Evening star., 1936-04-04
ELEvATORDEA
REPORT TERMED.
A 4WH|TEWASH"
Representative Scott Says
Inspectors Have "Con-
victed" Themselves.
CITES DISTRICT CODE
TO EMPHASIZE POINT
Declares They Are Guilty of Ap-
proving Violation, No Matter
What They Call Type.

Declaring the report of District ele-
vator inspectors on the fatal accident
which caused the death of 13-year-old
Harvey Crowell on March 10 looks like
a "whitewash." Representative Scott.
Democrat, of California, today declared
the elevator inspection department,
not the elevator code, is "in need of
revision"
In attempting to befog" the issue
of whether the elevator in the apart
men at 7611 Georgia avenue was prop
erly installed by creating what the
inspectors have called 'Semi-auto-
matte" push button elevator, they
have convicted" themselves, the CAL
1fornian asserted.
THE elevator inspectors who ap-
proved the plans and istallatio of
the elevator where Harvey Crowell was
killed are guilty of approving viola
ton Of the District code, no matter
what they call the type installed
there" Scott said.
Charges Case Of Violation.
"Rule ITO of the District code, which
deals with hoiStway doors, provides
that the landing sill (the distnce from
the inside of the swinging landing
door to the edge of the landing thresh-
old, on full automatic puSh-button
elevators, shall not be more than one
inch. The sill on the Georgia avenue
building, understand, is four inches.
If the elevator is of the full automatic
push-button type, as John A. Dickin-
son, authority from the Bureau of
Standards, contends, that is a plain
case of violation of the District code.
However, if my understanding is
correct, the District inspectors have
attempted to claim the elevator in
question is not a full automatic but
a 'semi-automatic' type elevator. I
have looked in vain through the code
for any mention of semi-automatic
push-button elevator, but even if this
figment of their Imagination were a
reality. and such a device as semi
automatic elevator exists, the insta-
lation on Georgia avenue, and perhaps
dozens of others in the District, is
still in violation of the code.
Cites Specifications.
ct call the attention of the inspec-
tors to paragraph B, rule ITO, as
amended, which, in addition to de-
scribing fireproof specifications for
doors, states:
"'Such doors shall be hung for slid
ing or slide-swing operation. except
that single swinging doors may be
used on the hoistway openings to an
automatic push-button controlled ele-
vator.'
I'm other words, the only place where
a single swinging door, such as that
on the Georgia avenue apartment, may
be used, is on an automatic push
button elevator. If the elevator in
question is 'semi-automatic. as the
inspectors claim, then it should not
have single swinging door.
IF Dickinson's Interpretation is cor
rect, the inspectors approved a land
ing sill that was wider than the code
allows. If the inspectors interpreta-
ton should be correct, they them
selves approved installation of a door
which is not allowed by the code. They
have convicted themselves of approx
ing violation of the code, coming or
going"
Something Must Be Done"
Scott, who was one of several Con-
gress members in the elevator at the
Capitol which fell on the opening
day of the present session, declared
he had launched an investigation
into elevator conditions in the District
shortly afterWard, but had been m-
able to get much information from
the District building inspectors Office.
"The tragic death of the Crowell
boy has only strengthened my convic-
ton that something must be done to
protect the lives and limbs of the
thousands of persons who travel in
elevators every day." he said.
This attempt at a whitewash to
save the inspectors faces is evidence
enough for me that the inspection
department is not capable of inves-
tigating itself AS a matter of fact
sent them QUESTIONABLE two months
ago, asking for information and
haven't yet received reply. Appar-
emily they can't even answer a letter"
Dickinson, one of the members of
the new committee appointed to "clar-
ify" the code, said today he would be
glad to serve on the committee, but
that so far as he was concerned the
meaning of the disputed rule ITO was
perfectly clear" He stated he would
recommend that the wording Of the
national code be followed through