The Washington times., 1903-07-11
ELEVATOR LAW
IS TRANSGRESSED
No Inspection as Required
by Regulations.
STATEMENT BY Mr.. ASHFORD
Present Force Inadequate to the Task
Set by the Commissioners.
Two Men Assigned.

A careful investigation this morning
of the methods in operation in the office
of the Inspector of Buildings for the
District of Columbia developed the fact
that the regulations regarding the in
spection of elevators is not and cannot
be complied with
The District law governing the mat
ter provides that all elevators must be
inspected at least once in three months.
A canvass yesterday afternoon in the
very heart of Washington showed that
some elevators have not been inspected,
according to their operators. within six
months. and in one instance the conduc-
tor said that his elevator had been in
spected only once in two and one half
years.
When confronted with this statement
the Inspector of Buildings, Snowden
Ashford, confirmed it, and gave the same
excuse which has been offered in other
Offices OF the District where negligence
or irregularities have been alleged.
namely, an inadequate force of en-
ployes.
Inspector Lawson's Report.
The last report of the Inspector cf
Elevators. signed by A. NJ. Lawson.
states that 697 elevators were inspected
during the year ended June 30. 1902.
Fifty-six elevators were installed during
the same period.
There are practically 100 hotels in the
houses. all OF which have one or more
elevators. There are about 400 elevators
In buildings of a quasi-public nature n
the District. Mr.. Ashford agreed that
there are probably 500 elevators in
operation, although he did not have a
complete list.
The Inspector OF Buildings said fur
ther that II required an entire forenoon
TO properly inspect an elevator. and that
two elevators day is the capacity CT
one man There are two men detailed
from the Office as inspectors of eleva-
tors. making the maximum limit OF the
inspectors ONCE four elevators daily.
Calculating six working days a week.
the capacity OF the Office is SI2 eleva-
tors in three months. less than one half
the number IN operation.
Must Inspect Fire Escapes.
Il am doing the best l can" said
Mr.. Ashford TO Times reporter. with
the force at my disposal My two lrsDec-
tors cannot property inspect more thar
two elevators a day. In addition 10 this
work they must inspect fre-escapes. ard
make daily report to me. II requires
some time for them TO do their Office
work. and IL is impossible to comply
with the terms OF the elevator inspection
law with the present force. II more than
500 elevators are inspected in three
months. the work must be done in +;
slip-shod manner. and not with the care
which should in all instances be exsr-
cised"
Commissioner Macfarland corroborat-
ed Inspector Ashford. The trouble
with the Office OF the Inspector vz Build.
ings." said Mr.. Macfarland, lis that
Congress has created duties without
creating an adequate force. The same
thing is true in all branches OF the DIS
trict government. particularly the Su-
perintendent Of Insuran--. who is ac-
NNStI VI AtkltEl ~ many
brokers in Washington The Office o.
the Inspector of Buildings is over
crowded with other work. anG under tne
present appropriations the best we can
do is to try to get along until we are
allowed more money"
Section 2O2 Of the District regulations
provides FOB the inspection indicated IL
the following terms:
Every elevator in the said District
used for the conveyance Of passengers
shall be Inspected az least once in ev-
cry three months. and 4 report made
, thereof TO the Inspector OF Buildings not
later than the day following such inspec-
tion. The inspector will state in said
report the condition Of the running gear
ropes. safety attachments, pulleys. and
all other parts of the machinery applied
10 the use of said elevator; the Inspector
OF Buildings shall cause immediate no.
tice thereof TO be served as hereinafter
provided. "