Arizona republican., 1915-08-03
WHAT HIGHWAY
 ENGINEERS DID
 AT CONFERENCE
Road Work by County Pris- oners. Uniform System of Keeping Accounts and Other Plans for Efficient Work Discussed

Road work by county prisoners, a standard bridge design for all county work, and a uniform system of cost data, with an exchange of monthly statements, were endorsed or favorably discussed at the conference of county engineers at Flagstaff, which resulted in the organization of the State Asso- citation of Highway Engineers. State Engineer Lamar Cobb was elected president of the new association and W. H. Caruthers,> county engineer of Maricora county, secretary Member ship in the association will be open to any engineer in the state.
 Seven of the twelve county engineers were present at the conference which discussed practical methods of highway construction and problems connected with the work of the county engineers Members of the boards of supervisors also attended the sessions of the con ference, and pledged their support and operation in the movement for more efficient work on the highways
 One feature of the conference was the interest shown in the proposition to work the county prisoners on the roads. Cochise county has so far been the only one to try this experiment and now has a squad of six prisoners at work under guard on the county roads The cost of keeping prisoners in jail it was pointed out ranges from fifty to seVenty-five cents per day, while the expense to the county of working them on the roads would make a compara- lively small inroad on the road fund as compared with day labor. The small number of prisoners worked under this system it was brought out, makes it possible to handle them in squads of from six to ten, under a foreman, who also acts as guard. The number in any county would not be large enough to amount to competition with paid labor and at the same time the employment of the prisoners offered practically the only opportunity to use the now depict ed county road funds to any advantage
 Perhaps one of the most important matters that came before the associa- tion was the proposition of a uniform system of cost data for all county road work, and the exchange of the monthly statements of expense by the various counties. Comparison of the costs of the same sort of work in the various counties will enable the engineers to ascertain just where they may stop leaks, and how they may obtain the best results. one of the principles of the organization is that whenever member IS in doubt as to the solution of any problem than it shall be taken up with the organizat ton. and that he shall have the benefit of all the data and information at its command.
 It was the sentiment of the asso- citation that all expenditures for road work should be approved by the county engineers before being paid by the board of supervisors, in order that the responsibility for. money paid out should be placed on the official who is under bond for it's proper use
 One result of the meeting of the as sociation will be that more information and light on highway construction will be available at the state good roads next month, and that prob lems to be discussed there will be pre- sented with definite data looking to- ward their solution. committee has been appointed to draft a constitution for the new association