Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1917-01-19
UNIVERSITY LETTER.
EMPLOYMENT AND DUTIES
OF Highway Engineers.

ByJ. II. Dorroh. Dear School of Engin ,ering.
The millions Of dollars being spent
each year for road and bridge CEN
struction have attracted hundreds Of
engineers and self.styled engineers
OF every degree of competence. The
need for skilled men in tins work e.
Enormously exceeds the supply, aud
yet 1t is never hard to find n man
who will concede his owa ability
Road commissioners and supervisors
find it hard to distinguish the real
from the imitation and select the
right man, and do not know what to
require after the selection has been
made Advertiser mt for bids for.
engineering, without stimulation as
to qualifications of bidders and SER
10 be rendered often brings disaster.
SaddeSt of all the disaster is not al
ways recognized as such, for money,
even unwisely spent, does much
good and the public never realizes
what has been lost through ueffi
cheney and the so called engineer
goes away with recommendation, to
prey on others. The following pro-
cedure is recommended TO supervi-
sors and road commissioners.
Manage 80 secure the names of sew
eral Of those who stand highest in
the profession and who are engaged
in the practice of highway engineer
ing. Invite them to submit PROPOSE
tons on percentage basis for max
ing surveys, plans specifications,
and supervision of construction.
State in the invitation that the SER
vice rendered will be in the order
given. Make investigation to de
termine the best location of roads;
make detailed survey of the propose d
route. taking cross section, profile,
and alignment notes, locating water
ways, and computing sizes of same;
prepare plan showing old and new
locations; report accurate estimate
OF cost on new location and approx
innate estimate for Old, with full rea-
sons for all changes; prepare detailed
plans and general and detailed spec-
tications for roads and structures; as
sst in securing right of way. This
work should be complete and report
on file before any bids for construc-
ton are asked. The engineer will
assist In the award of contracts and
during construction, will stake out
all road. and bridges, inspect ma
terials, supervise construction, pre-
pare monthly estimates for payments
to contractors, and in every way
serve as the representative of the
people in seeing that full value is re.
celved for everv dollar spent.
After the receipt of bids for sn-
cheering services, as outlined abovf,
the best hid should be accepted,
consideration being given TO the a.
mount of successful experience of an
plicant, 10 the line of work for viii b
he applies, reputation of applicant,
and price bid
1t is suggested that employers of
engineers consider the following
facts: Employ a competent man at a
fir price Avoid propositions to
work for less than the service is
worth. Engineers have been known
to make private arrangement to the
detriment of employer and his own
profit. The most reliable informa-
tion about an engineer may be OBJ
tanned from another of the same pre-
fession, but not competitor.
Experience in one line of engineer
ing does not necessarily fit one for
practice in another. There are spe
cialists in each line and there are
several lines in highway engineer
ing.
The only bond that should be re-
CURED of ID professional man is es-
tablished professional integrity. If
other bond is necessary, to secure
faithfuIness in any physician, attor-
ney or engineer. that one is TO be
stunned.
of the opinion that Gov. BiIbo can
save the state good bunch of mon
ey by abandoning that idea of calling