Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-05-16
ARE WITHOUT LICENSES.
Number Of Hotels Fail to Comply
With Law.

Enforcing the recent fire escape law,
which has been proclaimed by local bust
ness men as one of the most stringent
passed in the District in years, has proved
itself to be no easy matter for the District
officials. The most troublesome part has
been in trying to have the various hotels
and apartment houses conform to the re-
Quirements.
Although this law became operative last
November. only six hotels have complied
with its provisions to the satisfaction of
the building inspector and have been
granted licenses to operate. AS the matter
STANDS now, and according to views ex-
pressed py officials who have the matter in
charge. it is likely the Commissioners will
seek assistance in the courts, as there is an
apparent inclination on the part Of the
,.otel arrangements to hold back"
On account of this law and the attitude of
| the hotel proprietors there are only six
| licensed hotels operating in the District
Of Columbia out OF total of nearly 100. 1t
has been the custom In the past to license
all the hotels during the first week in No
| vember each year. When the licenses of the
| various hotels expired last fall the assessor
of the District could not renew them, in
| view Of the fact that provisions IF the
| law make 1t necessary for III" inspector OF
| buildings to approve eacn appiication be-
| fore the license can be rssaed, and be-
cause of the many new requirements set
| Iortn IN the new fire escape law the puild-
| ing inspector was not in a position to APP
prove the applications because every one
| Of the hotels had to undergo some altera-
| don or another to conform with the new
Jaw.
In order that the hotels might not suffer
| hardship and that they could operate the
| Commissioners agreed to issue the neces-
| sary licenses with the derstanding that
| the owners or managers of the hotels would
/ sign an agreement by which they would
| make the necessary additions or changes
| to bring their respective buildings within
| the terms Of the law within ninety days
| after the issuance of the license. This Of
| fer the Commissioners considered to be
| generous and satisfactory as a means of
settling the question to the interest Of all
parties concerned, but despite the fact that
more than six months have elapsed since
| then only a half dozen have taken ad-
| vantage of the Commissioners offer, as
| stated. .E
| It is explained that this condition Of af
| torcement of the f1re-escape law, but 1t
/ means that the District has failed to col
| 1ect the fees that go with the licenses,
| which total about $4,5O0 and, according to
| an official of the assessors Office, unless
some drastic step is taken by the Commits
| lost by the District In the event OF a num-
| Der OF the hotels being permitted to operate
| without licenses until the expiration Of the
present license year-October 81 next
| The question which has arisen and which
| will have to be Settled by the corporation
| counsel Of the District is whether the own.
| ers or managers Of these hotels can be
view of the fact that they were given per-
! mission by the Commissioners to operate
pending the repairs necessary for them to
| vtously explained.