Imperial Valley press., 1913-06-10
RAILROAD VALUATION JOBS
ARE LOOKING FOR MEN
IBY UNITED PRESS AssocAr1oNs]

WASHINGTON. June 1O.-Ciyil srr-
vice jobs at $4,000 4 ycar-i;'S Ter
an attractive bait for Uncle sam to
dan"lc before his citizens in these DAYS
uf high living and high cast of living
But there is not stampede to-day for
these particular high salaried joDs. In
fact there are more than enough Jobs
for the available supply Of men. High
ways and byways today. are being
Scrapcd by the government in A des-
perate effort to secure enough men to
NIL the positions. The biggest ''man
hunt in the history Of the government
Is in progress to find men. with the big
salary as bait. who are big enough to
hold down the $4,000 jobs and earn the
fat salaries.
Making physical valuation of rail-
roads and other common carriers is
tie mammoth task for which the big
federal salaries are offered. The inter
state commerce commission is cuiin-
and sorting men in an effort to find the
right ones for The right places in the
biggest work undertaken hy the GOV
ernment since the Panama canal was
started. The government is handi-
capped by hard and fast civil service
rules in its search for competent men,
The special engineering board Of five
men appointed by the Interstate com
merce commission to boss the physical
valuation job has charge of selection
of the corps. Today the board is
framing details 10 secure the necessary
force Of skilled engineers. expert
draughtsmen, accountants. surveyors,
rodmen and other technical assistants
President Wilson is demanding that
the civil service rules be strictly OD-
served in selecting the physical valua-
ton employees. He let down the bars
only far enough for the five engineers
Of the governing board. These five men
will devote all OF their time to the
valuation work. Their salaries are Sc
cret, but are said to be $4,000 a year
each-abOut One-half or one third Of
what they have been receiving in pri-
vate practice. All are experts. They
accepted the appointments from the
interstate commerce commission be-
cause Of patriotic desire to serve the
government in the big work. also for
the personal advertising that will ac-
crue.
The engineers have requested the
civil service commission to frame a
new lot of examinations for the spe-
cial employees required for the valuation
work. They have asked the commits
sion to increase the entrance salaries
to $4,000 for the higher grades Of en-
gineers demanded-men who can in
spect a railroad track and tell how
much per mile it cost to buld-and
other employees ranging from $4,000
down to 5000 a year.
The physical valuation engineers be-
lieve they can secure the necessary
men if the examinations are not made
too stiff and if large enough salaries
are offered. They are asking the com
mission in the civil service examina-
tions to allow applicants ''weighl"
of 80 per cent for experience, large
per cent for collegiate work and the
remainder along the usual examina-
ton lines. They want a premium
placed upon actual engineering expert
ence, however. They want tried, proven
men. Applicants with all theory and
| little experience have small chance
o. being selected for the work. Those
with no experience have no chance at
all.
There will be no sinecures in the
physical valuation service. But it Of
I fers one Of the greatest. if not the
greatest, opportunity in the government
service in years: also it promises life
employment although congress pre-
scribed that the valuation work must
be completed within five years. Con
| tinual revaluatiOnS and new valuations
! keeping all data right up to date. is
|
ton bureau a permanent fixture under
! the interstate commerce commission
Three separate and distinct valua-
tiOnS Of common carriers property
must be made by the physical vafua-
ton board. One must show the orig
inal cost Of construction, another the
reproduction" cost-the cost of re-
placing, brand new, all railroads now
in existence; another valuation musl
show the value of the railroads as
''going concerns" Every foot of rail
road track in the country must be gone
over by the commission. "Streaks Of
rust" and up-to-date systems must be
appraised alike.
In addition to the railroads. property
Of $4,000 telephone companies in the
United States must be appraised, al
carriers. carr IF pR All Of the IL information % I will
be the basis for rate changes by the
interstate commerce commission. In