The Washington times., 1901-09-29
AFFAIRS OF THE DISTRICT.
A Protest Against Employing a
Fireman to Inspect Buildings.
The Central Labor Union Objects to
the Action of the missioners-
The Changes in the Competition
for Plans of Municipal Hospital.


The Commissioners yesterday received
letter from c. E. Dietrich. Secretary oil
the Central Labor Union, protesting
| against the employment of member OF
the Fire Department as inspector OF a
| building to be erected for the use of the
| Fire Department.
| I'VE believe" states the secretary,
| that in making appointment OF TINS
| kind il is in violation of the building laws
of the District of Columbia that a mem
| Der of the Fire Department should be
| utilized for the purpose of inspecting
| buildings and at the same time be carried
! on the rolls of TIE Fire Department
I'VE sincerely hope that you will give
| this matter of protest your earnest and
| careful consideration and prevent the
appointment of any fire employe as a tenn
porary building inspector. We do not be-
Iieve that it would be wise to establish
a precedent of this kind, for, if you permit
this action to be taken, any employe of
| the District government could be utilized
| in an emergency to fill a position of which
he had no knowledge or qualifications.
| The precedent that would be established
| by this appointment would, in our minds,
| be exceedingly ill-advised, and we hereby
| enter our firm and earnest protest against
| any such appointment"
| Referring to the papers relating to this
| subject, it is found that plans were made
| and proposals received for the erection
| of stable in the rear of one of the en-
| gine houses of the District. 1t was found
when it came to accepting these proposals
| that it was impossible to do so unless
| some special arrangement could be made
for the inspection of the work while in
| progress, as the appropriation was too
| small to allow the paid inspection.
The Inspector of Buildings was appealed
| to and in conjunction with the Chief En-
gineer of the Fire Department, it was de-
| termined that the inspection should be
shared between the two departments, be-
| ing supervised by the Building Depart
| ment, and the daily inspection being made
| by member of the Fire Department
specially detailed for the purpose. Such
| a man was detailed, who was formerly
worker in one of the building trades. He
| is not without qualifications for the work,
and no appointment was made he being
detailed as fireman to watch the prog
| ress of the erection of the stable. He will
| be quartered in the engine house, and
| will serve his turn at watch and other
duties of fireman. The arrangement is
| purely temporary and so designated in
| the orders authorizing the same. IT is
| not expected that any change will be
| made from those already provided for by
| the Commissioners.
The Commissioners yesterday held
special board meeting to consider certain
matters pressing for decision before the
Engineer Department. One OF these was
the question of accepting rejecting the
steam plants a: the Trumbull Street
pumping station. The bids were in one or
two instances informal and II was thought
that the specifications had not been prop
erly observed in one or two others 1t
was therefore decided to reject all bids
and to reopen the competition by adver-
tising for proposals again.
Another matter considered was the
question of revising the programme of
competition for securing plans for the
proposed municipal hospital. This was
discussed at some length, the report of
the recent hearing on the subject being
carefully gone over. 1t was decided that
certain changes should be made in the
competition, looking especially toward the
employment of expert supervis .on over
the work. Captain Beach. the Engineer
Commissioner, was instructed to draft the
changes thought to be necessary in the
programme and to report them at a future
board session.
Other matters taken up were of rou-
tine nature
D. A. Sanford recently, through his at
torney. w. /. Caldwell requested permis-
sion to continue the work of repairs on
building go Street northwest. The mat
ter was referred to the Inspector of Build
ings. who has now reported:
An examination of the premises where
ba h,Yil &c in NJ
tion showed that work on the building is
being done in violation of the building
regulations and for which no permit was
issued. For this reason permit No. 40.
issued for an addition on the rear of the
original building and to make general re-
pairs, was revoked September 16. Until
the premises are placed in a condition to
meet all requirements OF the building reg
ulations l recommend that this applica-
ton be disapproved.
1t was stated as the result of the in
spection made by the Building Depart
ment that the walls had been raised to
height of forty-one feet only nine inches
thick. while the regulations limit nine
inch walls to a height of thirty-five feet.
The Commissioners have approved these
reports and the applicant will be SO in
formed.
Edward w. Dom, of 1T0S Sixteenth
Street northwest, recently requested the
Commissioners to improve the entire
roadway of o Street, between Sixth and
Seventh Streets northwest and that the
parking be made continuous. The matter
was referred to the Surface Division OF
the Engineer Department and the Com
putting Engineer has reported:
"a careful examination of the roadway
of Street between the limits named
fails to show that it's condition is such
that it should be resurfaced at the present
time. The present wide roadway on this
square can properly be corrected and the
curb alignment made to conform to the
balance OF the street east and west at the
time that the street is resurfaced, but not
properly before.
''It is, therefore recommended that the
writer be advised that the Commissioners
regret that the relative condition of this
square in comparison with other streets
is such that in view of the state of the
funds Its present treatment in the manner
requested is not practicable"
The Commissioners yesterday acted upon
the application Of James Creamer, a MEM
Der of the Fire Department, to be re-
tired on pension. The action of the
board was in accordance with the recon-
mendation OF the Chief Engineer as fol-
lows:
This department cannot recommend
favorable action in this case. The appli-
cant was dismissed for intoxication and
desertion, about as serious offences as
could be charged against a member of
the department, ard IL Is believed that |
Congress never intended that man dis |
missed for misconduct should be granted |
a pension. The department is OF the opin-
STEAMBOATS,.