Evening star., 1944-10-15
b|uiiIdingPernnit ii
Drop 81 Pct. in
During Year
Southeast Leeds in
New Work; City
TotoI Is $l6,103,313

New Work; City
TotoI Is $l6,103,313
Construction permits issued dur
ing the fiscal year 1914 amounted to
416, ,103, ,313, compared with $23, 1885,
407 In 1943, decline Of 81 percent,
Col. John w. Oehmann, chief Of
building inspections for the District,
reported yesterday to the Com
missioners.
The figures In Col. Oehmann's
annual report for the year ending
June 80 do not include Federal
building operations. The number Of
building operations for which per-
mits were issued rose from 7,477 in
1943 to 1883 in 1914.
In . table showing the distribu-
ton Of improvements in 1914, it
was revealed that new buildings in
Southeast Washington amounted to
s., ,403,8 ,875 out of the total of $11,-
125,925 for the entire city. The
amount of new construction listed
for the other sections totalled ST.
759, 200 for the Northeast, 81, 1906 900
for the Southwest and only $567, 7,l50
for the Northwest.
Northwest Leads in Repairs.
The Northwest section, however,
led in value of repair work, with
permits issued for $2,235 ,2sl worth
Of work. The Northeast came next
with repairs amounting to $s96, $40.
Repairs in the Southeast amounted
to $820, ,305 and in the Southwest to
t345, 1853.
The License and Fire Escape In
spection section of the Building De-
partment made 34,S72 inspections
during the year, the Commissioners
were informed.
1T Is noted" the report said, "that
approximately five inspections per
premises were made with the follow
ing results: Rooming, lodging and
apartment houses brought into COM
pliance with regulations, 4,12l;
hotels, theaters, public halls, ETC..
8s4; and Of the latter figure, 586
were approved, 21 were disapproved
and 277 pending approval"
A total Of 725 disapproved room
ing. lodging and apartment houses
were referred to the License Bureau.
Col. Oehmann said that OF 388
buildings requiring permanent
equipment, 214 required standard
iron flre escapes and approximately
80 wooden fire escapes were per-
mitted on buildings remodeled by
the Home Owners Loan Corp. or
other Government agencies.
Is Buildings Razed.
Under condemnation proceedings.
lS buildings were razed and 1000
repaired.
The Plumbing Inspection Division
made a total of 39,657 inspections
during the year, it was reported. OF
this total, 1882 were investigations
OF complaints Of defective plumbing
and 2.641 inspections were made at
restaurants and other places where
food Is sold. 1t was estimated that
altogether plumbing work in the
city during the year totaled ST.
7SS, ,s24. ~
A total Of 41.806 inspections were
made by the Electrical Inspection
Division, Col. Oehmann said. with
the result that $50 notices OF de-
fecttve wiring were served
Ar the eonoa fiy,,a A.
sioners released report OF Roland
NJ Brennan, District purchasing Of
ficer, showing that his of1lce had
purchased during the 1914 fiscal
year goods amounting to $4,857, 900.
q reduction Of $674, 400 from the
previous year. He attributed this
drop ito conservation, cessation of
construction work, scarcities, ration
ing and fewer purchases for Civilian
Defense"
Three years OF scarce supply, or
no supply at all, have built up 4
tremendous backlog of civilian re-
quirements for District depart
ments," Mr.. Brennan informed the
Commissioners, 'such as ONCE ma
chimes, electric irons, construction
machinery, domestic type equipment.
motor trucks, laundry equipment.
print shop equipment, etc. These
and other accumulated demands
must be met in order that depart
ments may resume functioning on
a normal peace-time basis"
Conservation Efforts Successful.
Mr.. Brennan recalled that upon
his advice the Commissioners
adopted the policy of not to pur-
cnase any surplus war property
adaptable for Our use, unless condi-
tion Is new or good, or unless there
Is an urgent public need which must
be met and nothing else is avail
able, commercially or otherwise, at
the time"
The fact that the District spent
$94 900 less last year than during
the previous year for fuel, tires and
tubes and automotive supplies
points to the conclusions, Mr..
Brennan said, that conservation
Efforts and mileage curtailment were
partly responsible. Since savings of
public funds, without serious embar-
rassment to public functions have
been realized during wartime, no
reason is known why the gain made
by conservation and careful main
tenance and operation cannot be
carried over into peacetime."
n
Hebert Asks Keech 10 Draft
Police Merger Measure
Corporation Counsel Richmond B.
keech was asked yesterday by Rep