Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-02
OFFERED
Of ENGINEERING PLAN
Trade Paper Takes Issue With
Project of Public Roads
Bureau.

The Office of public roads of the United
States Department Of Agriculture has is
sued bulletin entitled Highway
Bridges and Culverts." according to the
Engineering News. in which it offers to
do the engineering work free of charge
in connection with the construction of
any highway bridge anywhere in the
United States. The local authorities have
only to make application and agree to
furnish meals, lodging and livery teams
to the engineer assigned to the work.
THE salaries and travelling expenses Of
engineers to and from the town where the
work is to be done will be paid by the
office of public roads. The engineer fur
nished will advise what type of structure
should be built, will prepare free of
charge such plans and specifications as
are required, and if the conditions require
an engineer inspector during construction
such inspector will be assigned free of
charge"
This announcement is Of great impor-
lance to the engineering profession says
Engineering News. What possible chance
has bridge engineer to earn living by
the Independent practice of his profess
sion If the United States government
steps in to compete with him, and offers
to do his work gratis? And If the gov
eminent undertakes to do bridge engineer
ing work free. why not other kinds of en-
cheering work? Why not free sewerage
plans for cities and towns as Well as free
bridge plans? Why may not the govern
ment furnish engineers gratis to build
systems of water supply, electric lighting
and power plants, public buildings for
towns and cities?
Benefits Of Doubtful Nature.
1T is an open question and one de-
serving fair discussion whether all
highway bridge engineering outside in
corporated cities ought to be carried
on by a state engineering organization,
so that the bridge engineer engaged
in private practice would be forced to
go out Of business Probably If state
engineering departments were organ
lied on an ideal basis, with competent
and well paid engineers in charge of
all work, free to follow sound pro-
fessional standards and free from
political pressure, the answer would
have to be in the affirmative. But
until the public becomes wise enough
to insist on the permanest establish
ment of such high-class engineering
organizations we are very doubtful as
to the public benefit to result from
wiping out the independent bridge en-
gineer by having the state furnish
bridge engineering gratis.
"AClAC1 VI uOl highway OTl08c
work in each state ought to be con-
centrated under one organization may
be open to question: but 1t is difficult
to imagine any sound argument In
favor Of concentration of all the high
way bridge work In the United States.
The best experts are now agreed that
we have gone too far during the past
decade in concentration in all our in
dustria1 work Economy is now be-
ing sought by decentralization in the
great industrial and railway organiza-
lions. The public is awakening anew
to the advantages of free competition.
to the importance of keeping q door
open to originality. initiative and en-
terprise. There is no reason why
bridge engineering should be turned
over to the government as monopoly.
The achievements Of American engi-
neers on bridge design and construc-
ton would never have been recorded
under any central bureaucratic Or
ganization.
Unfair Competition Alleged.