The Hawaiian gazette., 1914-12-25
REPLY TO LUCAS
. MADE BY MURRAY

Editor Advertiser: - just imagine
Jack Lucas discussing engineering
problemsi ~ tsi Z
Few people take Lucas seriously. As
far as know I am the only applicant
for the position known as manager Of
water works. and il gives me chance
to tell few things know about the
science Of engineering from the stand
point Of layman or politician. flf
We all know that every contract let
shows a vast difference in price be
.ween the lowest and highest bidder, ant
We wonder why there should be such diff
,erenee, especially where the successful
bidder always makes money. Is it OH
account Of the engineering problems in
volved or Is u organization that makes
this differencei bHM
Does the contract let for the roads
on Punchbowl and for which Jack
Lucas submitted a bid show that the
successful bidder had an organization
$500 better than his own, $4,000 bet.
ter than another and $4,000 better
than another bidder, on does It show
that the science Of engineering is not
quite SO exact as some people would
have us believed IA.
Mr.. Lucas win not admit that his on
ganization or bis engineering ability IL
not as good as the other bidders, still
there Is the difference in figures.
Poor argument, of course. So Is the
argument in regard to having engineers
in control Of the several departments Of
the government. M
Take the PunchbOwl contract again.
This tract was surveyed or grade lines
| established by an engineer In the EN-
ploy OF the city and county engineer,
IL was tsbotehed, - So the latter says;
work and, Il was passed by the city
and county engineer with the statement
that one or two lines were out, but the
people up there would not know any
difference. However, the contract was
finally let, and we And after three engi-
neera, four including the city and
county engineer, pass on this work Of
grading that the contractor is getting
1900 extra for proper placing of curbs
to correct grade established by the
territorial engineer.
The newspapers do not have to Dig
very deep into the Affairs Of the one
lnan-control- of.all-department to find
that the system Is unsatisfactory, ex.
travagant and the ruiIation of every
hoard Of supervisors.
defy any one to show where at any
time the engineer did not have control
ofthe entire road department during my
time as supervisor. | ask any one to
show where that board was not blamed
for the mistakes Of its engineer, ac-
cnsed of wasting public moneys in road
work, etc They blamed the super
yisors, not the engineer, for those mis-
takes; still the engineer had full
charge of the engineering and eonstrucs
ti0n departments. sl
City government should be run like q
private business That diyoreing iof
departments Is step backward This
pounds all right and il might be cor
rect.
The usual order Of officers in a pri.
yate corporation is board Of directors,
manager, foreman, lunas, etc. Fs.
II the city wishes TO hire a manager,
well and good. He would be manager
aud not engineer, however. Since tlieS
do not intend TO do so, there is moth,
ing that | know of that prevents them
from being the board Of directors and
board of managers, holding each ap.
pointee, whether II be engineer, man.
ager Of water works, superintendent OF
electric lights, FIRE chief, etc, directly
Responsible 10 them for the proper
carrying on Of his particular depart.
ment. tNttsF tG
From .'poIitician ~, standpoint,
the mayor and supervisors are elected
by the people TO manage their affairs
and they do not have to delegate their
power TO any engineer or Manager,
The water works requires today ali
executive who will organize that do,
partment, record the sewer and water
connections, readjust rates, stop the
enormous waste Of water, clean up
reservoirs, maintain pumps and finally
make that DEPARTMENT more than self
sustaining. This can be done without
any assistance from an engineer
II. L, MURRAY.