Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-12-05
STATEMENT BY Mr.. ASHFORD
QUOTES CORRESPONDENCE IN
FIRE ESCAPE CONTROVERSY.
Says Comments in Reference to Hin
(. Were Unfair and Unjust-Text
Of Letters.

Snowden Ashford. building inspector of
the District of Columbia, against whom
charges were made last week by E. J.
Gibbs, manager of the Gibbs Fire Escape
Company, to the effect that Ashford was
using his official position to promote
nre escape device of his own patent and
IN ooing SO was discriminating against
other nre escapes. issued a statement to-
uay deci ring the comments puolisned
IN reference 10 him to be unfair and I'M
just. He also made public his CORE
spondence with the Rittenhouse Brothers
manufacturers in Baltimore. Ashford
says only parts OF the letters were quoted
by Gibbs.
Before mentioning the correspondence
Ashford said:
THE patent referred to, and the only
one which has been used in any way. is
not for a fire escape proper or any device
that Is mentioned or required by the fire
escape law. 1t is simply an improve
ment,' which is entirely optional with
the owners of buildings to use or not, as
they see fit.
Inc patent for the disappearing steps
was not issued until the latter part last
September, and at that time / was not
aware of any objection on the part of tn
Commissioners, and did not see any i'm
propriety in its use in the Distr ct, fire.
OF all charge. esp ecial.y as it is not re-
quirement of Jaw that such an imp. ove-
4AiNiAe pp uccu. Dut, iiHutllS lIldl III:
transaction did not meet with the ap-
prevail Of the COMMISSIONS. $. l disposed
OF my patent rights. and l wish to say
that have never ven expression to any
statement that could in any way be con-
strued as criticism of their action,
which l accepted as the proper and only
course to pursue
b, First Letter Received.
The first letter from the Rittenhouse
Bros, about the use of his device in Bal
timore, 1t is explained, was:
y We learn that you have a patent on a
disappearing step fire escape. If so, please
state on what terms you would allow us
10 build some for the Baltimore trade. We
nave made several fire escapes recently
ana possibly might do some business for
You If there is good demand and profit"
To this he answered.:
Your favor of the 18th instant, inquir-
ing about the use of my disappearing
step fire escape received.
Another firm of your city is putting
up some of the escapes and ! have enter
ed into an agreement with New York
firm: A set of the drawings cost $40, and
you pay me at the rate OF $40 for each
balcony W hen the escape is erected.
Fire escapes have. been put up here
recently. and 1 find that those who wish
to prevent defacing their buildings will
pay twice as much as for an ordinary
escape, and as the escape has no COM
petition there is good profit
7 have not made any exclusive ar
rangements with any firm as yet. l ex-
pect there will be a great many put up
here when the new law is applied to
apartment houses.
If you will let me know. after receiv-
Ing the drawings. what you can build
them for. and fair average time to con-
struc- them, will put you in communica-
ton with former employe of this Office,
who can manage the local business or
supply information
There is sharp competition here In the
ordinary type of escape. but very little in
mine. Any arrangement must be tempo
.ary. as l am considering the sale Of my
rights.
Last July I reported to the Commits
sioners that the temporary inspector for
Dire escapes could not BE- retained on &C.
count of the insufficiency of the appro-
priation for such services. and he contem-
plated taking an agency for the manu-
facture of fire escapes, when his pub
tic duties ceased. Such a man might lur-
1ish the necessary information with re-
spect TO the buildings, size of escapes
&C., on which to base bids
As to Washington Business.
The next letter from Rittenhouse was:
Your letter Of 26th received and care
fully noted. We would not pay for the
mere drawings, as these are essential for
the consideration of your proposition. We
fully appreciate the Importance of avoid
ing the disfiguring of building, but your
royalty of $40 per platform is too much,
esp" cially for this market.
1--WE are in a position, we think, to get
the same cooperation of the building in
spector's office of this city which you Of
fer in Washington, but it will, of course,
cost something, which means less roy
atty.
Enclosed please find $40 which we Of
fer as a ten-dayS' option on the exclusive
right to make and sell your disappearing
step fire escape in Washington and Bal
timore, on the basis of a IS royalty fee
for each platform erected in Baltimore
and $40 on each one erected in Washing
ton. II you sell out your rights within
the next sixty days you can return our
$40 option money and take out jigs at
cost - - 80 -.--.---
when we get our pigs and fixtures
made for doing this work we can make
them about as cheap and quick and sell
about as many as any one.
$50, If agreed, send on your drawings
and we will go at once into the matter
and let you know the result"
Return Of Money.
Mr.. Ashfords answer was:
Enclosed find $40 received in your let
ter today concerning my disappearing fire
Scape. ! am not willing to offer you
any exclusive rights. as I informed you
that another firm in your city had OBJ
tanned drawings under the same eendi-
tons had offered you. and today a
second firm from your city received a set
Furthermore, 1 cannot afford you any
assistance from the building inspe ctor's
flee. and all local firms who are putting
up my escapes in this city do so without
paying me any royalty or compensation
Of any kind.
IT suggested that a former emp'oye Of
this Office might solicit work, but he has
nothing but experience in this office, and
me.
II am not anxious to exploit my escape,
and only make such arrangements when
ONE one has request to bid on my de-