The times., 1901-05-13

stant Vigilance Required to Secure
Compliance With the Regulations.
One Of the most important branches Of
the District government is the Office Of
the Inspector of Buildings While the
Commissioners have adopted a code of
general regulations for its guidance. yet
upon the fidelity of the Inspector and
his assistants depends largely the char
acter Of the building done in the District
Of Columbia. Watchfulness is required
not only in the examination Of plans and
specifications Of buildings. but also in
their erection. Supervision over the con-
tractor is quite as important as the ex-
animation Of the work OF the architect,
and the Office Of the Inspector Of Build
ings secures for Washingtonians safe,
substantial and permanent edihces for
dwellings offices. and places of business.
The Office Of the Inspector OF Buildings
IS under the supervision OF the Engineer
Commissioner of the District, and is
known as the Building Division. The Of
fee is presided over by John =. Brady
and his principal assistant. Snowden Ash
ford. Besides these the Office force con-
sists Of six assistant inspectors, one clerk,
and messenger. The office consists of
two rooms over the second floor of the
District building, and is one of the Of
fees so crowded with desks, files, and
tables that there is scarcely room TO
work Every effort is hampered, and no
better proof con be found Of the press
ing need of a new municipal building
than the present cramped quarters of
Mr. Brady and his assistants.
Speaking generally there are 1000 new
buildings erected in the District each year,
and 500 applications are made for re-
pairs. making no less than 2,500 plans TO
consider, file, and issue permits for This
IS an average of eight for each working
day, but during the busy season in April
and May it becomes necessary for thirty
applications to be disposed OF in a single
day. At times the work accumulates. and
instances are known where applicants
have had to wait several days before their
papers could be examined and the permits
issued
The work Of examining ordinary appli-
cations for building is easily disposed Of
when all specifications come within the
building regulations. But it frequently
happens that applicants desire something
IN violation Of the rules or in some way
outside Of them. In cases Of plain viola |
tion Of the regulations the permit is gen !
orally withheld. In many cases, however.
the applications are sent forward to be |
J
missioners. This happens with one or two I
applications each day, and serves to null |
tiply the labors Of the Building Division. /
During the past few years there has /
been marked tendency IN Washington
toward the erection Of apartment houses
and large Office buildings. Dwellings in
general have been Of a better class. In I
the last annual report Of the Inspector
II was shown that the number Of build
fngs had decreased as compared with the
previous year, while the aggregate cost
Of the lesser number was 81. .25GO99 above
that Of the former year. This reo,,ir.s
greater care in the issuance Of narr,f+g
and constant watching during the work of
erection. -
The assistant inspectors are called upon
10 make ABOUT 100 visits annually 10 new
buildings in course OF erection and ooo
TO old buildings undergoing repairs This
is thirty-eght visits q week 10 each az
the i've field men. The area covered ~,
these men is q square miles. and there are
Always about 500 buildings ia course Of
construction at one time. BY actual rec
ord, 900 visits by the assistant inspectors
have been made ia six working davs.
Experience and practiced eyes count for
much IN this work, but when each lpsnec-
tion is IL the nature Of an expert exami-
nation OF the Building processes. some
idea can be had Of the responsibility rest
Ing upon these men In all recent re- |
ports Of the Inspectors Office the made |
quacy Of the field force has been sbeei-
ncally pointed out and relief has been |
asked. The Office is especially weak along !
the line Of the monthly inspection Of ele- |
fators- Since their rapid introduction |
throughout the city. il has been practical |
ly impossible 70 obey fhe building reeu-
lations in this particular
The need OF constant vigilance In this |
field work is pointed cut in the last re- |