Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-11-24
BLAME ON INSPECTOR
Failed to Make Prompt Report
on Collapsed Building.
DISMISSED BY MORROW
Official Separated From Service
Makes Explanation.
SAYS DISCHARGE WAS UNJUST
Coroner Proceeds With Arrange
ments for Inquest-Jurors to
Visit Scene of Accident.
SAYS DISCHARGE WAS UNJUST


spector of buildings. District of Columbia.
was summarily removed from his posi-
ton today by Engineer Commissioner
Morrow, because, 1t is alleged. he failed
to report to his chief Saturday after in
specting the iron work on the building
at North Capitol and M streets which
collapsed yesterday and caused the death
of Raymond Hibbs, that it was going
forward without a permit from the build
ing inspectors office
The Engineer Commissioner arrived in
the city early today from Pittsburg and
proceeded at once to his office in the
District building
Shortly thereafter Capt. Kelly assist
ant engineer commissioner. and Blu ;lding
Inspector Ashford were called into con-
ference. At the conclusion. shortly after
IL o'clock. announcement was made that
the engineer commissioner had held Isham
responsible for not reporting the progress
of the. work and its dangerous construc-
ton Immediately instead of waiting until
Monday morning
Views of Maj Morrow.
Maj. Morrow held that if the building
inspector had been notified at once the
work could have been stopped and the
collapse of the framework would never
have happened, resulting in the death of
Hibbs.
After Ishams removal had been or
dered Building Inspector Ashford was
asked If it was the custom of the in
spectors to report at once instances
where work was in progress without a
permit. He said such reports were nearly
always made the following morning
The Engineer Commissioner thought
Mr.. Ashford explained. that on account
of the dangerous conditions of the work
that the inspector should have made the
report to this office at once
Isham had been on the temporary roll
of the building inspectors Office for about
five months, and was regarded as capa-
BILE employe.
Inspector Makes Statement.
Willard S. Isham, the assistant building
inspector on the concrete foundation upon
which the iron work was erected, said
in an interview today that he understood
he was being held responsible for the col
lapse. This. he said, was an injustice, as
of the work and had exceeded all the au-
thority, moral or official, which might
have been given him in trying to have
the contractor to properly secure ms
work. In speaking of the matter he said
II was assigned to inspect the concrete
work of the foundations. which as still
unfinished. Last week the builders
stated that they were going ahead with
the iron work and that they had verbal
permit from the Office to do so. I re-
my superior, from whom l was directed
to take my orders. He said that it was
all right and to let them go ahead. This
permission was verbal. All the orders
and permissions that 1 have had any
thing to do with in the Office have been
verbal. l have not received written
order since l have been there.
Verbal Permission.
''The contractors went ahead with the
iron work under this verbal permission
and | suffered them to do so under the
same kind of orders. Last Friday / no.
ticed that some of the iron work being
erected swayed to the north that is to-
ward NJ street. l told the contractors
then that / had no authority to dictate
how their work should be done. and, in
deed. that / had nothing yet to do with
the construction of the iron work not
having yet been assigned to that part of
the construction, but that their iron work
was manifestly in need of bracing and
that they had better stay it. After con-
siderable talking they did some bracng
Mr.. Hill. who is the engineer for the
contractors. knows what did in this con-
nection and will testify to as much. In
fact, he ordered iron to further strengt hen
the bracing suggested me, and / reported
the matter to Mr. Somervile. Monday
morning as more was being hoisted into
place the builders secured their tackle on
part of the iron frame that had already
been built. The result was that they prac-
tically pulled the building over on them
selves.
Il shirk no responsibility that 1 should
shoulder. but / do not want to bear any
responsibility that does not belong to me-
L know that my superior. from whom I
look my orders, was angry with me be-
cause l did not agree with him about the
condition of some of the iron that was
being put into the building
Il do not believe the time is yet here
when man can be blamed for a work
over which he had no charge or when he
carries out the instruction of his siIperi-
ors, / trust the Investigation of the whole
matter will be searching and that the
chips will fall where they belong"
Those who are to serve as members of
the jury are Thomas w. McKnew, real
druggist, 18th street and PENNSYLVANIA
avenue: James F. Gessford, druggist. :,OO
u street: A. J. Sanford, grocer, 1119 Az
street; Oscar J. Ricketts,. printer, 1893
Columbia road: William w. Riley, lum-
Der dealer, South Washington
Jurors at Scene of Accident.
SIX men who are to serve as jurors at
the inquest are to meet at the scene of
the accident tomorrow morning before
going to the morgue to hear testimony
Coroner hewitt intends to have q full in
vestigatiOn of the affair for the purpose
of having the jurors reach ii definite de-
termination as to who, if anybody, was
crminally negligent.
1t is probable that the jury will be in
session several DAYS the coroner thinks
because it is his intention to have every
available witness examined The alIega-
ton that the work was being done with
out permit will likely be one of the
things for the attention of the jury
Persons residing in the vicinity of North
Capitol and NJ streets, members III the
North Capitol and lexington Citizens AS
ISOLATION, and others engaged in dis
cussion of the accident last evening
The accident was also theme for con-
veraation at a meeting of the association
held last evening.
Citizens Discuss Accident.
w. G. Henderson, vice president of the
and chairman of the railway
committee, called up the subject before
the association by declaring that the APP
parent need and advisability of more
stringent building laws has been dem
onstrated.
1.-The reformation of the building laws
of the District is a matter OF great inn