The Washington herald., 1907-11-30
DENIAL BY ASHFORD
Brands Gibbs Charges as Ma,
liciOuS FalsehoOd.
GIVES A FULL EXPLANATION
Check for Money IN Letter Sent by
RittenhOusC Bros, lie says, Was
Returned by Him, with Statement
That He Had No Charge TO Make.
Statements by Two Commissioners.


Accusations by E. f. Gibbs, OF tn,
Gibbs Fire Escape Company. against
Snowden Ashford. Inspector of building.
for the District of Columbia, are brand
ed as malicious falsehoods by Mr.. Ash
/ ford In a statement issued last night
Mr.. Ashford made vigorous denia
of the charge that he had attempted L
| promote the sale of his fire escape de
vice. by showing unjust discrimination
against rival concerns
Mr.. Gibbs presented the charges TO the
Commissioners several days ago. Latei
welt. He was informed by Secretary Loci
that the President had been Informed
! by the Commissioners that an investiga
ton of the matter had been made, anC
that, although they had found Mr. Ash.
ford had done nothing 70 injure Mr.
Gibbs or any other fire escape pro.
motors, they had, nevertheless. ordered
him to sever his connections with tn,
fire escape business.
Printed Only la Part.
In answering the inference drawn from
the letter addressed to "Rittenhouse
Bros" Mr.. Ashford says that TO begin
with the letter Is only printed in part
He says the Rittenhouse firm communi-
Gated with him in reference to the use OF
the escape in Baltimore. and that his
answer applied only 10 the erection OF
escapes in that city He further stated
that his reference 10 putting the Ritten-
house firm in communication with a
former employee Of the Office was for
the purpose Of assisting that firm TO as
certain the dimensions required by build
ings. which contemplated having escapes
erected. and for which the firm might
make bids.
After receiving the letter" Mr. Ash
ford said, Il received another cOmmuni-
cation from Rittenhouse Bros. in which
they incloSed a check for $40. and stated
they desired 90 get plans Of my escape
for the purpose of erecting them in the
city of Washington. I Immediately re-
/ turned the check 10 them with the state
ment that l made no charge whatever soI
the use Of the escapes i'm this city. and
that they might use them free Of charge
so FAR as was concerned. My letter WAS
sent by registered mail. and have i'm my
possession the receipt therefor.
ArcEitects' Letters.
Letters from architects and firms.
said Mr. Ashford. acknowledging al,
use OF my device without charge hav,
been received by me and are at the pres
| ent time in the possession Of Capt. Nor.
row. Engineer Commissioner Of the Dis
/ trict."
Hr. Ashford claims 20 have letters
which are now in the hands OF Com
missioner Morrow and which will be giver
/ for publication, that viii entirely rcliev,
him from the limitations suggested %,
/ the statement OF Mr. Gibbs.
! Capt. Morrow yesterday issued state
ment in which ne vigorously defended
Mr.. Ashford. He says:
Mr. Morrow'S Statement.
Mr.. Gibbs statements i'm this commu
nication are very largely falsehoods Mr.
/ Gibbs is the owner Of a patent fire es-
/ cape known as the Endless Chain rs
cape and he and the people behind Z
similar escape. known az the Lewis es
cape have for more than year beer
] endeavoriug TO have the Commissions.
allow their fire escape to be used i'm lieJ
/ Of any of the standard platform and lad
! der escapes. where property owners de
sire them.
This has been recommended against
not only BY Mr. Ashford. but by Chic
/ Belt. Capt Kelly. and by myself Mr.
Gibbs. some months ago. proposed al
amendment 70 the building regulation,
practically prescribing the Gibbs fire es
cape for use wherever fire escapes wer,
required under recent legislation Hi,
communication was given careful consid
GRAFTON. but OF course. could not D,
adopted. Some time in August. Mr.
] Gibbs wrote letter 10 Mr.. Ashford, and
/ either signed it himself or had Ritten
| house Bros sign il, requesting Mr.
Ashford's terms for the use Of his paten
| for the Baltimore trade.
ITO this Mr. Ashford replied TO the ef
feet given above by Mr.. Gibbs, and a.
the Rittenhouse-G Gibbs inquiry referred
solely and explicitly 10 the use Of IN,
Ashford patent for the Baltimore trade &
is only fair 20 Mr.. Ashford 10 constru,
his reference 10 the management OF tn,
| local business to mean the Baltimor,
/ business. To this letter Mr.. Gibbs pre-
pared another reply. inclosing a check fol
an option, and in this letter for the frs
time. mentioned the fact that he INTENDED
TO pay Mr. Ashford for the fire escape.
erected in Washington, but that he coulC
not pay him SO per balcony for fire es
capes in Baltimore, as il was necessary
for him 10 pay TO the building inspector
| IN Baltimore some money for services h'
expected to get from Mr.. Ashford on &C
count OF his connection with him.
TO this Mr.. Ashford Immediately re
piled that he was not selling any rights
TO his escape in Washington, where th'
architects and fire-escape people knew
that his patent could be used withou
charge, that he could expect no assist
ance from the building inspectors Office
and returned him his remittance in
/ registered letter. receiving. In due course
/ the registered receipt
Naturally, Mr. Gibbs fails to quot,
these letters, as he failed to quote then
!