New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-10-29

haps a hundred men, all told, are en-
ployed in this work. This division
covers about $500 miles of road each
month, as opposed to an average of a
little over 1000 for the engineering
men.
Financial Histories Being Written
There is a district accountant for
each of the five divisions, who is writ
ing the financial histories of the roads
in that section. He has access 20 the
books and vouchers of the companies,
and full powers of examination. About
l2O men are engaged in this work. The
total number employed in the valua-
ton work is close to 1900, 200 Of
whom are in the main Offices at Wash
ington. There are siXty-tiye surveying
parties in the field, distributed over
the entire country. In winter they are
moved south and in summer north
ward, thus keeping them busy the
entire year.
The field parties go over each inch
of trackage and right of way, making
minute reports on it. The railroad is
required to have pilot" to point out
its contentious about the road. They
also have to furnish certain pre-in-
ventory data, such as maps, plans, etc
Carbon copies of all field notes are
furnished the railway companies, which
are allowed sixty days in which TO
protest them. In case this is not done
they are taken as correct. As a gem
era matter, objections are made, dis
cussed and to a considerable extent
eliminated in the field.
When these field observations have
been taken they must be reduced to
sub form that unit-prices can be APP
piled to them. This consists of COM
putting and bringing together quanti-
ties Of the same kind, as grading,
rails, culverts, etc, and placing the
quantities on what is termed "pric-
ing sheet" This sheet contains the
quantities to which unit prices are TO
be applied, and also the Service con-
dition per cent"-that is, the part Of
the useful life of an article still re-
naming in it's present use, from which
depreciation is computed.
Each month substantially as many
miles are placed on the pricing sheet
as are covered by the parties in the
field, it is stated by officials of the
division. Work has been done on every
railroad in the United States, that on
several of the larger systems being
practically completed. That on the
Rock Island began in November, 1914,
and field parties completed their tasks
in about sixteen months time. This
report is one to be issued in a short
time. In New England the Boston e.
Maine field work has been done, but
the financial work has not yet been
cleared up. The New Haven, the Maine
Central, the Boston & Albany and the
Bangor g. Arcostook have all been par
TALLY completed.
From the Chicago headquarters work
is going on on the Great Northern, the
Milwaukee, the Rock Island, the Santa
Fe and many other roads. Pacific Coast
and Southern companies are also in
good shape, it is declared By Janu-
airy reports on a total of 100000
miles of road will be in hand, accord
ing to official claims. The overhead
organization is in position to handle
$4,000 miles n year, and has been
doing so for the last year. The work
has long since passed through the ex-
perimental stage, and. although monu-
mental in size is rapidly moving tow
ard completion.