The Washington times., 1907-11-30
RULE ASHFORD OUT
OF PRINATECONCERN
Commissioner West Thinks
Building Inspector Should
Abandon Fire Escape.
Official Says He Can Dis
prove All Charges.
Ruling Harsh.

while find nothing wrong In Build
ing Inspector Ashford's connection with
the fire-escape business, 1 consider it
best that he engage in 30 outside affairs
while connected with the District gov
eminent" said Commissioner West to-
day.
Mr.. West stated that he had been
unofficially aware of Mr.. Ashford's con-
nection with the business, but it was
only two weeks ago that his official
attention was brought to the matter.
Malcolm Creighton. referred to in the
Rittenhouse letter. is Mr.. Ashfords
brother-in-law. according to information
furnished Mr.. West, and has been car
ried on the temporary rolls Of the
building inspectors office. He leaves
the District service today.
Calls Action Unjust.
Mr.. Ashford declares unjust the &C
don OF the Commissioners in forbIddIng
him to continue his interests in the
Patent fre-escape business. Mr.. Ash
ford says that he has gone TO an ex-
pense Of 500 to obtain a patent, which
he intended to use only outside Of the
District Of Columbia, and that the ac-
ton OF the Commissioners means that
he viii lose every cent he has invested
in the enterprise.
THE Commissioners" he said. have
been aware Of my interest in this FIRE
escape. and II has seemed agreeable
TO them until the unwarranted protest
from 2. f. Gibbs was brought to their
attention by President Roosevelt" As
an evidence of the knowledge Of the
Commissioners in his project Mr.. Ash
ford said that Commissioner West was
one of a party. which inspected the
Ashford fire-escape on the Congress-
ional Hotel. and spoke enthusiastically
concerning It
Can Refute All Charges.
Mr.. Ashford said that there are In the
possession Of the Engineer Commissioner
numerous letters from architects and
firms acknowledging the use Of his pat
ent without cost. and other documents
which, when made public, will relieve
him from the suspicion cast upon him
by Mr.. Gibbs, whose charge he brands
as a malicious falsehood-
The building inspector maintains that
IN his letter to the Rittenhouse firm In
that he had In mind the Baltimore trade.
The former employee of the office" TO
whom he refers. he said, is now in
Commissioner mcfarland. in speaking
of the charges preferred against the
building inspector, said that they
had received nothing to lead them to
believe that Ashford had taken ad-
vantage Of his position to further his
patent, but that they believed that the
building inspector Of the District should
not be connected with enterprises Of
such a nature.
Stirred Up Trouble.
The Rittenh ouse letter, in which Mr..
Ashford refers to "a former empIoye
of this office who can manage the
local business or supply information ..
and 4 expect there will be a great
many Cire-escapes) put up here when
the new law is applied to apartment
houses" follows:
Inspector OF Buildings,
Aug. 20, 1907.
''RittenhoUse Bros.
Gentlemen: Your favor Of the 18th
Inst, lnquiring about the use of my
disappearing fire-eScape' received
Another firm of your city are put
ting UP some Of the escaPes and ] have
entered into an agreement with a New
York firm. a set of the drawing cost
SIC and you pay me ct the rate of SO
Tor each balcony when the escape is
erected Five escapes have been MT
up here recently, and 1 find that those
who wish to prevent defacinE their
buildings will pay twice as much as
Tor an ordinary escape. and as the es-
cape has no competition there is good
profit 1 have not made any exclusive.
arrangements with any firm as vet I
expect there viii be a great many nut
up mere when the new law is applied
TO apartment houses If Won will Ter
me know, after receiving the drawings.
what you can build them for. and a fair
average time to construct them. I will
put you IN communication with a former
enploye OF this Office who can manage
the local business or supply informs
ton. There is sharp competition here
In the ordinary type of escape, bur
very little in mine. ANY arranCernent
must be temporary, as I am consider
ing the sale Of my rights.
Very respectfully,
IS. ASHFORD