Evening star., 1901-09-02
SURVEYORS Els INMATES
AMOUNT REQUIREDssFOR MAINTE-
NANCE OF SERVICE.
Total of $23.415 Asked for--Increase
in Work of Office the Past
Year..

Henry B. LOCKER. surveyor for the Dis
trict, as stated in The Star of Saturday,
has submitted to the Commissioners an es-
innate for the maintenance of his Office for
the fiscal year ending June 30, 1908. Mr..
LOCKER says:
After the experience Of a number OF
years, during which deficiency appropria-
tions have been essential to prevent the
practical closure of the Office during the
last three months of the fiscal year, 1t has
been conclusively shown that the plan
adopted six years ago OF appropriating
$4,000 for all purposes is utterly made .uate
for present conditions; and that the 81, 500
added last year does not begin to relieve
the tension, as 5000 was needed in further
addition, and this came too late to help to
the most advantage. About $4,000 covers
the actual expenditure during the fiscal
year Just closed and the present year
starts with but $11.SOO Failure to provide
adequately for this office compels ircvita-
bly, one OF two results-either the annoy
ance to the Commissioners and the COM
m1ttees OF Congress of having to ask ana
to grant a deficiency appropriation In
March, which may or may not prove
enough to last till July 81, or complete
blockade in probably the majority OF
conveyances and building transactions at
the worst time of the year. Some things
can be postponed, but not surveys and sub
divisions. l, therefore, do my part in this
matter in presenting in the most urgent
manner the needs of the office. which
should be able to expand its facilities to
meet expanding demands, precisely like any
private engineering Office. Better an ap-
preparation too great than too small. the
control of the Commissioners. who can
cover into the treasury whatever is not
needed.
Work of Office Increased.
1.-The work of the office has increased
during the past fiscal year about :36 per
cent over the previous year, and yearly
increase of at least 20 per cent has obtained
for some years before. This fact, together
with the inevitable special increase OF
field work to result from plans of the Com
missioners now In process Of execution. de-
termines me to ask for much larger sum
than ever before. In the fall Of 1898. Mr..
w. P. Richards, then acting surveyor
during my absence, recommended that
something less than $4,000 be appropriated.
Since then third complete field party,
costing $3,4OO, has been found essential,
and the very heavy increases m every
branch Of the office work have occurred,
the general result being about three times
as great as when the Office was reorganized
in 1895, the receipts from fees being
doubled. In view Of these facts and the
very heavily increased responsibility de-
volving therefrom upon the surveyor and
to request that the incumbents of these
two Offices be paid respectively $4,000 and
$2,5OO instead Of $1,000 and S1,SGO, as at
present fixed by law. The former salary,
in the case of the head of the office, was
recommended by the Commissioners as
proper at the time Of the reorganization
of the Office on a salary basis. in 1895.
Basis of Estimates.
THE following estimates are based upon
complete three-party organization for
field work, and upon the theory that the
more important positions in the office are
as much entitled to status upon the per
manent roll as any others OF similar ma
ture in the District service. / know of no
work more permanent in character, as the
necessity for it can but increase. l should
wish also that at least so far as this Of
flee is concerned, the designation of chain
man abandoned the drivers assisting in
performing the work Of measuring as well
as their own special duty. For this rea-
son | would like them to be paid some
thing more than the mere driver.
1.-The perfectly descriptive term of tran
sitman' might properly be applied to at
least two of the field force. The term
'chainman' however applicable in rail-
road work. etc, seems to me unsuited to
any member Of a field force never using a
chain, and merely serves to recall the
crude methods of the land-surveying of
long ago A record clerk has become a
necessity. The great number of papers and
maps now in the office are by him kept in
order for instant use, and papers contin-
ually coming in for record are properly
docketed and indeXed and the important
item of sequence of new lot numbers is
also looked after by him, in addition to
many other current details that cannot
properly be reached by any other men,
ber of the office force proper. without det-
riment to his own work.
The experience of the past few months
shows the great help resulting from the
employment of competent stenOgrapher
and typewriter, whose time can be most
profitably utilized when not needed for
current work, on the indexing and COLA
tion Of hundreds Of pages OF valuable old
note books made by Messrs. Carbery and
Forsyth now without any index, and other
similar work.
During at least the buster season, from
April to August, with three feld-parties
sending in daily their results of survey, a
clerk or draughtsman is needed to prepare
and copy survey certificates. In any event.
two draughtsmen are now essential, the
total of plats of all sorts last year reach
ing 42OO. A computer is an obvious ne
cessity.''
The Estimates.
In view of the above explanation the sur
yeyor submits a table of estimates as fol-
lows:
"Estimated for year ending June 80, 1903
Surveyor, $4,000; assistant surveyor, $500.
..Field force-One assistant engineer, per-
manent roll 81, $50; one assistant engineer,
permanent roll, S1,4OO; two transit men,
permanent roll $500 each), $1,sOO; one tran
Sit man at So. so per diem, $7S2; three rod
men at 50 25 per diem, So, lib; three drivers
at 81 10 per diem, 81 500.
"Office force-Chief clerk, permanent roll,
81 600; computer permanent roll, $1,25O;
draughtsman permanent roll, 81, 600: record
clerk permanent roll, $1,000; draughtsman,
81 50 per diem, $1,4OS; clerk (stenographer
and typewriter), $2.25 per diem, s7O4; clerk
Surveying certificate), 1925 per diem, $7O4;
charwoman, 81 per week, $1O4. Total,
$23,415
"It will be seen that the difference in the
aggregate amounts for the current expenses
and the estimates, $3,S24, results from the
following items: $1,000 for increase for
surveyor and assistant. 81, 400 for assistant
engineer to take charge of third field party
and ST. 124 for various increases in pay.
1.-The second item is imperative, unless
the office be crippled by the detail of the
computer for the duty. 1T seems to me to
go necessarily with the organization of
third field party.
Minor Increasos.
'"The minor increases ares suggested as
most fully deserved by the present incum-
bents of the position affected It is believed