Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-11-27
BY VERBAL PERMITS
Building Work So Authorized,
Police Sergeant Says.
TESTIFIES AT INQUEST
Owner of Collapsed Structure Tells
Of Authority Given.
Assertion That There Was No Doubt
as to Object of Request-Views
of Witnesses.

"h IL a usual affair when we see q
building going uk without n permit to
call up the building Inspector; and he
says TO let the building go On.-
The foregoing statement was made by
Sergt. Lord of the second police precinct
while testifying at the inquest over the
body of Raymond Hibbs killed last Mon
day by the collapse Of the building at
North Capitol and NJ streets. Sergt. Lord
said that the telephone message from
the inspector generally carried the infor-
nation that written permit would follow.
Much of the testimony today related to
permits from the Office of the building in
spector, and evidence by one OF the own
ers Of the NJ street building was to the
enect that a verbal permit had been given
TO go ahead with the work by Mr.. Somer-
Vile in the presence OF Snowden Ashford
inspector of buildings.
No Doubt as to Purpose.
Coroner hewitt took pains to ask
whether it was possible that there could
be any doubt in the mind of either Mr..
Somerville or Mr.. Ashford as to what
they We're giving verbal permission for.
and the witness said No
r. Golden Donaldson, part owner Of
spector with NJ. W. Hill, also Interested I'm
the project. declared that he had heard
of verbal permits being issued previous
to his request.
Evidence was introduced that District
inspectors had gone over the steel twice
while it still in the old Pennsylvania
trainshed and once while it lay on the
ground at NJ and North Capitol streets
be fore erection. 1t was shown that Mr.
Isham, the field inspector removed from
office after the accident, had marked
some Of the steel work before II was
put up. Isham went over the steel
after Mr.. Somerville, according to the
evidence.
Mr.. Donaldson a Witness.
r. Golden Donaldson was called as the
| first witness this morning The coroner
| read part of the record in the testimony
| of Malcolm w. Hill Wednesday. The
| testimony relating to the permits was
| gone over, and the answers that a ver-
| bal permit was given were heard again.
Then Mr.. Donaldson to d OF his visit to
Mr.. Ashford's office when he received u
verbal permit. He declared Mr.. Somer-
| Vile said there would be no objection to
going ahead with the work. The witness
added:
Il turned to Mr.. Ashford and asked
him If it was all right, and he said.
Yes -
Mr.. Donaldson said he had stipulated
that the permission for steel work
and believed that was the understanding.
Mr.. Somervlle said there was no rea-
son why we could not 90 ahead the
witness further said. '.and Mr. Ashford
| remarked that he would see that Isham,
the inspector on the ground, was noti-
fed
According tn testimony. Isham advised
the builders that visit to the building
inspector was necessary.
Mr.. Donaldson said he did not expect
ha nir1 hn -n,t
to the building inspector, merely 10 get
verbal permission. and added that his
knowledge of the office led him to be-
lieye that verbal permits were sometimes
given. He added that the plans had been
approved and that the builders were en-
titled TO permit. The latter was given
in writing the day after the accident.
after an hours delay.
Coroner Asks Questions.
The point is the coroner asked,
that you got the permit right away
after the accident? There was no cler.-
cal work to be done on the permit. was
! there
No | believe not Mr. Donaldson re-
| Piled He also said Mr.. Isilam had stop
| ped the work a week ago and wanted 10
! have that matter adjusted.
The coroner dweit on the point of verbal
| permits and Mr.. Donaldson reiterated
| that he confidently expected to get a ver-
bal permit because Il verbal permit had
been given to Mr.. Newman. the steel sub
| contractor. after pair OF uprlgntS LAD
| been put up.
| Answering questions by jurymen. Mr..
Donaldson said he expected written per-
NIT would follow the verbal one. and that
| work on the steel had actually been stop
! ped 1t was brought out that the work
| could not have proceeded If the verbal
permit had not been given, because Mr..
Isham, the field inspector. was Keeping IN
\ -, owl
| the steel from going up without seeing
| those higher up.
| Mr.. Donaldson said he did not hear
| Isham notified but he was confident thar
| he was notified. The witness further sa q
he had notified Mr.. Mcnamara. the steel
| contractor who owned the old railroad
sheds and who was to furnish the sie''!
| for the building at VI and North Capiu
streets that it all right to proceed
with the building about two weeks ago.
He referred to nothing by date.
End of Owners Responsibility.
Mr. Donaldson. answering questions ny
| iurvmen. declared that he and the other
owners were rid OF all responsibility
when the contract for taking down the
old train sheds moving the steel and
erecting the steel skeleton was given to
Mcnamara.
McNamaras $ attorney asked whether or
not the steed had been inspected. Mr.
Donaldson replied that District inspectors
had gone over the material twice while
standing and once after il had been
moved to the North Capitol street loca-
ton
Charles Lord sergeant of No. > police
precinct declared the stand that he
had heard of many verbal building per-
mits being issued. His testimony was to
show that as far the police were con-
cerned the regulations had been COM
piled with.
Deputy Coroner GlaZebrook read a sec
ton Of the regulations. but could fiuu
nothing in regard TO verbal permits.
The last question asked the police SER
geant was whether the police station OFF,
cals ever called up the building inspec-
tors office when they found building
going up without n permit. His answer.
as ii appears on the record. was
1T is usual affair when We "A
tu.ldins going Up without permit TO cali
up the building Inspector. and he says
TO let the building go on. The permit Is
iven afterwarG.
Isham Marks Trusses Weak.