Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-08-05
DIDN'T HAVE PERMITS
Yet Operations Were Begun
On New Buildings.
MATTER INVESTIGATED
FLAGRANT CASE FOUND OUT IN
BRooKLAND.
Another at Rhode Island Avenue and
Girard Street-Action May
Be Taken.
MATTER INVESTIGATED

The Commissioners, through the police
department, have been investigating the
matter Of the beginning Of work on two
houses at Rhode Island avenue extended
and Girard street northeast before the
permits for their construction were issued.
The matter was called to the attention
of the authorities by Mr.. Snowden Ash
ford. the inspector of buildings. who stated
that an inspector Of his department found
%, and that no application was made to
the building office until work had been
stopped by the inspector.
Il also enclose application for alterations
at 14G9 Concord street, Brookland," says
Mr.. Ashford. This work has also been
done without permit. but the applicant.
Mr.. John c. Louthan. states that the Off
Ger directed him to apply for permit in
this case.
II would recommend that these papers
be referred to the police department to as
certain what directions were given regard
ing the permits for the buildings referred
to or what excuse. II any, was made to
the police department by the builders.
The assessors Office consuffs this Office
In locating and assessing property, and
in the outlying suburbs we depend upon
to see that no buildings are erected until
a permit can be shown on the ground as
work of this kind cannot be inspected
properly after 1t Is plastered or covered"
The Case in Brookland.
The complaint in regard to the Brook
land alterations was referred to Acting
Lieutenant Slattery of the tenth precinct,
and he states there was a mistake as to
the location of the building on Concord
street. the repairs in question being to the
southwest corner of 18th and Concord
streets. where Mr.. Luthan commenced work
for Mrs. John Cook the 10Th of July.
Private StrOman of the precinct noticed
the repairs, which are on the inside Of the
house. and asked for the permit. Leuten-
ant Slattery says the private was informed
by Mr.. Luthan that the building inspectors
office did not consider 1t necessary to issue
one.
On July % Private stroman called again
and told Mr.. Luthan II he did not have
permit by noon the next day the work
would be stopped He says at 1890 o'clock
the next morning the building inspectors
Office notified the tenth precinct to allow
Mr.. Luthan to continue the work, the per-
NIT to be on hand the next morning.
With regard to the frame dwelling at
Rhode Island avenue and Girard street.
Daley of the ninth police precinct for re-
port The houses are in the subdivision
known as Ellaston Terrace. Langdon.
The Langdon Houses.
"About June %. says Lieutenant Daley,
Sergeant Hartman and Private J. E Joyce
called on Mr.. A. L. Teele owner of the
and was informed by him that
the drawings or plans for the two frame
buildings in question were In the hands of
the builders, Messrs.. Burgess and Par
sons, and that applications would be made
at once to the inspector of buildings for
permits, one for a two-Story building and
one for a one-story building and that they
would be on the ground when the buildings
were started.
About July /, 1913, work was COM
menced on the buildings, and frequent
calls were made by Private Joyce upon the
builders. Burgess & Parsons, for the per-
mits and plausible excuses were made by
them each time. Some Of the excuses
were that Mr.. Telle had the permits, but
was not In the city, and. again, that Mr..
Burgess had the permit. but was not pres
ent at the time, and that when he came
he would leave the permit to be copied.
And when Mr.. Burgess would be seen he
would state that Mr.. Telle had 1t, and he
would get it from him as soon as he came
out from the city.
'Messrs Burgess & Parsons have built
many houses in the county, and this is
the first one where they have not been
prompt In securing permit to build. which
Private Joyce states was the cause of so
much lentency shown to them by him,
although they deceived him by telling him
that permits were issued when they had
not applied for them.
THE other policemen covering that beat.
Privates w. J. Rogers and r. Wander
schaaf. state that they were told by Sergt.
Hartman that he directed Private Joyce
to take up the permits for the buildings
in question and consequently they did not
interfere. I inclose statements from Sergt.
Hartman and Private joyce"
These statements explain tn detail the
transactions related by Lieut.. Daley.
Not Part of Good Police Duty.
Upon the receipt Of this report of the
matter Major Sylvester. the superintendent
of police. referred the papers back to Lieut..
Daley with instructions to inform Private
Joyce that. while the department Is gem
orally willing to take the word of a good
citizen 1t was not the part of good police
duty to have prolonged the time for the
production of the permit in this case
Il have talked with Commissioner West"
said Major Sylvester. land he agrees with
that the proper enforcement of
the regulations would have required that
the permit be produced In due season,
otherwise he should have stopped the work,
and the lieutenant himself should have had
this course pursued.
THE Commissioner will not overlook
matter of this kind in the future. and /
trust there may be no further occasion for
action on the part of the department for
such negligence"
In returning the papers to the Commits
sioners Major Sylvester calls attention to
the various Endorsements. which he says go
to show that the officers stopped the work
in the tenth precinct, and in the ninth pre-
cinct the officer instructed to look after the
permit was over-indulgent owing to the
faith he had In the good reputation of those
the houses.
The papers will be taken up In the engi-
neer department for any action by the
building office which may be considered
necessary.