The copper era and Morenci leader., 1920-06-11
COUNTY ENGINEER MAKES REPLY ID
 HIGHWAY CRITIC
Denial is Made of Assertions Contain ed i Anrticle Published by S. c. Redd on CIifton-SpringervilIe
 Highway Construction
(By B. Vandercook)

In reply to an article which appear ed in a recent issue of the Copper Era | headed ''Clifton-Springerville High way, over the signature of S. C.I Redd, Engineer for the Highway Com mission of Greenlee County, I feel it my duty to correct, if possible, any wrong impression that may have been created.
 In the beginning of the article the statement is made that there has been a continuous WI wangle between the contractors and the engineers This of course is intended as slur, but is not true, as all communications regarding the work has been carried on in writing.
 The statement is also made that the work has not progressed as rapidly as was anticipated. The ques- tion is, who anticipated, Was he are they famil;sT w.'n the t,ims of ;io contract? It would be very unwise for the engineer to attempt to dictate to the contractors as to the number of men they should employ or when the yshould order material needed or to be needed. If the contractors paid any attention to such instruc- tions given by the engineer they may claim, on completion of their con- tract, that they lost money by follow ing such instructions and bring an ac- tfon against the County to recover same.
 Those whose business it is to ac- quaint themselves with the terms of this contract know that it is very plainly set forth that the time al- lowed for completion of the work covered by the contract is six hun dred and eight (60S) weather-working days, and that if the work is not com. pleted in that time the cost there after of engineering and inspection is to be deducted from any sum due or to become due the contractors.
 In the attempt to make his asser- tions seem real, the gentleman refers to a perusal of the report of the Coun- ty Auditor. No such reports exist nor is there any such official as the County Auditor of Greenlee County
 The statement that the expense of the construction is so far around fifty per cent greater than was figur- ed in the original estimate of the Government Engineers is a positive falsehood. Including all work done
 
 l ernment Engineers survey in Met calf and that section of the road where the contractors force is now at work, the actual cost of eonstruc' tion exceeds the Government Engine CTS estimate less than thirty per cent This increase is largely due to erros made by that engineer in classifying the material to be excavated; in many cases solid rock was classified as sixty, seventy and in several cases as high as one hundred per cent com mon, meaning earth or loose rock ol both
 I The gentleman who now wishes tC make it appear that those responsi ble for the construction of this high way are to blame for the increased cost over the Government Engineers estimate. was the nrst to notice these errors in classification, being at tht time a prospective bidder on thi' work. His criticisms of the Govern ment Engineer who classified thi work were even stronger than thos' he now makes of the methods uset in construction.
 The statement is made that it tool no detailed investigation
 , accurate opinion of the work. and h.
 then goes on to criticise the location
 To the best of my knowledge it re
 quired about two years to make th1
 location, and most of that time thre
 engineers were employed, by the Gov
 ernment and at all times during tn
 last fifteen months the County ha
 kept a force of engineers employe
 re-running the Government line, lool
 ing after the details of constructio
 and making every effort to better tn
 original location. This gentlema . would have you believe that after tn
 honest efforts of as many as six (
 seven of his brother engineers hay
 been exhausted, he is able, after maj ing two trips over the road in ca Q not requiring over a half day fC F. either trip, to pick flaws in their wor ,- Further on in the statement mad
 by this gentleman, he says that whel
 cnstruction is now in progress u > location of the road is of the wor u kind The exact spot referred T. has been pointed out to ne bv parti' who accompanied the High way F, e gineer on his second trip of inspe c- tion. On this particular secton .o road was informed by an engine in the employ of the Government al .u who helped make the location, tn II they found it necessary 70 run thr T. separete lines before location w II decided on. Later on, as constru ly tion neared this point the enginee
 in employ of the county, believi u, they could better this part of the iu cation. ran three lines before tn st were convinced of the wisdom of [ ys Government Engineers in selecti = =--- ===-