El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-05-18
each OF these calculations is carried
out TO the hundredths OF a cent
Where Slrfren Crnfs Co.

each OF these calculations is carried
out to the hundredths OF a cent
Where sixteen Cents Goes
When you divide cent into a hEn-
dred parts and make your calculations
on Job OF S400.000.000 you are getting
things down TO q pretty fine point But
this IS done as TO everything In each
cubic yard on the Atlantic. where the
Dredging costs is cents, they know to
thls traction OF cent just what the
cost OF the use of the pipe line is They
know the repairs OF the dredEes the
cost OF operation Of the dredges. the
cost OF the tugs, the cost Of the barges.
the rock breakers, Of the big boats and
the little boats. and OF everything that
can possibly enter into that work
On that division there are IA differ
ent Items which form part OF the
unit cost OF getting one cubic yard OF
EARN out or the sea and landinE IL and
the total cost is only a little over Is
cents IN ADDITION to this is the ad-
mlnistratiOn and general expense &C
count which is a little more than q
cent and which must be added
In setting out stone from the quar-
RES the stripping, drilling. blasting,
loading, transportation. tracks. power
and maintenance OF equipment are tax
en- into account, and in the concrete
Genes the sand stone, cement the mix
ing and other things. Similar work is
going on IN different places all over
Iue canal zone, and IL one part OF the
work goes much ahead or behind the
and the reason Is known
How Uncle sam Buys.
A great many have wondered that
there has not been some scandal con
nected with the canal purchases. They
cannot see how 100000. 600 can pass
through the itching palms Of thousands
Of weak. aTariciOus human beings with
out large percentage sticking there
TO- indeed, it would be risky were IL
not Tor the safeg yards Uncle sam has
MS purchases well watched. and there
is an army OF detectives always on the
outlook for frauds. one great prOtec-
ton is the method BY which purchases
are made. This provides that every
contract for work or materials to the
amount OF $1,000 or over can be award
ed onl yafter bids for the same have
been advertised for and then only to
the lowest bidder. The bids are made
upon plans and specifications and upon
accurate descriptions as to the machin-
cry and material OF which the goods
are composed Every bidder has to
send in a bond with his bid or a Ger
titled check of not less than Is per
cent of its amount for MS faithful car
ry1ng out OF the same IL DC should be
accepted, and If he backs out he loses
this money. and n he starts and fails
to complete the work he is liable for
damages
Bidding Of this KIND is done as To
small contracts as Wen as to large
ones I have before me she circular
which gives the proposals for the great
bered were awarded TO Pittsburg par
ties at a cost OF over S5.00Q.00 1T fills
many pages and IT is accompanied by
designs which show just what the
locks must be- The provisions state
how the steel must be made. now test
ed. what the constituted elements OF
each part must be and also such O n in
Unite number of details and prOvi-
ilOns that rull page Of this newspaper
would not contain them all
After such contracts are made the
government sends its scientists and
ngineers to the various shops TO watch
he construction and to see that all the
etalls OF the contract are carried out.
'heSe men make chemical and Orba-
ests from time TO time They ASSAY
he metals which go into the varf0us
arts and measure to the thOusandth ~
n inch every piece Of the machfnery-
ne least variation may destroy a CON
ract and the result is that Uncle sam
sually gets what he orders. althOurb
ne contractor may go bankrupt in
urnshtng the same
Frank c. Carpenter