Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-12-08
REVIEWS HIS CRITICISMS
E r. GIBBS RESPONDS TO THE
BUILDING INSPECTOR.
Regards Certain Statements Quoted
as "Absurd"-Pays His Respects
to Commissioner Morrow.

Criticism is made by E. F. Gibbs, man.
ager of the Gibbs Fire Escape Company,
| of the statement made public by Snowden
Ashford, inspector of buildings, several
days ago, regarding the charges made
against him by Gibbs to the effect that
Ashford was engaged in the f1re-escape
| business and was using his official posi-
| ton to advance his own interests and to
! the detriment of his competitors. In a
statement made public last night Mr..
Gibbs contends that the building inspec-
| tor in no way exp aimed his position. ana
| that he did not remove the impression
| that he had been negotiating with a Bal
timore manufacturing concern TO 40
business in Washington"
| Mr. Gibbs also declares that Mr.. Ash
ford failed to show In ms puoiishe e,
statement any falsity or exaggeration IN
| the statements he (Gibbs) previously pup
| lished, and that he did not explain ms
| ashford s. reference to "a former EN-
ploye of the building department who was
| to look after the local business and fur-
nish information" Mr.. Gibbs considers
| the matter of furnishing information the
| real question at issue and not the 1act
that Mr. Ashford was engaged IN the
| hre-escape business.
Statement by Mr.. Gibbs.
| Mr. Gibbs says
1.-THE subject of giving Information MT.
Ashford and his defenders have strenu-
ously avoided. AT last we have what is
supposed to refer to the alleged informa-
| ton in question as follows: And he
contemplated taking an agency for the
manufacture of fire escapes when ms
public duties ceased. Such man might
| furnish the necessary information with
| respect to buildings, size OF escapes, etc.
| on which to base bids.
.'It would seem to be difficult and un-
| natural to apply this service to Baltimore,
where the Rittenhouse factory existed
and where RittenhouSe lives ana had
presumably far more knoWledge OF the
buildings there than resident OF WASH
ington would have. 1t would seem petter
| to apply it to Washington, right where
| the temporary inspector Tor nre escapes
referred to lives and had knowledge OF
buildings which must be equipped, and
who had the necessary forbidden informa-
ton to q certain extent, at least II Sos
Mr.. Ashford loses his case and should
Surrender.
''In addition to this, the service referred
| to is not in the category of information
| but of work 1t implies a small amount
| of information, based upon large amount
of work. While the word or Whlch I'M
| mediately precedes the term supply In
| formation in Mr.. AshfordFs hrst iet,ar
| disconnects it from the term manage the
local business, leaving it an entirety
within itself, we have the right to read 1t
| thus: 7 will put you in communication
with a former employe of this ONCE VINO
| can supply information We decline to
accept the proffered explanation as satls-
| factory.
Propounds Query.
"Again we ask Mr.. Ashford to state,
hat inf fi0n a
former employe of his Office in Washing
| ton can supply to a resident and manu-
| facturer of Baltimore in installing fire
| escapes in Baltimore which would justify
| a royalty fee of $40 for each balcony? He,
| an official of this District, the executor of
| the fire-escape law, the owner of patent
| right relating to fire escapes, the custo-
dian of valuable forbidden information.
having permission from the Engineer
| Commissioner to engage in the fire-escape
| business provided he charges no royalty
| in Washington. and using official sta
| tionery. has written a foreign firm In
viting it to install his escape in Washing
| ton for large consideration, and offered
| to supply information We have the
| right to ask a satisfactory public expla-
nation on this point.
For Mr.. Ashford to state that the
word local In his letter of August 20
| refers to the word Baltimore in the Rit-
| tenhouse letter of August Is is absurd
| from a standpoint of English. especially
| in view Of his own phrase this Office,
| which Immediately preceded it. and his
| oft-repeated adverb here It Is still
more absurd from a business mans stand
| point, for If Mr.. Ashford referred to Balti-
more only he offers a former emoloye of
| his office to manage Mr.. Rittenhouse's
| business, which he manages himself.
''It is true that Mr.. Ashford returned
| the $40 and wrote a general disclaimer.
| but why? Was his official dignity Of
Tended or did he see the danger2 At all
events his disclaimer does not exactly fit.
| August 81 he wrote: I am not willing to
offer you any exclusive rights while on
the Goth he wrote: I have not made any
exclusive arrangement with any firm as
yet On August 20 Rittenhouse might
install in Washington by paying $40 on
| each balcony. which on the 9th they
might install free of royalty fee.
Alleged Inconsistencies.
"When Rittenhouse referred expressly
to the Baltimore trade, why did Ashford
| ignore the Baltimore locality entirely and
depict the fatterng prospects of a large
| business and good profit in Washington?
Would it not explain why a former en-
ploye of his office would be so we'll
adapted to manage the local business p
Why could Mr.. Ashford reasonably ex-
pect royalty of $50 or $40 or $50 per
escape for the use of his simply an i'm
provement?' Why did Mr.. Ashford. who
| has obtained three patents this year.
when required by the Commissioner to
| give up his position or his patents, read
lily surrender the latter with the markets
of the United States at hand?'
Mr.. Gibbs states that Commissioner
Morrow has supervision of the building
| department, and in a statement defend
| ing Mr.. Ashford, said: 1.-The only in
| justice done Mr.. Gibbs was that he
! (Morrow) let him leave his office without
chastisng him. Mr.. Gibbs holds Capt
Morrow to be even more responsible in
| this matter than is Mr.. Ashford. Re-
garding Commissioner Morrow. he said:
He is an officer of the United States
Army, defender Of the nation, educated
at public expense and having lifetime
| position. He comes with a commission
| from the President of the United States
and is intrusted with the laws of Congress
enacted for the protection Of the people
and is further intrusted with discre-
tionary and law-making power. He ad-
mits that he gave Ashford permission to
embark in this commercial enterprise pro-
vided he charged no royalty in Wash
| ington."
|
Skaters Floral Work Is Artistic
in conception and execution. 18th & Eye
Advt.