Evening star., 1909-05-27
ASHFORD IS CHOSEN
Building Inspector Named
Municipal Architect.
NOMINATED BY MAJ. JUDSON
Commissioner West Concurred in the
Recommendation.
MR.. MACFARLAND SAYS NOTED
Head Of the Engineer Department
Sets Forth His Reasons-Re-
port Of Committee.
NOMINATED BY MAJ. JUDSON
MR.. MACFARLAND SAYS NOTED

port OF CommltCee.
Snowden Ashford,s building inspector,
was today selected by the District Com
missioners as municipal architect of the
District Of Columbia, the appointment to
become effective July 1.
Engineer Commissioner Judson and
Commissioner West voted for Mr.. Ash
ford. thus fnsuring q majority of the Dis
trict board.
The selection Of Mr.. Ashford came at
the end Of three-hour conference be-
tween the three Commissioners. When
the conference began the Engineer Com
missioner nominated Mr.. Ashford for the
position.
Mai. Judson's Nomination.
The statement by the Engineer Com
missioner follows:
THE act Of Congress approved March
3, 1909, contains the following Item:
Municipal architect, whose duty 1t shall
be to prepare and supervise the plans
for and superintend the construction Of
all municipal buildings, and the repair
and improvement OF eleven buildings pc
longing to the District Of Columbia, under
the direction Of the Engineer Commits
sioner OF the District of Columbia, 5000:
and all laws or parts Of laws placing such
duties upon the inspector of buildings of
the District Of Columbia are hereby re-
pealed.'
"To flll the position thus created by
law. l move the appointment, by promo
tion, OF Mr.. Snowden Ashford. the pres
ent inspector of buildings.
I'm the public interest it Is necessary
that q man for this position be selected
at the earliest practicable date, as the
schools provided to be built during the
next fiscal year must be built by the
municipal architect, and 1t is extremely
advisable that he take this matter up at
once even although nominally he will not
enter into his duties until the 1st Of July.
Hopeful Of Best Results.
Il have given the most careful con-
sideration to the matter of this appoint
ment 1 have nominated Mr.. Ashford be-
cause / believe that through him I can
be most certain to secure the best results
in the way of suitable school buildings
with the money that Congress may make
available for their construction and
maintenance.
1T is indisputable that Mr.. Ashford can
design and secure the construction OF
done So The school buildings recently
denced by the fact that he has actually
done SO. The school buildings recently
constructed for the District of Columbia
are unexcelled elsewhere and represent
the most perfect type OF buildings for
the District Of Columbia.
ANY man. however qualified profes-
sionally, must require the expenditure of
much time and study on schoolhouse re-
qdirements before he can become a thor
has already passed through this period.
At the expense OF the District of Column
bia he has studied schools of other cities
and has arrived at the point where his
experience, observation and ability will
be Of the maximum value to the District
Of Columbia.
Work Has Been onerous.
"Mr. Ashfords work in the past as in
spector of buildings and as supervising
architect Of municipal buildings has been
extremely onerous.
He has been overloaded with work SO
that as a rule he has had to work even
ings as well as days. and thus under
conditions that might not be expected to
produce the best results. Nevertheless, 1
am satisfied that few men, if any, could
have done more than he has done under
the conditions as they have existed.
LAS inspector Of buildings. charged
with the approval or disapproval Of plans
for the construction OF all buildings in
the District Of Columbia and the inspec-
and provided with an insufficient force for
carrying this work forward most efficient
ly. I think that Mr. Ashford's work has
met with as little intelligent criticism as
could possibly have been expected. The
building inspector must make enemies,
and Mr.. Ashford, therefore, has made
them.
Higher Glass Of Buildings.
I'm recent years. following the sCol-
lingswood disaster, tho public have de-
manded, not only in Washington. but in
oil NYvvS Ipr nit k3nc hi teh md tn
cidentally, a more expensive-standard
class of schoolhouse buildings. School
houses In Washington that have won
commentator as perfect examples at
tition with school buildings In other
cities, have been condemned since the
Collingswood disaster. and many i'm
proyements have been made on these
buildings within the last year or two.
This is precisely the history of what
has been done in other cities. although l
believe that in none has a more thorough
improvement OF conditions been accom-
plished than in Washington. No one man
in Washington or elsewhere can be blamed
was spent for school buildings than would
be required to meet present requirements.
Il do not know whether the Ceilings
wood fire was incendiary. Assuming that
it was, the man who can claim most credit
for the changed attitude toward public
school buildings. which has made larger
expenditures for their construction and
maintenance practicable, 10 the man who
started the fire in the Collingswood school.
Under Mr.. Ashford. and in accordance
with the report Of the committee to ex-
anime schoolhouse conditions In the Dis
trict OF Columbia. the work Of improving
the old schools Of Washington has been
carried almost to completion.
Satisfactory Typo Developed.
Under Mr.. Ashford there has been de-
veloped the present satisfactory type of
building such as is represented by the
last schoolhouse completed in accordance
with Mr.. Ashford's design. the Lucretia
Mott School.
ITO assist me in selecting a municipal
architect-for / wished to obtain the best
that could be induced to acccc. the posi-
ton for the salary available-I requested
committee to consider the matter in
all its phases and to name man whom
l might nominate to the board OF Com
missioneTs.
.'If l had been longer In Washington,
and had thus been more fully acquainted
with the local situation, / should not, per-
haps, have proceeded in this manner The
committee last mentioned was composed
of Mr.. James Knox Taylor, supervising
architect of the Treasury; Mr.. James
Rush Marshall, president Washington
Chapter of Architects architect; Capt.
James F. Oyster, president of the board
Of education. and Capt. William Kelly,
assistant to the Engineer Commissioner.
could have been more competent to ad-
wise me-have recommended as their first
choice for the position, by vote Of to 1.
Mr. Ashford