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While it is true that the development of bridge-building in America owes much to the system so long in vogue of bidding on competitive plans, in that such competition has tended to sharpen the wits of the engineers of the competing companies, it is equally true that the said competition has done all the good it can for the science of bridge-designing, and now acts as a clog to prevent its further advancement. The correctness of this assertion scarcely needs any demonstration, but it may be well, notwithstanding, to give here a few reasons therefor.
As human nature is the same the world over, and as men in general are working for the almighty dollar, it stands to reason that when a bridge-company's engineer is preparing upon fixed specifications a design to be used as a basis for a competitive bid, and when he knows that in nineteen cases out of twenty the contract will be awarded to the lowest bidder whose design conforms to the letter of the specifications, although it may not be up to the requirements of good engineering practice, he will take advantage of every weak point and omission in said specifications, even if his engineer's conscience proclaim the design he submits to be worse than faulty. As it is entirely practicable to take advantage of any set of railroad-bridge specifications yet published, it is evident
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