Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1922-10-23

I'll eAA4G W y AANN -
is a little child.
Coolri4at NaJionaI Newspaper Service
the actual Improvement. While both
narties have available he same mar
kets vet the city has certain del'hIIe
and substantial advantages.
~ It's credit is established, which
insures prompt deliveries.
f2) lis financial resources are SUI
fcient to enable it TO take 2dvaHiag"
of discounts wheeras the aver
are contractor pays MS bills on re-
reirr of monthly estimates from nc
citv. Last wear IyuchbUrg benetitted
over $1,000 from cash discounts on
material purchased for its public mn
Drovements,
az With its credit beyond ques-
lion cities can purchase various ma
,arals at q lower gross cost th"n can
the average contractor
Cd Freight rates favor direct de-
lieyries to municipalities ON certain
classes of road making material IN
Virginia, reduction OF lOc per ton
is allowed from the regular rates on
shipments originating within the
state On last years constructor,
Lyrchburg received q credit from
this source Of exactly 95l7.IO.
Other similar savings might Dc
also mentioned. Although the
amounts are comparatively small IN
each instance, yet the aggregate Is
large.
In the matter of operating expense
the city likewise has many advanta-
yes which make it potentially posi-
blc 10 carry on construction az costs
below those OF Il contractor:
Cd I'm that it is necessary to mani
tain general city accounting and pur>
chasing organizations the munic'pal
construction department need no.
carry q charge for these eSSentla!
operations which q contractor must
enter agains, his Improvement costs.
II IL true tina departments cost the
citv money, bu. in the case OF
Iynchburg, al leash, the expense Is
me- same, regardless of whether or
mo-. II handles It's oWn work.
90 The activities Of municipal
ity are so diversified that Is organi-
cation can be continuously cmmoyeH
without ercountering an item OF eT-
p.nsc as does the contractor VINO
must maintain at least a skeleton or
ganization i'm idlcGess when Jobs are
not at hand.
(20 Lyuchbmg operates shop
for the maintenance of all It's equip
ment. I'm This, there IS not only q
saving in the actual cost of work be
| low that which a contractor would
nav if he patroniZed a commercial
sboD rs many do, but there is even
greater return through controlling
; the shop routine SO that no time is
I lost by idle equipment waiting its
uun before repairs can 6e started
| go The city saves the costs of
bonds customarily required OF the
contractor and which he must charge
! against the work
| While these advantages relate only
to actual improvement, costs, the
city reaps also a direct financial re.
| tam when it does its own work
thr62sh eliminating substantial
portion of inspection expense re-
CURED under the contract system.
Theoretically. there Is no doubt
that il is economy for q municipality
10 construct its own improvements
/ bv, II has been the experience Of The
sneaker that work Of any magnitude
! cannot be effectively and efficiently
| handled by the so-cai,cd Street and
tSewer Departments under their usual
iplan Of operation in most cities
These departments are ordinarily eS-
/ tab'ishcd with maintenance alone I'M
mind. Attempts at g combination o.
construction and maintenance in one
Organization generally results in
more expensive construction than
when banded by crew especially
organized for that purpose. lnciden-
tally. IL might he remarked that Il
also happens under these conditions
that maintenance is treated as a Sec
oudary consideration leading TO neg
lect of that important service. More
! expensive construction costs ANA less
effective results logically follow the
transfer OF Labor to construction than
when handled by a crew especially
organized for that purpose. lucidcn-
| tally it might be remarked That II
teiso happens under these conditions
that nlaintepance Is treated as a sec.
ondary consideration leading to neg
ilecc tor that important service. More
extensive construction costs and less
defective results logically follow the
/ transfer OF labor to construction 70,
short periods after it has become &C
, cus.omed TO working ir the loosely on
gained groups common II m9inte-
nance or patch work. and which Is
was lSeeg ntroopS ?oeua n, ng- o on
I por.gisk ON domd oomd b zgg ib3fv
! ordinarily selected for work of that
, character. On the other hand, maia
Iterarce suffers from natural attempt
/ 20 concentrate large amounts Of labor
on structisr work which deplete the