Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-11-04
MORROW COMES BACK
Engineer Commissioner Re-
plies to Capt. Oyster.
APPROVES SILENCE POLICY
Hopes for the Fulfillment of a "Pos-
sible Promise"
LOGIC OF THE SITUATION
District Official Makes Mention Of
the Law-Regrets Action
Is by Board.

For year the public has been RECALLED
with attacks on the Commissioners work,
largely inspired by a personal difference
between the president of the board of ed
ucation and the inspector of buildings,
and it certainly is relief to me, and 1
believe will be to the general public, if
this method of procedure will be
changed"
The foregoing statement was made to-
day by Engineer Commissioner Morrow
in commenting on the letter of the board
of education to him protesting against the
appointment of Capt Kelly, assistant en-
gineer commissioner. and Snowden Ash
ford, inspector of buildings. on the perma-
nent committees to look after local public
school buildings from the standpoint OF
sanitation and safety.
Expresses Extreme Regret.
when 1 received. on October 3d. Com
missioner Morrow said, "a letter signed
by Capt. Oyster, I had hoped. on account
of the character of that letter and as 1t
was addressed to me personally, that IT
was the personal act of the president of
the board of education. l therefore adj
dressed to Capt. Oyster personal reply.
which he published this morning. l have
no retractiOn to make from that letter,
except to express my extreme regret that
any such action is the action of the board
of education.
Prom the letter against which / pro-
tested the following Is an accurate quota
ton:
1.-The appointment of the assistant TO
the Engineer Commissioner. Capt. Kelly,
and that of the building inspector, Mr..
Ashford. as members of the committee on
fire conditions and the committee on san
itar g satisfactory
to the board of education. Both OF these
men, as members of these committees.
will merely pass judgment upon their own
work, a course of action which does not
appeal to the board of education as right
and proper. Mr.. Ashford has not only
failed to win the confidence of the board
by the work he has put into the schools.
but has shown no disposition to correct
his errors. Consequently the board OF
education strongly protests against hav-
ing the investigation of such vital mat
tiers as the safety and health of tine chill
dren in the schools intrusted 10 the very
officials under whose administration these
grieyous conditions arose. 1t would be
placing these officials in position to pass
Judgment on their own work and justify
their own performances.
ut is believed the character OF this
charge justifies any reply TO the official
body giving 1t as its expression or opinion.
Logic of the Situation.
Let us look at the logic of the situa-
'tion. The law definitely places upon two
officials. namely, the inspector of build
ings and the chief engineer of the fire de-
partment, the responsibility for certifying
in writing to the assessor OF the District
that applicants for licenses to conduct
hotels and theaters have complied with
the laws and regulations promulgated for
the protection of life and property. Again,
in the execution of the recent fire escape
law the chief engineer of the fire depart
ment and the inspector of buildings, to-
gether with the assistant to the Engineer
Commissioner in charge of buildings.
Capt. Kelly, is the body required to eX-
anime all buildings covered by that law.
Again, the law creating the board for the
condemnation of insanitary buildings
definitely names the assistant to the Engi-
neer Commissioner in charge of the build
ing department, the inspector Of build
ings and the health officer as the board.
''The motion which made to the board
of Commissioners about two weeks ago,
and which until nearly two weeks later
was approved by Capt. Oyster personally.
although not by the board of education.
was simply the taking of the logical step
to have any necessary inspections of the
school buildings made in exactly this