The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-10-21
Building Inspector Points
to the Expenditure
of Millions.
LARGER FORCE NEEDED
Inspectors Unable to Give
Proper Attention to Elevat-
orS-TenantS Careless.

More than eleven million five hundred
thousand dollars is represented In the
permits for building and repairs in the
District Of Columbia during the fiscal
year ended June 30. 1903. being an in
crease Of $3.274. .Ss3 over the previous
Year.
/ This statement is contained in the an
nual report OF the Inspector Of Build
ings. submitted TO the Commissioners to-
/ day The exact figures are ssh permits.
representing S11,5s46O3.
| The increase in the number OF permits
/ Issued is 6S1; the increase in new build
ings is z73. and in dwellings 217. The re-
ceipts for the year were S5.os3-
The report is comprehensive and car
ries throughout plea for increased
fcrce and facilities. Inspector Ashford
officially admits the law requiring in
spection Of elevators every three mOntbs
is not complied with, and gives as an ex-
cuse the vast amount OF miscellaneous
work demanded Of the inspectors
Many Are Ignorant.
He adds that at present there are
many owners and tenants who seem Ut
terly ignorant or careless Of the dan
gers attending an improperly kept and
I
struct the inspectors in the performances
Of their necessary and important duties
The report demands elevator opera
/ tors and all architects. builders. and
contractors be licensed 1T seems hard
/ ly reasonable says Inspector Ashford.
that the law appreciates the necessity
/ OF licensing and examining a man who
is charged with the installation OF
plumbing fixtures in a house. and the
/ operation of a power plant while the
man who is responsible for the safety
OF the entire structure from foundations
to roof. containing the Plumbing fix
lures and heating apparatus is not re-
/ Quired TO furnish evidence OF his ability
! TO safely construct the building. where
! in the lives Of hundreds may be jeopar-
died through his ignorance. and archi-
i tects should also be examined and IL
censed
Builders Complain
] THE builders OF the city complain of
| the time consumed in obtaining permits,
but considering the number issued each
day. il will be seen that this DELAY Is
/ unavoidable with the present force.
/! There is now issued one permit every
eighteen minutes. and when we stop to
! consider that within this time plans and
4 specifications must be examined TO as
with the regulations. and careful ex-
animation made Of DIats and locations.
| and comparison OF projections beyond
! the building line. with plans approved
and calculations made on strength cf
materials. it seems evident that this
branch Of the work OF the Office should
; be provided with an Increased force. 50
that it may be handled as it is in other
I large cities, in more systematic man
ner.
The building operations have increased
/ steadily at the rate Of over S5oe.G00
n year since 1894. when they We're at
their lowest ebb during the last twenty
years. the valuation being at that
time S4.9O494l.
List of Improvements.
Following is a summary OF improve
ments and values for the fiscal year
1908:
Brick dwellings. 92S. s41OO.656: frome
dwellings 172 S301 63I. brick repairs. 93S.
Si.593.5'o; frame repairs 500 Sil7 .466:
apartment houses. 20. = 500; stores
and dwellings tbrick). T. 1900, stores
I and dwellings ifraEe). l. $500; office
buildings (brickt. II. Si.ei7 .367; banks. 1.
coo; store and apartments. 3. 52.0o0s
store and Office. 3 S2.659. stores. IL.
SlgS.25u; assembly hail. /. $4,000, gym
nasium, !. $500; elevators and electric
motors. 50. <2Ilfl5. engines. boilers. etc.
Co. Sli0.Ss6; gasOlene tank. !. $40; semi
nary. l. S40oto; colleges or schools. (.
$4,000; hotel. l. S7o01; churches. 6.
$3.50 500; stables Cbrick). 40. So. .275: stables
framcl. y. S6.355. carTiu~e repository. !,
g 00Q. hospital l. $4,000: workshops
'hriCk). 2 Si.001, workshop framel. I.
$500: ware houses. :. $3.50. wheelwrigh.
; sho1. I. S2.0J0; range. /. $1,000. ovens 5.
SS74; greenhouses. 2 $40. observation
stands, >. S20J; sheds tbrick). :. SFIS5.
sheds GramC). 525. S26Sl4. minor repairs,
3.35l So. .l5l. awnings. I30 80. $50. fire
, Lee al l. - lIn
Ehe following summary will show the
+ distribution OF improvements in the dif-
ferCnt sections of the District and the
va lCc CT the same:
Buildings-Northwest S5.3)l932: coun-
ty. S3. 10 ISl; northeast S59[0>1. south
east. S296.275; southwest. S11AC00- Total,
50. .796.CG9.
Repairs-NOrthwest 81. .t65 615; county
N35.95i: northeast. Sc. .SS1: southeast. SOL