The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-03-14
FRIDAY. MARCH Il. 1919,
RESPONSIBILITY OF THE CITY EN.
GINEER.

The moral OF the tempest about the
City Engineers Office at yesterdays
hearing before the Administrative
Board is not that the Engineer and
his assistants are inefficient, and 1t
certainly is not that the Administra-
tive Board must step in to reorgan-
lie his department. 1t Is that the
people Of Richmond want many and
various physical improvements OF
their city, and are asking for them all
at once. They have not yet realized
that money is demanded for such i'm
provements, and tlet work neglected
for several years cannot be executed
within a few months by q force not
adequate for such q concentration OF
work The people think the board
ought to revolutionize Richmond in a
year. They are flooding the board
with demands. The board, DESTROYS of
satisfying the people, has passed much
of the detail OH to the Engineer. The
Engineers Office is not equipped to
The board gets impatient and wants
to know why their requests are not
answered Immediately, and certain
members suggest reorganization of
the Engineers office by MIR. Beck and
Mr.. Boiling.
Mr.. Folkos stressed the point that
the carts and hands force of the Office
was expected TO do work amounting
TO $4,000, yet was to receive only part
Of one technical engineers time. lie
urged the distribution of work SO that
one engineer might give full time to
this repair work. We believe with
Mr.. Boiling that he should be allowed
cure the best results without direct
supervision from the board. He de-
clares that his present force is in
sufficient. but wants only two added
men. chief drauGhtsman and com
outer, and a general inspector. With
this help he promises to meet the
One aspect OF the present rush is
that the board Is letting contracts for |
a years work practically all at once. |
This is admirable foresight. But 1t
puts heavy temporary burden on the /
Engineers forces. This strain is prob
ably only incident to the boards first
work, and will be relieved in the flu
ture by more general distribution OF
work throughout twelve months. 1t
is the duty OF the board to adjust and
cqualizc such demands and to with
stand any abnormal pressure from tho
citizens.
The Times Dispatch has already
stated that the City Engineers Office
will be of increasing importance ms
Richmond grows. 1t should have ade-
uuate forces to perform all legitimate
duties. We believe that 1T is toilinG
faithfully and efficiently to meet sud
den demands. 1t needs no investiga-
ton and no change of head. Richmond
wants the most complete and har-
monious cooperation between the
board and the Engineer
AS genera, principle the Engineer
is exactly rfsift in. declaring that he
must be given full and unhampered
power TO perform his functions with
out outside interference. Let the
board tell him what II desires. give
him ample assistance to perform these
things. and hold him fully responsible
for the results Let them accept his
frank offer to open the workings of
his Office and employees to inspection
Let them really acquaint themselves
with what he does and what he needs.
But let them steer clear OF dividing
his responsibility, or interfering with
his jurisdiction. It is a case OF hands
OF, or prove his ineficiency and get
better man.