Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-02-23
GIRLS REFORM SCHOOL
DECISION OF COL. BIDDIE RE-
GARDING BUILDING.
Controversy Over Authority for Con-
struction Definitely Settled by En-
gineer Commissioner.

Unless the plans for a proposed new DOR
mitory for male employees to be built at the
Reform School for Girls are submitted to
and approved by the District inspector of
buildings. the superintendent of the Capitol
and the District Commissioners. the latter
officials will not authorize the payment of
vouchers for the construction of the dormi-
tory. This is the final decision reached by
Col. John Biddle. Engineer Commissioner,
In regard to a question involving the
authority for the construction of the build
ing which has been pending for nearly
two years.
The District appropriation act for the
fiscal year 1904, approved March B. 1903,
contained an item under the head of Re-
form School for Girls, for building and
equipping brick building to be used to
house men employees and for storerooms,
$1,000" Although the appropriation be-
came available the list of July 1903. the
structure has not yet been erected. 1t
seems that the trustees of the reform
school claimed exclusive authority over the
construction of the dormitory, while the
Commissioners considered that the plans Of
the building We're subject to their ap-
prevail as in the case in construction of
other buildings.
According to the history of the case as
recited by Col. Bidde, the engineer de-
partment, March 4. 1903, requested the
authorities of the Girls Reform School
to inform the Commissioners of their In
tentionS concerning the proposed new
building. No answer was received to this
letter, it is stated and July following
similar request was made of the trustees.
Later in the month, it is stated. letters
were received from officials connected with
the reform school stating that the presi-
dent of the board of trustees was out of
town and would not return for several
days. AS far as the records of the engineer
department show no other communication
was received from the officials OF the IN
stituton.
Reform School Trustees.
The trustees of the reform school ap-
parently were satisfied as to their author
ity to construct the building without the
aid or consent of the District Commits
sioners. for they appointed Architects
Wyeth & Cresson to design the structure
and prepare the plans The inspector of
buildings, it is stated, notified the archi-
tects that If they proceeded with the
building it would have to be under author
ity of the trustees of the institution. The
matter has been held in allegiance since
it was again brought to the attention of
the Commissioners in a letter from the
architects, who asked instructions as to
how to proceed with the work on the new
dormtory.
THE appropriation for the building"
says Colonel Biddle, lis in the usual form
of appropriations for buildings to be erected
by the District money for which is dis
bursed on the order of the Commissioners.
The District appropriation act contains
clause which states that the plans and
specifications for all buildings provided for
in the act other than school buildings shall
be prepared under the supervision of the
inspector of buildings of the District and
shall be approved by the superintendent of
the Capitol building and the Commissioners
of the District of Columbia, and shall be
cop tod in formifV Th9rpWith
There seems no reason why this gen.
eral provision of the act does not apply
to the building in question" continued Col
onel Biddle. This is especially the case
because the building is to be erected on
ground belonging to the United States, and
the case is not similar to an appropriation
to aid IN the construction or reconstruction
of building such as the Homeopa hic Hos
ptal appropriation for in the same act,
where the controller of the treasury de-
cided that the construction of the build
ing was in charge of the authorities of the
hospital and that the Commissioners could
pay for il on vouchers of the hospital au-
thoritieS.
By Local Inspector.
Il recommend, therefore, that the archi
tects, Messrs Wyeth & Cresson, and the
board of trustees of the Girls Reform
School, be informed that In accordance
with the act in question the plans of this
building must be approved by the inspector
of buildings by the Superin tendent of the
Capitol and the Commissioners of the Dis
trict, otherwise 1t will not be possible for
the Commissioners to authorize the pay
ment of vouchers for it's construction"
The Reform School for Girls under a
provision in the appropriation act for 1906
will be entirely under the supervision and
control of the Department of Justice and
the Commissioners will then have no juris-
diction over that institution. The act au-
thorizing the construction of the dormitory.
however, was approved in March, 1903 and
the appropriation made at that time. it is
held, will be disbursed under direction of
the Commissioners.
Col. Biddle states that he can find no
record of any claim of the reform school
authorities that the Commissioners have
no jurisdiction in regard to the plans for
the building and he declares that there is
no controversy so far as he knows between
the Commissioners and the authorities of
the institution. Building Inspector Ash
ford, however, reports that the authorities
of the institution at one time notified the
Commissioners that they intended to erect
the building. The decision of Col. Biddle
in the matter will probably result in a set
tlement of the question, and the construc-
ton of the building, which has been delayed
for about two years, will be undertaken.