they needed a hundred men outside their gates every morning seeking employment as an incentive to efficient production and proper output by the men within the gates, is not good economics. One man outside the gate is sufficient psychology in most instances and will generally have the desired effect on the workers within.

Diversity of production, standardization of products, and advance provision. of capital are all necessary to permit uniform annual production. Safe practices and a safety policy are essential to safe profits and more vital than an insurance policy, in order to minimize unemployment which runs through the seasons and is particularly hard upon the injured in the winter time.

Engineers should be an asset in their organization rather than a liability, and with that realization should study the seasonal needs of their respective companies. Today seasonal waste is enormous, and yet through education within. the last year or two, both private and public groups are realizing the enormous savings possible by awarding construction. work in the fall rather than pyramiding its initiation in May each year. With

a slack season in the winter, material prices are naturally less, labor works more effectively in order to retain its positions, carrying charges are reduced and, through uniformity of production, unit costs and overhead are also lessened.

As evidence of the wisdom of awarding work in the fall, the State Highway Departments of Illinois and Missouri are excellent examples. Low bids demonstrate the economies to the public. The contractor who has been awarded work can keep his organzation intact by repairing his equipment, installing same on the job, doing the rough grading, storing materials, and in a number of ways prepare for a running start of the paving work as soon as the frost is out of the ground. It may not be too much to say that within a few years the public demand for good roads will warrant the construction of even concrete pavements throughout the year.

You are probably aware of the establishment by Secretary Hoover of the Committee on Seasonal Operations in the Construction Industry, whose function it is to secure data and analyze the needs of this country for the construction industry. Being next to agriculture,

the second largest industry in America, and being unable to show the farmers how to raise potatoes and peaches in the winter time, Secretary Hoover wisely goes on to the construction industry as the one of most practical importance to the nation in seasonal studies. This committee is now at work and a summary of the seasonal survey covered by a questionnaire of the Associated Engineering Societies last month will be forwarded to this committee for their information.

In order to concisely present to you some of the seasonal problems in the construction industry, I will cite fourteen points suggested by the Associated General Contractors of America as a monthly topic of discussion for their local chapters, as follows:

1. What types of construction can be carried on in winter without endangering the quality?

2. How much more does it now cost to perform these types of work in winter than in summer?

3. Can methods of winter construction be improved to make cold weather construction costs compare favorably with warm weather operations?

4. What winter discounts on materi

als and labor would be necessary to equalize cold weather and warm weather costs?

5. How much more work could construction companies take on if they could operate through the entire year? 6. How much could the annual output of labor be increased if they worked through the entire year (assuming that their efficiency remains constant)?

7. What daily wage under continuous construction would give the same annual wage that is now paid?

9. Would overhead expense be materially reduced by continuous operation? 9. Cannot some winter work be financially worth while without seasonal discounts?

10. Can clients be induced to plan early or to start some projects in the fall?

11. Would not winter construction benefit the material producer?

12. Can engineering design and practices encourage year-round construction?

13. Can the co-operation of engineers and architects be obtained in your locality?

14. What will the local association do to lengthen the construction season?

Thomas B. Perry, United States Assistant Engineer, died on October 16, 1923, from heart trouble, at the age of forty-seven.

Mr. Perry was a civil engineer. He graduated from the University of Misouri in 1898 and, after serving for a short time as instructor in mathematics and athletic director at Wentworth Military Academy, returned to the Uni

versity for post-graduate work. He received the degrees of C.E. and A.M. in 1903.

During the World War he served for eighteen months, mostly overseas, as Captain, Corps of Engineers, National Army. With the exception of this interval, he was continually in the service of the Mississippi River Commission. since 1903. His duties under the Com

mission involved considerable research work in connection with the hydraulics and regimen of the Mississippi River.

Mr. Perry became a member of the Engineers' Club of St. Louis in 1916.

Horace Raymond Carpenter, Assistant Chief Engineer of the Missouri Pacific Railroad Company, died on November 12, 1923 at the age of sixty-three. He was born in Afton, New York.

