be secured by close observation and fre-
quent inspection by a proper number OF
men. and the importance Of the work GER
tainly juslifes the recommendation here
made.
This Office should be provided with an
electrician, whose duties should be to in
spect the installation OF wires in buildings
for electric lighting. This important branch
OF MOlh IN connection Win Duuulub SHOULD
be subjected 20 a rigid inspection, 10 guard
against the possibility OF fire originating
from defective workmanship OF this charac-
ter. The building regulations provide rules
defining the method by which this work
shall be done, but as yet l have not been
furnished with an assistant.
i beg leave to call your attention TO an
other important matter. namely, he prep
aration of a card index to include the re-
ords of this Office since its creation in
1876. The card index was commenced in
1898, and l find that information can be
obtained theFefTom more eXpeditiOusly than
from the book records that were kept up
10 that date. so ! deem ii eXpedient and for
the best interest Of the District 70 transfer
the old index to the card system. so as to
provide a complete and valuable record Of
the building operations. To accomplish
this IL will require the services Of two men
for one year. and an appropriation Of g. 000
will be necessary to cover all the expenses
connected herewith"
Patents of Local Interest.
Patents have recently been granted to
the following residents OF the District OF
Columbia, Virginia. and Maryland: Al
phonso Allison and c. f. Buck, as
e;ovooo 70 tha ITniva-co1 CtrfDDfpg No