Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-12-07

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These buildings were erected under the
supervision of the inspector of build
ings, upon whom the law at that time
placed the duty. In the last District
appropriation act the inspector of build
ings was relieved of this duty and the
office OF municipal architect was created.
The law requires the municipal architect
to prepare and supervise the plans for
and superintend the construction of all
municipal buildings, and the repair and
improvement of all buildings belonging To
the District of Columbia, under the direc-
ton of the engineer commissioner
Plans for the following buildings for
which appropriations have been made are
now being prepared under the direction
of the municipal architect:
Addition to the Western High School:
plans completed.
Addition to the Chevy Chase School:
plans completed.
Two-room colored school, Brooke nd:
plans will be completed December l, 1909.
Eight-room school building, Cleveland
Park: plans in preparation.
Potomac. eight-room school building;
plans in preparation.
Engine house, No. 23, G street between
21st and 22nd streets northwest; plans
completed.
Public convenience station at Mount
Vernon Square; plans completed.
Public convenience station at 9th and
Il streets northwest: plans completed.
Public convenience station near Dupont
circle. plans in preparation.
Engine house in the neighborhood OF
Minnesota avenue and Pennsylvania ave-
nue. southeast site not yet donated and
plans not yet drawn.
Repairs to Buildings.
All municipal buildings are kept in re.
pair by the superintendent Of repairs.
who, during the year, was under the
direction of the inspector of buildings,
but who, during the present fiscal year.
has been placed under the direction OF
the municipal architect.
For school repairs the sum of $4,000
was appropriated for work during the
year, and in addition an appropriation OF
$4,000 was made for fire protection i'll
school buildings.
For repairs and improvements to engine
houses 5000 was appropriated, and for
repairs to police stations $500. These
sums were practically all expended In
addition, this Office expended on plumbing
for public schools S6,516.
Elevators.
The elevators in the District of Column
bia are inspected under the direction of
the inspector of buildings. Two of the
assistant inspectors Of buildings are as
signed to this work. They report that all
elevators are in a generally good condi-
ton. The commissioners during the year
made new regulations governing the
licensing of elevator operators, and by
this means the efficiency of these operators
has been greatly increased. The number
OF elevator operators granted licenses
since the new regulations were put in
force is i23
Inspection of Boilers.
The number of steam boilers inspected
by the inspector of boilers was 514. This
official Is paid from fees paid by the own
ers of the boilers. The total amount re-
ceived for such fees during the year was
ST. 95 and the expense of inspection was
S41S.N, leaving a net compensation to
the inspector of S1,S161o.
Insanitary Buildings.
The board for the condemnation of in
buildings examined 4oS such
and issued orders requiring
231 to be demolished and 165 repaired.
OF the buildings demolished 1I9 were
located on streets and % in alleys. ana
of those repaired 115 were located on
streets and 80 in alleys. The total num-
Der of buildings examined by the board
since its creation on May 1, 1906. is
| 3S7 of which 1856 were ordered de-
molished and 3S9 ordered repaired OF
the number demolished Oil were located
on streets and 10 in alleys. and OF
IYan TOO
streets and LAT in alleys. BY reason Of
the demolition of houses during this
year 462 adults and 295 children who
these houses were required to
find other quarters. The assessed Valu-
alton of the buildings removed during
the year was on streets $3J,60O and III
alleys $1,000
The work of the board in requiring
the removal of these insanitary build
ings has been accomplished without the
necessity of action of the courts and
without using the appropriation avail
able for removing such structures GA
the neglect or refusal of the owners TO
comply with the direction of the board.
Two cases involving the removal of
four houses are now pending before the
courts.
OF the tenants required to find other
quarters by reason of the removal OF
and "a were white Many of these peo-
pie have removed and others are re-
to the suburbs in the outlying
sections of the District and in the ad-
jacent portions of Maryland and Vir-
ginia, where they rent or purchase
cheap homes with fairly large-siZed
lots; others rent rooms in other places
in the city or occupy the cheaper class
Of two-family apartment buildings
There is demand for the cheaper grade
Of modern houses to accommodate Cans
class of people. In many cases insaEl-
tary conditions have been found due,
not to the buildings themselves but to
bad housekeeping and general neglect
In general, it may be stated tnat tl'e
" ork OF this board during the year mas
been of great value in Kidding the c'y
Of an undesirable class of houses.
Plumbing Inspection.
During the year the plumbing office
made 80, 4oI inspections which was an
increase of 1851 over the number made
during the previous year This increase
was due to activity in building operations.
The sum of $4,000 was expended under
the direction Of the inspector of PLUMBING
m making repairs and changes in the
oumtinl of the older school buildings
so as to bring them up to modern SAM
Iary requirements. The plumbing work
IN il school buildings was completely re-
modelled and repairs TO plumbing Were
made in 10 school buildings. This work
g not vet finished, many of the older
school buildings still contain the old-stxls