much as possible by placing particularly efficient men in these areas and by making special efforts to prevent their work from being delayed by the other operations. Material must be ready for them as soon as they can handle it, and it must be taken away from them as soon as they have finished with it. This, of course, involves some increase in expense, but the additional tonnage secured in a given time will amply warrant the extra cost.

Handling of Work

The four factors of light, heat, ventilation, and space, all dependent upon shop design, have a direct bearing upon the proper planning of the passage of the work through the shop. A proper planning system is one of the most important factors in shop economics; and certainly it would not work out satisfactorily, unless there were sufficient light, heat, ventilation, and space. Such a system should provide for the location and movement of the material from the time it is delivered at the shop until the time it is shipped therefrom. The Shop Manager should always be able to ascertain immediately in exactly what portion of the shop any particular material is located. Special stress should be laid upon the importance of having ample space for the raw materials as they are received from the mills. Some years ago this was neglected, resulting, in the case of large shops, in unsatisfactory operation, as it was impossible to locate and bring into the shop any particular material on short notice.

There is an ideal feature of economics in shop practice that should be adhered to when it is possible, viz., the continuous passage of all material in one direction through the shop. This is not always feasible; but it is the general experience that, whenever the principle is violated by carrying material backward, progress is interfered with, output is lessened, and unit cost of production is increased.

Management of Men

The efficient management of the workmen is one of the most important factors in shop economics; because the maximum of output can only be attained by having each man in the shop labor to his limit of efficiency, all work together harmoniously, and all act in concert under a scientifically-laid-out programme.

If workmen are to develop one hundred per cent of efficiency, or anything like that amount, they must be well fed, properly housed, comfortable in their surroundings, happy, interested in their occupation, contented with their recompense, and amused in their leisure hours. Some of the broad-gauge managers of bridge shops are recognizing these requirements, and are endeavoring  to  fulfil  them  in  various  ways.  For  instance,  cafeterias  are  being  established  for  the  employees,  where  good,  plain,  wholesome  food  is  served  at  actual  cost;   libraries  and  reading  rooms  are  being