Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-11-29
ASHFORD IS ACCUSED
Charges Preferred Against In
spector of Buildings.
PUSHING HIS OWN PROJECT
Allegation of Unjust Discrimination
Against a Rival
PROTEST TO THE PRESIDENT
Commissioner, Defending Subor-
dinate, Says of Complaints:
Every Largely Falsehoods.
PUSHING HIS OWN PROJECT
PROTEST TO THE PRESIDENT

Every Largely Falsehoods."
That Snowden Ashford, the Districts
inspector of buildings has been using his
position to promote a fire escape he is
said to have patented; that he has shown
unjust discrimination against rival enter
prises in pushing forward his own project.
and that he has used knowledge of which
he is custodiart as building inspector for
his own benefit. are the allegations con-
tanned in signed statement given to the
local press by f. F. Gibbs. manager of
the Gibbs Fire Escape Company.
Several weeks prior to making public
this statement Mr.. Gibbs directed the at
tention of Mr.. Ashford's alleged CONNER
cial enterprise to the Commissioners. Ac
cording to Mr.. Gibbs. the latter gave him
little satisfaction. and he made complaint
to President Roosevelt. Several days ago
Mr.. Gibbs received information from Sec
rotary Loeb that the Commissioners had
informed the President that they had in
vestigated the matter. and. although they
found that Mr.. Ashford had done nothing
to injure Mr. Gibbs or any other frees
cape promoters. they had ordered him to
abandon his connections with the fire
escape business.
Has Done No Wrong.
As far as the Commissioners are con-
cerned the matter ends with their or
der to the building inspector. Commits
sioner mcfarland, as president of the
board of Commissioners said today that
the board is opposed to officials engag-
ing in private business but it is salts
fled that the building inspector has done
no wrong.
IF we thought for a moment that Mr..
Ashford had done wrong or had used his
Office for unfair transactions he would
have been dismissed. / would have asked
for his, dismissal myself if such had
been the case" Commissioner Mcfarland
said.
Mr. Gibbs is not satisfied He said to-
day that he does not propose to let the
matter rest the way-it has apparently
been settled by the Commissioners. He
added he is going to take the matter to
Congress or the President He wants the
fire escape regulations, drawn by the
Commissioners. changed. The wording of
the regulations is such. he said. as to ad-
NIT of unfairness and discrimination.
Should Have chastised Gibbs.
Capt. Jay ]. Morrow, Engineer Commits
sioner+ under whose personal supervision
Snowden Ashford is building inspector. is
very much incensed at the published
charges made by Mr.. Gibbs. He says the
statements made are very largely false
hoods"
In statement today Capt Morrow ex-
plains Mr.. Ashford's side of the case. He
concludes by saying that when Gibbs Wis
red him several weeks ago and made
charges against Ashford he should not
have allowed him to get out of his office
without personal chastisement.
Statement of charges.
The statement signed and made public
by Mr.. Gibbs follows:
I'VE desire to solicit through your val
liable columns the cordial support of the
landlords and citizens of Washington in
an appeal to the incoming Congress, to
authorize and permit landlords who are
required by law to install fire escapes to
erect chain fire escapes which meet with
proper requirements, under certain con-
ditions.
The manifest necessity for such lesis
lation is obvious. upon a careful perusal
OF the following letter. from the d. c.
: building inspector, Mr.. S. Ashford the
executor of the fire escape law, to Messrs.
Rittenhouse Bros, proprietors of Balti-
more machine shop; in connection with
certain features of the present fire-escape
regulations, and other noteworthy Incl
dents.
The letter reads thus
Inspector of Buildings,
a-- Aug. 20, 1907.
"Rittenhouse. Bros.
Gentlemen: Your favor of the 18th in
slant lnquiring about the use of my dis
appearing step fire escape received
Another firm of your city are putting
up some of the escapes, and l have en-
tered into an agreement with a New York
hrm a set of drawings cost SO and YOU
pay me at the rate of $40 for each bal
Cory when the escape is erected. Five
escapes have been put up here recently
and 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 competition there is
good profit have not made any exclu-
sive arrangements with any firm as yet
i expect 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 receiving the drawings. what
YOU can build them for and a fair aver
age time to construct them I will put You
IN communication with a 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 time
Any arrangement must be temporary as
l. am considering the sale of my rights.
Very respectfully.
(SigneD IS. ASHFORD.
Claims Proprietorship.
at. is seen that Mr. Ashford claims
propr1etorship of what he designates as
NV diSa rip etc