The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1883-12-16
THE CIVIL ENGINEER.
The Duties Involved in the Position
Require
A Varied and Thorough knowledge
With Ia
Certain Amount of Tact Throw In

One OF the most important Offices in
municipal government Is that OF the civil
engineer TO the corporation. His duties are
more varied In their character, more re.
sponsibe, and effect more nearly the com.
fort and health OF the inhabitants, and they
require a more thorough, theoretical and
practical acquaintance with variety OF
branches OF information than do those Of
Any ether single municipal officer. We
know that this is not the general impress
sion regarding this office, and that in many
loWns and cities IT Is not looked upon M
requiring any high gradeot ability from its
incumbent and Is consequently filled by
an inferior class. A little reflection, how
ever cannot fail 10 make any
Intelligent person perceive that
II is to the inteIe
OF a community 10 secure for the Office
man OF thorough training in the principles
and practice OF not only one, but Il variety
Of branches of the profession OF civil en-
gineering and TO pay him a salary sulii.
oient to make it an object for MIN to Ge-
main,
In II bult.up city, where systems of
water supply, sewerage, street paving and
parks have been Established, the supervis
| ion and extension Of these works is FREE
quently IN the hands of the city engineer.
and even where each special department is
! controlled by separate com mission with
It's own engineer, the engineer of the street
department ought to be man of sufficient
experience aud judgment, aud have
| sufficient authority over the oth-
ers TO prevent the everyday bust
mss aud comfort and convenience Of
| the street traffic from being obstructed by
! the operations OF the other branches OF the
/ government. To he a good street engineer
alone is lao slight accomplishment Tor on
the streets being put IN good cond ition
and kept 50 depends n large part OF tAe
comfort Of the citizens aud the satisfaction
OF the tax. payers. good street surincr.
smooth enough for comfort and rough
enough to prevent the slipping Of hnrsey,
neither muddy in wet weather nor dusty
| In dry weather, is something the cOustruc.
/ ton and maintenance OF which requires a
| thorough acquaintance with what has heen
done in that direction aud very great firm.
ness In dealing with committeeman, cos.
| tractors and citizens.
maintenance and extension OF wat r
works, OF severe, OF bridges aud OF docks,
and the preservation OF waterways, nll
come legiumately within the functions (
the city engineer,
In the present and growing division of
labor among civil engineers, and tho I'm
mense scope OF the profession, il Is too
much to expect in one man a thorough
competency 10 design In tho most efficient
manner every class OF public improvements
/ and In most instances, therefore, IL Is better
for a municipality to call on some specialist
| for general scheme OF Improvements
OF q particular class; but the city engineer
ought to be a person OF sufficient eXperl.
| enCe aud information to aid in the perfect
ing OF any scheme, and thoroughly compe.
tant TO superintend the construction of the
works required TO carry II ont. Fitness To
superintend the construction Ofenglneering
works Implies a great deal more than the
average citizen tmagines. IL is acquired
only by "A long course of service in subord
nate positions. The tricks of tho trade'i
practiced by mechanics aud laborers
must he understood by practical obserya.
ton. The specious arguments aud appeals
for contractors or permission TO devlste a
lutte here and a little there from the letter
OF the specifications must be intelligenty
met, as they only can be by a full compre.
hension Of the result of such devations and
their bearing ON the completeness. OF the
work demanded, No man is competent 10
superntend work until he has seen both
good and bad work done.
The city engineer ought TO be man, too,
ct sufficient standing in the community to
command the respeCt OF his immediate en-.
| WY VIZ NAAN ANAhAAAAoNANAfAa VI NhuuNlAlltllt
or whatever they may be
and he should have sufficient tact
in managing men to enable him to over
come attempts TO az crooked dealing with
out exhibiting an appearance of suspicion
of any ones motives. This is perhaps the
hardest work he will be called on to perform,
for ms has been well remarked, hispurey pro.
iessonal work Is easy, compared with the
diplomacy which is requisite to enable him
TO 80 through council and committee meet,
ings, Contractors are often sxasperating
but for taking the lie ont of a man they
are not equal to the guardians OF the pub
lie interests that are to be found on every
local boardn
Every year that an honest and competent
civil engineer spends in the service OF the
city adds to the value Of his services. TIL,
fund OF local information that he acquire,
has value TO his employers which canno
be estimated In dollars and cents. Ii Il
peculiarly his own, and no new incumben
can bv any possibility possess it.-lFfon
the Sanitary Engineer"