Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-09-11
Alleged to Have Abandoned Jobs.


of the public.
Alleged to Have Abandoned Jobs.
Besides the dangers involved during the
past year several irresponsible builders
have either abandoned their work or left
it in unfinished condition or incorpo-
rated such shoddy material that the build
ings proved a financial loss to the owners
and those investing their money.
There were 200 Inspections of elevators
made last year. which was an average of
eight inspections a day for each of the two
inspectors. But three serious accidents
have occurred. and these were not the Re
SUIT or braakage In the machinery or hoist
ing apparatus. Careles5ness in operation
ana neglect in the maintenance VIII not be
corrected until the engineers and operators
are under Offic al control or licensed as
recommended by the elevator inspectors.
MT Ashford asks the Commissioners to
petition Congress to increase the height
limit on freproof buildings from eighty
feet. the present limit to ninety three feet
or else reduce the height OF combustibIe
buildings 10 fifty feet from the present
limit of sixty feet. Because of the unsat-
lslactory limitations now in force a type of
building has resulted consisting of brick
outer walls only, with an enormous floor
area subdlrided by stud and lath parti-
Tons and not interior walls The limit on
nreproof buildings now only allows a build
ing Of seven stories. except in rare in
stances.
Wrong Way of Estimating.
Regarding the estimates for buildings be-
Ing built by the District government Mr.
Ashford sa d: Il beg to strongly advise
against the practice which has sprung I'D
in recent years in some OF the departments
OF making their own estimates for cost OF
buildings. instead of setting forth the needs
and description of the buildings in detail
ana leaving the cost to be determined by
TINS department after proper consideration
or al! circumstances. 1t has resulted In
lowering the standard of work during the
past year, and enforcing a reduction in the
size and character Of some of the buildings
to keep within the appropriations"
Accompanying his annual report Mr.. ASH
ford submitted his annual estimates in
which he asked for an increase in his own
salary and the salaries of a number of his
assistants. The total amount asked for by
him with which to run his Office for the
next fiscal year beginning July 1898 Is
S34,S3o which is SJ,IOO more than was ap-
propriated for the present fiscal year
Increases in Salaries.
Mr. Ashford receives 81 100 as his yearly
salary, and although he stipulated no mar
ticular sum he earnestly asked for an in
crease. He said:
I'm connection with the position of in
spector of buildings l beg to state that
correspondence with other cities of about
the same population and Importance as
Washington shows that the salary of the
building inspector chief of the building
department would average about $500 I
would also invite attention to the fact that
in but one other city is the building in
spector required to do the work of city
architect and supervise the designing and
construction of all the municipal build
ings.
In most of the other cities, besides the
salary of $1,000 to $1,000 the city is re-
CURED to employ what is known IS the city
architect. either at stipulated salary or
paid on commission, according to the work
performed. In Baltimore the inspector of
buildings is allowed to continue his pro-
fessiOn contractor and builder, and In
that way to make an income commensurate
with the duties and Importance of his posi-
ton. By designing schoolhouses, engine
houses. etc. in this office the inspector of
buildings has saved the District at least
5000 year but work of this kind has
to be done outside of office hours
His assistants recommended for increases
are: \. NJ Poynton principal assistant in
spector OF buildings from 81 coo to 81 500:
s. J. Atkinson. s. G. Hunt. ]. w Down
ing. A NJ. Proctor. ]. B. Clark and A. M
Lawson assistant inspectors from 81 200 to
81 400; c. w. Somervile and ]. P. Healy.
to 81 600; j. G. Schultz. clerk from 81 900 to
81 100. J. Richie. jr. clerk. from 500 to
$500: T. Francis. superintendent of con-
struction, from 200 to S150O. and w. l..
Webster assistant inspector from 81 800 to
81 800
Estimates for Repair Work.
Henry Storey. superintendent of repairs,
and whose department comes within the SUI
pervision of the building Inspector. sub
mitted his estimates for the next fiscal year
through the latter. In them he asked that
his salary be increased from $3.50 to
81 800: that his clerk. j. X. Hammer be in
creased from 81 $50 to 81 300. and that an
other clerk. II. +. Billingsley be increased
from $500 to 81 600. He asked that the ap-
preparation for repairs and improvements
to school buildings. grounds and heating
appa tus, etc, be increased from $7OGO 10
S5.UU the appropriation for repairs and
improvements TO engine houses and grounds
be increased from 5000 to $4,000. and the
appropriation for repairs and improvements
to station houses and grounds be increased
from 81 $50 to 5000. He asked for the
sum of 500 with which to make repairs of
an emergency nature to the Police Court
Origin of Word "Humbug."