The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-05-19

1 would say. however. that I have only
quoted the round numbers, and that
each OF these calculations Is carried
out TO tho hundredths of cent.
where sixteen Cents Goes,
)" men you divide cent into hum
orec parts and make your calcu1attonz
on q job Of stoo.ooo,obo you are ge..
tinS things down to a prettv ane re .
But this Is done as to eyerythtnT
IN each cubic yard on the AtIantIS
liner the dredging costs l6 cents,
just what the cost OF the use o, ths
pipe lines is. They know the repa,ra
oE me dredges the cost Of the opera-
tIon OF the dredges. the cost 81 tho
tugs, the cost OF the barges, tho rocil'
breakcrs OF tho big boats and III,
little boats. and of everything that can
POSSIBLY enter into that work.
On that division there ara four.e.n
difteront items which form n mart Of
tho unit cost of getting one cubic
SSard Oh earth out Of tho sea and
aan3u G,,s II. and the total cost IS only
a Ittio ovor 10 cents. In addition to
th!s is the administration and general
expense account, which is a little, more,
'han cent. and which must he added.
III getting out stone from the quar-
res; tho stripping. drilling. blasting,
iohdlhg, transportation. tracks, mower
ana aaSo maintenance of equipment are
crete comes the sand stone, cement
Tue mixing and ether things Sim lar.
aII n,d rs going on in different places
! part Of the work goes much ahead ot.
Dehind the others in cost that part is
investigated and tho reason Is known.
How JucIc snm Buys.
~ great many have wondered that
thcre has not been some scandal CON
cannot gee how $500 900 900 can ma -
through the itching palms of thou
J iaalus oil weak, avaricious human be-
s atE wt th" large percentage
| RISKY were 1T not for the safeguards.
/ Uncle Sam has his purchases well
! NMatcned. and there is ;,vmy o.
detectives always on the outlook fer
| frauds one great protection is tho
method by which purchases are made.
| ms provides that every contract for
! Sff,"oo or over can be awarded Only
| after bids for the same have beei
advertised for and then only 10 the
| lowest 5iddcr. The bids are ma lie
| upon plans and specifications and upon
accurate descriptions as to the ma
chinery and material of when the
has to send IN Il bond with his ND
| or Il certified check of not less than
70 per cent, of it's amount for his
faithful carrying out of the same It
IL should be accepted. and II no backs
out he loses this money, and IL he
| starts and fails to complete the work
| nc is Habic Tor damages.
Bidding of this kind is done as 10
small contracts rs we'll as to large
| ones l have before me the circular
| which gives the proposals for the
great lock gates. which it will be re-
! membered we're awarded to Pittsburgh
parties at "A cost OF over S5,O0O,000. 1t
mis- many pages and it is accom-
panied By -esigns which show Just
what the locks must he. The pro-
visions state how the steel must be
made. how tested what the constituent
clements Of each part must be and
also such an infinite number of do
tails and provisions that full page
ot this newspaper would not contain
them all :
After such contracts are made the
government sends Its scientists and
ensineers TO the various shops to
watch the construction and to see that
all the details of the contract are cnr-
iied out. These men make chemica |
and other tests from time to time
: They assay the metals which go into
the various parts and measure to the
thousandth part OF an inch every nice /,
of machinery. The least varia ton
may destroy a contract and the result
IS that Uncle Sam usually gets what
he orders. although the contractor may
go bankrupt in furnishing the same.
Copyright. 1912. by Frank G.. Car
pentcr)