Concerning economics in the management of a bridge engineer's office, it will suffice to offer a few general principles and refer the reader to Chapter LVIII of "Bridge Engineering." It has been claimed by some engineers that the scheme of management therein expounded is far too elaborate and costly, some going so far as to state that, if it were followed out exactly, the expense involved would eat up all the profits. Such, though, is not the case, for while it is true that it is too expensive for an office with a small force, it is not so for one handling simultaneously many millions of dollars' worth of bridgework, as did the author's in ante-bellum days. It represents an ideal system worked out with great care and in complete detail; and if it were utilized with proper discretion by bridge engineers, bearing in mind that one should "cut his coat according to his cloth," much benefit would result.

In any case, though, the following principles should be observed:

First. All employees should arrive promptly in the morning, preferably a few minutes ahead of time, should get to work immediately, should work diligently, and should put in full time. If, for any unavoidable reason, an employee loses some time from his work, it should be a point of honor with him to make it up by working overtime.

Second. Talking among the employees during office hours should be reduced to an absolute minimum consistent with a proper exchange of ideas as to the development of the work of designing and detailing. No general conversation in the office should be allowed under any circumstances whatsoever.

Third. No visitors should be permitted to enter the drafting or computing rooms, and callers upon employees should be made to understand that they are not welcome and that visiting is against the rules.

Fourth. No smoking should be allowed during office hours. It takes valuable time from the work; and hot cigarette ashes are very destructive to tracings.

Fifth. Each employee should be made to attend strictly to his own business, and no one should be allowed to pry into matters in relation to which he has no legitimate concern.

Sixth. Before any computations on a design are made, full data should be collected therefor; and a complete list of the conditions precedent should be sent to the client for approval in writing before any serious work is done.

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