The sun., 1909-01-14
PRAISES CITY ENGINEERS
GOOD MEN WHO DO NOT ADJ
VERTISE, SAYS THE MAYOR.
He Doesn't Mean Only the Great Ones OF
AshOkan, but the subordinates Who
Are on the Job All the Time and
Save the City More Than Their Pay.

He DOESN'T Mean OnIy Ine BFeat Unts ot
AshOkan. but the SubOrdinates VINO
Are on the Job All the Time and
Save the City More Than Their Pay.
More than 600 members OF the Society
Of Municipal Engineers OF New York sat
in the ballroom of the Hotel Savoy last
night at their sixth annual dinner and lis
tened to a eulogy by Mayor Mcclellan,
In which few OF the flowers were that they
are OF the only profession which does not
seek notoriety. that they are carrying to
completion what Ia next to the greatest
engineering feat now going on in the
world that IL 1t wasn't for them little old
New York would surely stand still in her
all right even II their salaries are too
small. ,
Owing to the heavy storm or other
reasons Borough President Ahearn,
President MCGOWAN of the Board OF Alder
men and Comptroller Metz did not appear.
On the dais beside the Mayor were Bird
s. Coler. Lawrence Gresser. George Crom-
we'll, Robert Davis. Justice Dugro and
other city officials. The Mayors speech
was In part:
Not only Is the present accepted as an age
OF advertisement, but many believe that to
succeed they must advertise. Many lawyers
devote more energy TO reading notices than
to reading law, and even soldiers and sailors
have been known to prefer to subscribe 70
clipping bureaus rather than to the articles
OF war
There ls, however. one profession that in
this respect has not kept abreast OF the
times. and that Is the profession to which
you have the honor to belong. Without
self advertisement or exploitation the
American engineer has 80 won the conf
dence Of his countrymen that he holds
place side by side with the soldier and the
sailor. As Uncle Sans commission Is
synonymous with officer and gentle man.
so American engineer" means honest man.
To my mind the most remarkable example
of your efficiency was the organization OF
tho ensin eering force for the new Board OF
Water Supply. Waldo Smith with the help
OF MIR. Ridgway, Major Merritt Smith, Mr.,
Davis and Mr.. Flynn In less than a year,
out Of nothing. organized one OF the largest
and most efficient engineering forces that
tho United States has ever seen. without
fuss and without advertising. II that
great and necessary work Is completed
on time and hoaestly--as firmly believe
1t viii be-it VIII be because OF the brains
and the ability OF the municipal engineers
In charge. supervised by President Bensel,
who has very satisfactorily proved false
the theory that an engineer cannot make all
admirably efficient executive.
liut this is one OF the show works OF your
profession. Tho men who are connected
with it will receive their reward In the satis-
faction OF having done great things well
yet their service to the city will have been
no greater. except in quantity, than that
rendered by the inconspicuous munidpal
engineer whose name is not known Ia the
newspaper offices. whose very occupation
Is not clearly understood. who on small
salary every day of his life saves the taN-
PAYERS more than his annual conversation
whose work is hard. as hard as his pay is
small who is criticised II he does not do well.
not praised when he does who does not ask
thanks and does not receive them whose
one ambition Is TO do his duty.
After all there is a great satisfaction In
serving this city OF ours well. for you and !,
who care for her. know that she Is destined
In Gods own time and in Gods own way
to be the greatest, the mightiest. bes: city
the world has ever seen. Firmly grounded
In that faith II ia enough reward for any
work or sacrifice we may give her to be able
to feel that IN some small way we have
helped her In the ful1lment OF her destiny.
Robert Davis contributed the only
humor OF the occasion. He was scheduled
to speak or the -Ipfallibility OF the Press
because the officials of tho city wanted
to find out why it Is that whenever they
propose something for the benefit Of
mankind and New Workers. in particular
the editors Immediately sit on their little
plans. Mr.. Davis said that as far as he
knew the press was not infallible. But
he remarked.
Il did know of one paper that was in
fallible for three years and then they had
a recount and il wasn't" The Mayor
smiled.