The Penn's Grove record., 1913-09-26
The Cost of Scientific Workmanship

The Cost of Scientific Workmanship
County Road Supervisor Casper an
nounced at the last meeting of the
Board of Freeholders that the cost of
building the County roads was much
greater than need be because of the re-
quirmentS of the State to have the
roads built according to scientific
knowledge; that the preliminary sur
veys, plans and cost of engineering
took nearly all that the Stale contrib
uted towards the building of the road.
1t is probable that MI. Casper with
experience and that of his regular
wolkingmen Oh the road, after having
done considerable work Oh a cOmpar-
atively level road might rebuild a re-
pair.road without the knowledge, in
slructions and oversight of an engineer,
but the building of roads in such a
manner will always show sloppy irregu-
ar and unscientific lack of knowledge
of the builders. Ever since this county
was settled these lines have been fol-
lowed. The frequent change of Of
fcials who have knowledge aid eX-
perience 10 those h o1hink they know
as much las proved Tie failure of hav-
ing good roads and the necessity of the
State having tf1icials skilled i'll engineer.
ing to oversee aud to have the roads
built in a scientific manner.
When a road OF street IS once prop
erly graded il is done forever and then
when the material is put on it is where
it should be and will be i'll a position
to remain until worn cut.
Where roads aud streets are not prop
erly graded it is frequently the case
that material which should and could
have been taken from the high places to
fill UP the low is left to remain. The im-
proved road material is put on where
the grade is too high and more is used
than necessary TO fill up the low places.
The minds OF persons never trained
by experience nor study to The best
a OF having roads built and build
ings erected cannot see the necessity
and:naVe no conception of the moIe
beauty Of regularly i'll roads and build
ing until such are made and the minds
become trained TO such after years OF
eXperienc CT and obSeI vatlon. An un-
trained rustic mind who goes to Il city
where all street are grad Il and paved
under The instruction Of engineers, also,
buildings are erected under The direction
of architects rarely notice the greater
utility and beauty i'll regularity made
by trained scientific minds.
1t may not be many years before the
building and repairs to roads will he
entirely taken out OF the hands Of COM
mittees and given to mel who are skill
led in that work and who can do the
repairs at the right time at least ex
pense. So
The psychology of change III the
minds Of men must be forced OIL the
people from those above who have the
knowledge gained 10y education. 1t
al first rifles most persons when changes
for better are suggested OF made, be
cause the minds have been trained in
the old Iuts of doing things i'll the old
way and the better way is not seen.
The greater regularity i'll Workman
ship and substantially of a building
under an architect may he seen when
done 10y workmen of long experience
who have never been trained to skilled
workmanship i'll their younger days.
The time has come when every
county needs IA trained engineer tohave
the roads built and cared for in a
scientific manner. All towns need The
same, bul citizens who believe Ill
scientific improvements must b elected
to office to have such carried out.
If ii were done, when it is done,
then 'tNere well that it be dOAe cor
rectly. To have roads bulls correctly
an engineer with Knowledge and a
trained mind is needed to show most
mel how ii should he done.
Party Conventions at Trenton