The farmer and mechanic., 1915-03-16


IL OUT 70 be built by contractor. tn.
specification does not ar all denens
Tor its usefulness on = contract AZ
tached u Il: it is absolutely neras-
cary 10 rs whether We MAKE = ccr-
tract or not.
We are ready. then. L. discuss
means OF securing the best sp.cifica
lon Tor the road We are 10 build
Lii the ease of the wagon. wl de-
llvered ourselves entirely into tho
hands OF the man or corporation
whom we knew built the best wagons
after We haC supplied the Judgment
that determined the class Cf wagon
lhat would be cheapest FOR Us ii tile
long run. In that relatively simple
| case, we knew that honest couStruc-
| ton was sold with the ebest specifica-
tlon; the established business success
and continuance We're involved in his
keeping up his standard Of excel
| lence.
| We are after the same thing. essen
| TALLY, in our road building No fair
man would claim that it is impossible
| TO find road contractor experienced
| enough and honest enough to desery,
| our confidence in delivering ourselves
| entirely into his hands. to locate our
road, grade it, and complete il: doubt
less tnere are cases where this pro
ceeding would result honestly anG
atisfa ctorily. But aAJong as huna0
us who would like to risk many hun
dred thousand dollars and the conf
dence our community has placed IL
us, on business arrangement which
places a man at both ends of a CON
ttract in that way. What We must
have, to be faithful to our RESPONSE
bilities is man who has absolutely
no interests at heart in carrying ollr
our affairs, except our interests
What We must have in order 10 po
i sure that we are getting the propeE
complete specifica ton, is a practice
man in the business, Who is absolutely
our man.
You probably thought | would say
a. road engineer didn't you? ] do
{ not say that; you certainly do not
) want a man whose only qualification
is that he knows how to run lanG
: lines with engineering instruments.
and calls himself 4 civil engineer
! Neither would YOU be entirely safe IL
:, his hands on the basis OF his further
= claim to have studied all the books
v and bulletins published on road con
8 struction. There are thousands Of
i good, honest men who know more
i than they can understand.
\ What we must have, in order 10
t plan i'll detail beforehand-that is, To
S draw specifications-fo important
u road work, is a practical man who is
not only experienced in himself il
: that kind of work, but who
II studied just as widely as possible tie
z experience and the mistakes Of others,
d and digested the results Of his study
g SO that We can apply it. Equally. ot
: course, your man must be incorrupti-
r bly, honest. 1t seems evident, then
5, that to secure our necessary share
II Of the definite knowledge that expert
ence has made available for US in all
e part of the world, we have got to look
n for a certain amount OF education in
And md hi
y who seems to combine the qualities
j. we demand, l am frank to tell yol
r. that | believe we will find him callinf
4 himself an engineer of some kind.
j. II my reasoning has been ConvinC
T. ing to you thus far you are now ready
y to ask me where to find such a mar
u ! and how to be sure Of him when yot
l. see him. Certainly you have no in
n clinatiOn to give yourselves cOmpletel.
81 into the hands of any man who comes
up, makes a good appearance, an'
l. says, "Gentlemen, here is my schoo
= certificate as highway engineer:
n am therefore the custodian OF tn
rs wisdom of the ages in all matters per
OF tanning to planning and building
le roads, I confess to YOU with sham
Y that I am not sure. 1t seems to me
to however, that in lack Of any clearl
OF esta blished standards for such men t
at meet before the law of the State, tha
ne the most practical move to make is t
x consult very fully with the State high
st way department. and endeavor to Sc
= cure its approval Of the qualification
IL Of the man who is TO decide ques
in tions on the proper solution of Whic
will depend SO many thousands OF dol
30 lars of profit loss III such = mat
nv ter as the spending of the averag
an road-bond issue is likely to be.
in And now I am afraid that | hav
mr. worn you out with specifications, an
still there is the subject of the con
er tract TO be touched on; and in cor
ls nection with that I shall run Owe
a. the headings that proper speCifica
n tons should always cover. But
q seems to RE that the supreme import
g ance of devoting the utmost care I
all the prepaTatfon oi the plans anu 81.
ch ENC atloh IN s1o"ahcegot gong N.Y. -
fit work, has been worthy Of All tn
.of time YOU have let me give to it