Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-01-31
OPPOSE THE PENDING BILL
MASTER BUILDERS AND CHAM
Der OF COMMERCE ACT.
Decide to Send Representatives to
District Committee Of Congress
and Present Views.

The bill to regulate building in the Dis
trict by establishing a board of eXami-
ners. dividing licenses into four classes
and establishing license fees, which was
introduced in Congress by Senator CALM
ger, will be opposed by the master build
ers Of Washington and the Chamber of
Commerce If recommendations adopted
at meeting of the municipal legislation
committee of the chamber are approved
by the board of directors.
Three master builders-Charles Langley,
Joseph Richardson and William Z. Speir-
conferred with the committee, Mr.. Rich
ardson being also Il member OF the cham
Der. Not one reason for supporting the
bill was advanced and the resolution
passed at the end of the three-hour meet
ing recommended that the District COM
mittee in Congress be informed that the
bill is undesirable and should be dropped,
and that general meeting of persons in
terested would be held for the purpose
of drafting a bill to meet the require
ments OF the local building situation.
Change Is Needed.
1t was the general opinion that 4
change is needed to perfect building reg
ulat. ions in Washington. but the bill in
question is not the proper measure, ac-
cordins to the committee meeting yes
terday. Frequent reference was made to
the office of the building inspector, and
the delegation which goes before the
committee of Congress will try to i'm
press on the lawmakers that more money
expended for building inspectors would
be the proper remedy for the present
defects. 1t was reiterated by the build
ers that with the present force of in
spectors fireproof buildings cannot be
properly inspected.
In IA speech on the prs ctical side of
building, Mr.. Richardson pointed out that
in erecting fireproof structures great care
should be exercised in the inspection of
the cement work. He said that an in
spector visiting the work three times a
week is not sufficient He referred to
an accident last summer, while an apart
ment house in the northwest section of
the city was being built, and said that
accidents of that kind might be averted
with a better class of inspectors and a
larger force.
Graded Licenses Criticised.
The graded licenses mentioned in the
bill were criticised. A first-ciaSs license
allows builder to erect fireproof build
ing or any other kind of building. From
that class they grade down to the fourth
class, which would permit the building
of a small one or two story house, for
the builders own use. 1t was said that
this would be class legislation Of the
worst sort. as it would prohibit many
good builders from competing for the
best business, inasmuch as technical ex-
animation might be required by the eX-
aminng board. The builders said they
were in favor of examinations for men
who have not been in business, but for
those builders whose work here stands
as evidence of their ability there should
be no examination.
Another objection raised by A B.
Browne, vice chairman of the committee,
was that the proposed board of examiners
was too small. Three men, appointed by
the Commissioners, might easily have the
building inspector for one member and
for the other two might have men sug-
gested by the inspector. and in that case
1t would hardly be fair to builders.
Speaks on General Proposition.
Mr.. Browne was not personal in his
remarks, speaking on the general prop
osition. Also, he said that the bill gave
tremendous latitude in the matter of ex-
aminations. There would be nothing to
prevent the examination for one builder
being easy and for another very diff
cult.
At the last moment, II was decided that