Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-02-06
The Building Inspection Office.

Immediately after the coroners jury had
rendered it's verdict in the case or the
fatal building accident on NJ street, Inc
Star in its issue of November so, 19VS
said editorially:
The subject is of vital Importance 10
every resident of Washington and the
entire community is Interested Ii Iauits
exist in the organization which Is sup
posed to safeguard the people from the
disastrous consequences of dishonest or
incompetent construction they must pe
discovered and cured. If there are NOT
enough men to ensure a thorough lhSpec-
ton the conditions must he reported 10
Congress in terms that will lay the re-
sponsibility for further inadeduacles
suuarely upon the legislators II the
building inspectors Office is badly ADMIT
istered the Commissioners have their
own remedy. The prime necessity no"
is to learn the precise state of Things.
Nobody is under accuse ton. beile1 ep-
tains, however, among many cltilehs thds
there is something wrong somewhere ana
il is due to everybody concerned that II
should either be dispelled by the PROOF
OF its error or carried through corrooora-
ton to the point of effective reform ana
correction There should be no question
in any mind regarding the efnciency Tor
the protection of the public OF thls orahcn
OF the District government.
Since that statement of the case was
taken to ascertain the state Of affairs in
the building inspection Office through the
commissioner of labor, an investigator
of conscientious thoroughness. Mr.. Neiil
adopted the plan of holding executive
sessions,> and after several weeks spent
in the hearing of witnesses he has re-
ported his inability, through the lack OF
authority to compel attendance and adj
minister oaths. to ascertain the truth.
The President reports this state of az
fairs TO Congress and asks for the ap-
pointment of commission OF inquiry,
with full powers.
This recommendation should be prompt
ly approved. The matter is of the utmost
importance. When The Star commented on
the case. as quoted above. there was no
suggestion that the inspection service was
subject to a more serious charge than that
OF loose business methods. and at the
most of ineff1ciency. 1t was felt by many
that possibly it's faults were due to in
adequate appropriations. Now Commits
sioner Neill reports to the President that
charges ranging all the way from in
efficiency up to gross improprieties. and
even dishonesty, have been brought
against some members of the building in
spection department" The commissioner
has come to the conclusion that the truth
cannot be learned except through fully
empowered investigation. which will re-
suit in placing on the witness stand under
oath those who claim to have pertinent
facts within their knowledge and who are
now unwilling. for business or personal
reasons. to state them publicly.
1t is impossible to leave the matter
where it is at present. Public confidence
in the building inspection Office has been
doubly shaken, first by the circumstances
OF the NJ street accident. closely following
the collapse of the Pickford apartment
house, and now by Commissioner Neilri
report to the President that charges more
serious than the public has suspected have
been made against some members" of
the department. 1t is due to the public,
whose safety is in important respects de-
pendent upon the conduct of this local
municipal bureau: and especially to the
building inspector and all his subordi-
mates. OF high degree and low alike, that
these charges should be answered and
these doubts either dispelled or confirmed