Mr. Carpenter was a graduate of Yale University, where he received the degree of Ph.B. in 1883. He went west in the same year and engaged in location work for the Union Pacific. Be

tween 1890 and 1905, he was connected with several railroad construction projects in Colorado and the West and engaged in consulting engineering practice. He disposed of his holdings in Colorado in 1905, and became connected with the Missouri Pacific Railroad, having charge of all location and construction work until 1912, when he was appointed Engineer in Charge of Maintenance of Way. He became Assistant Chief Engineer in 1916.

Mr. Carpenter was an active member of the Engineers' Club of St. Louis and the American Railway Engineers' Association.

It was the editor's privilege to "meet up" with Mr. M. L. Holman the other day and to chat with him about old times, engineers and engineering. Mr. Holman is not as active physically as he used to be, but there is nothing lacking in the snap and sparkle of his thinking, his ready wit or his quizzical smile. His comment on present day university life as compared with his own experience was particularly interesting. "When I went to Washington University," he said, "we didn't even have a gymnasium. There was no golf, no tennis, no football. If we felt any excess of pep coming on, we took it out on the drawing board."

American Engineering Council of the Federated American Engineering Societies will hold its annual meeting in

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Washington, January 8-11, 1924. In connection therewith, representatives of architectural, engineering and constructors' organizations from all parts of the United States will meet to discuss a movement for the establishment of a National Department of Public Works. Mr. W. E. Bryan, representative of the Associated Engineering Societies of St. Louis for 1924, will take up his duties at this meeting.

Mr. J. D. Von Maur makes a surprising announcement. He will leave St. Louis about the middle of January to take up the duties of Engineer of Distribution of the Consumers' Gas Co. of Toronto, Canada. We understand he was selected for the position after a careful canvass of all available material.

Mr. Von Maur came to St. Louis as Superintendent of the Street Department of the Laclede Gas Light Co., in 1903. He was made Engineer of Distribution in 1908. He holds the position today. His success is attested by the fact that, under his management, St. Louis has arrived at the distinction of having the best gas distribution system in the United States. He has been active for many years in the affairs of the American Gas Institute and is now chairman of its Distribution Committee. He is Vice-President of the Missouri

In our last issue we announced the nomination of Mr. Baxter Brown for the office of third vice-president of the St. Louis Chamber of Commerce. While we were on the press, Mr. Brown went and got himself elected. He was installed in office at a luncheon meeting of the Chamber on November 21. We who know Mr. Brown so well are confident he will bear his full share of the work of carrying out the Chamber's program for the coming year.

Mr. Herbert I. Finch became president of the Emerson Electric Manufacturing Co. of St. Louis on November 14. Our congratulations and best wishes to Mr. Finch.

The Detroit Engineering Society, the Detroit Sections of the American Societies of Mechanical and Civil Engineers

and the Detroit-Ann Arbor Section of the American Institute of Electrical Engineers united, on November 23, in a testimonial dinner to Dean Mortimer E. Cooley of the University of Michigan, president of the Federated American An overflow Engineering Societies. attendance greeted the guest of honor.

Speakers at the dinner were Mr. Cooley's former associates in his naval, educational and engineering activities.. The Secretary of the Navy was represented by Admiral Robison. Mr. Philip N. Moore of St. Louis represented the Federated American Engineering Societies.

A joint meeting of the Associated Engineering Societies and the St. Louis Chapter of the American Institute of Architects is planned for February 27, for consideration of the relationship and responsibility of the architect and engineer in the matter of safety in building construction. The discussion will be based on the report of the Committee on Structural Safety of the New York Section of the A.S.C.E.

This is a subject of great interest and the Program Committee is to be commended for its arrangement to bring the architects and engineers together for its consideration. The contemplated meeting should bring out much of mutual benefit.

on

of a Common Nuisance

The man on the sandbox is working a patent device for automobiles.

TABLE

After a speed of a certain number of miles has been attained and passed, a needle automatically comes up through the seat and prods the driver where it will do the most good.

St. Louis Post-Dispatch..