Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1906-02-16

of County Commissioners and whose .ap-
pointment by the County Commissioners
should be subject to the approval Of the
Governor as deemed best. II should be the
duty of the chief engineer and county en-
gineer for each particular county to certify
jointly to the Comptroller the completion of
all work under the State aid law as provided
in section 10. That it should be the duty
of the county engineer to make the neces-
sary surveys and prepare such plans and
specifications In general conformity to the
requirements of the Highway Division as
may be best adapted to such State-aided
roads the Board of County Commissioners
may elect to build, and In determining the
per cent OF grade to be established upon any
particular road the county engineer should
be governed by the general topography of
the district In which such road Ia placed
and by the wishes OF those who use the
roads, as expressed by the County Commits
sioners. The County Commissioners to be
governed by the limitations expressed by
the law as to the amount to be expended.
These plans, specifications and estimates of
cost to be approved by the chief engineer
before being offered for contract.
The economies sought for must be found
almost entirely within the county and the
county's administration Of its roads. To
exercise the required economy preparation
on the part of the county Is necessary, that
is to acquire machinery and tools, by ma
chinery refer particularly to rollers, crush
ers and steam drills, for do not think we
will readily find distant contractors with
such outfits who would care to undertake
small contracts, In fact think that has been
the experience of the Highway Division.
Did but one county contractor own such
machinery he would practically corner the
road contracts, for no other person would
be apt to acquire such expensive equipment
for the purpose Of competition, though 1t
might be done for pooling reasons and 1oi mt
control of the county's work.
Did the county own such equipment
fair rental and repair charge could be estab-
iishcd and any enterprising citizen could be-
come bidder, knowing where the essential
machinery was to be had and at what cost /;
this condition would offer fair basis and
result in greater competition. l recommend
this for several reasons, one OF which ID
found 10 the following analysis OF Mr..
Mounts most recent bid for piking a-half
mile extension of the work recently done by
him on the Laytonsville road:
On this half mile extension the contrac-
tors bid was $2S8200; the engineers esti.
mate $2,287.84, making the contractors bid
In excess of estimate 1854, 16.
lnt CUmpItbCu OA buC AAby
road contained the followi ng quantities and
cost approximately: Earth excavation, 1880
cubic yards, at SO cents, $985.60; macadam,
7040 square yards at 40 cents, $2,956 So
The one. half mile extension on which his
bid was 80 much In excess, contains: Earth
excavation, $50 cubic yards; macadam, 1890
square yards. The earth excavation on
this half mile being placed at 40 cents per
cubic yard would indicate his macadam fig
ures as being about 68 cents per square yard,
an increase of go per cent ove- the macad-
am on the first mile To move stone from
the quarry he had been working to the hall
mile extension he had an increased distance
to haul Of 90 per cent, but we find gross
increase in his bid of go per cent on that ex'
tension and net increase, after allowing
the increase haul, OF SO per cent. The con-
tractors haul on this stone would have been
a total distance of about three miles,
Now, gentlemen, as to the physical con.
ditions governing this half mile. Nature
has placed here better rock, with lees over
laying earth and with the natural approach
chat Is the toe of the dip of the rocky ex.
posed. All conditions more favorable and
more economical as to the working than can
be found in the quarry from which Mr..
Mount, presumably by his figures, estimated
his stone to come, and besides all this, ma
ture placed the rock ct miles nearer to the
work. Now our contractor either knew
of this quarry or he did not know of It, II
h. did not know, then he made safe and
profitable estimate In his bid, based on his
original quarry if he did know, then, like
many another wise contractor, he kept his
information to himself and had his bid been
accepted could have moved his machinery up
to the new quarry and have profited by the
NJ. frxrv md in tha rodnnnd fPanannF.
tation and the more favorable quarry con-
ditions, placing himself to the good thous.
and dollars or more on this alone, In excess
of reasonable profits. Under the conditions
obtaining at this point mile can be piked
for about the amount bid for the half mile.
There was no competition In this bidding,
and the question can properly be asked how
far did the personal ownership Of roller and
crusher influence the referred TO high bids.
The county engineer, under the direction
of the Board OF County Commissioners,
should have charge not only OF the State
aided roads, but the entire road system of the
county; should make surveys, plane and
specifications for roads, other than State.
aided roads, as the Commissioners may di.
rect, and do such other things as q compe-
tent engineer should do looking to the bet.
terment of the system under his supervis-
ion. There has been charge on the part
of the Highway Division, as provided for
by the Shoemaker law, against the county
Of $53 80 per mile for plans and specihca-
tons, making total, If each OF the five dis
tricts 10 the county ask such plans, OF $268.
This saving is applicable to an engineers
salary. It seems the County Commission
ers have per diem charge of 800 for in
speeding roads, what amount 1t represents
10 year do not know, but 1t must be
large This work could and should be done
by the road engineer and his supervisors,
the economies in this direction going far in
paying the engineers salary. While thus
Inspecting roads the road engineer should
make a study of the material contiguous TO
and best adapted for road purposes; should
ascertain the volume of traffic, in tons per
month, at the time of maximum movement,
and build for that tonnage or a greater. Had
such study been made by the engineer OF
the Highway Division the estimate OF
81 .287 "a ior the one half mile would have
been several hundred dollars lower, and a
proper knowledge of the freight movement
on the Laytonsville road would have led
to greater depth of stone being used on
the mile completed.
The county engineer should be RESPONSE
BILE only to the County Commissioners and
report TO them in all matters pertaining TO
county roads, except 80 far as certifying
Jointly with the Chief Engineer TO the Comp
troller.
The county engineer should appoint all
district supervisors, by and with the advice
and consent Of the County Commissioners,
and when such appointments are made the
appontees should not be removed except