8

8 October, 1920.*
THE CONCRETE AGE
which plans, specifications, and estimates had been
delivered to the bureau of public roads. The plans,
specifications and estimates of 1,827 of these had been
recommended for approval, representing 13,845
miles. Project agreements had actually been ex-
ecuted and construction work was in progress on
1,569 projects, totaling 11,987 miles. In addition,
work had been begun on about 100 projects for
which agreements had not actually been signed, thus
expediting the progress of the work and br'nging
the total mileage under construction
up
to 13.540.
The
summary show ; that a great reduction has been
made in the time required for preliminary work
before actual construction is begun.
On the average the states have submitted project,
statements for nearly 95
per
cent, of their
respective
allotments and have entered 'nto agreement to con-
struct highways which call for about one-half of
their fedeal aid money. The projects actually com-
pleted and paid for are comparatively few, but they
are materially exceeded in number by those which
are practically completed. California, Delaware,
Illinois, Idaho, Indiana, lowa, Kansas, Louisiana,
M aine Maryland, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Hamp-
shire, New
Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio. Oregon,
Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Utah, Washington, West
Virginia, and Wyoming have each submitted ap-
proved project statements for a'l or
nearly all of
their allotments.
The Outlook for
Building.
BUILDERS are going through a period at the
present time that is as difficult as any they have ex-
perienced. It is particularly aggravating because on
every hand we see tin* absolute need for
budding,
and forgetting entirely those people who an
1
hold-
ing off building in the hope of getting lower prices
later on, there would be plenty to do tc take care
of work that
many are anxious to get under wav if
such stumbling blocks as tightness of money and
shortage of materials were not so serious.
The material situation is the greater handicap be-
cause so much
project building is needed for busi-
ness expansion and certain
types of residential work
insuring good returns on investment that money for
that can generally be found but without sufficient
material 't is
impossible to build.
The root of the evil lies, of
course, in the rail-
road situation. There is a tremendous shortage of
freight cars and the general inefficiency of the rail-
road employees following their taste of
easy condi-
tions under government operation, does not enable
full use of available cars to be made.
Organizations Invited
The Joint Conference Committee has been asked
by one of the technical papers concerning the invita-
tion to become a member of The Federated American
Engineering Societies:
‘-‘Does this mean that we can publish the in-
vitation as one that is extended generally to
any society, club or organization, the chief
object of which is the advancement of the
knowledge and practice of engineering, and the
application of allied sciences, and which is not
organized for commercial purposes, or are we
to publish it a > an in vital ion which has been
extended to a list of societies selected by the
•Joint Conference Committee, with the understand-
ing that none others are desirable?
The Joint
Conference Committee
purse apt the-
request of the governing boards of the four Bounder
Societies, of the American Society for Testing Ma-
terials, of the United Engineering Society and of the
members of the Engineering Council, contained in
the resolution unanimously adopted at their joint
meeting on January 23, 1920, issued the ca 1. to the
engineering and allied technical organization; of
the country to attend the Organizing Conference in
Washington, June 3-4. 1920, which was sent to engi-
neering and allied technical organizations whose
chief object is the advancement of the knowledge
and practice of enginering and the allied tecnical
arts and wlrch were not organized for commercial
purposes.
The Organizing Conference approved the list of
organizations to whom the invitation was extended
by the Joint Conference Comittee and no other organ-
izations were added to this list by the Conference.
The Joint Conference Comnrttee is, therefore, ex-
tending invitations to these organizations to become
members of The American Societies under the author-
ization
given it by the Organizing Conference on
June 4th, 1920. The Committee does not maintain
that the list is
complete, and there
may be other
organizations, than those on the list
prepared by it.
eligdde for membership. Such organizations may
make application for
membership to the American
Engineering Council.
Conditions in German Concrete
Industry.
The rse in the value of the German mark has only
ind rectly affected the concrete industry, as the ex-
port of concrete was forbidden by a law made in
November, 1919. Originally, most German cement
was
exported to the Netherlands. Notwithstanding
the
embargo on exports of cement, the prices for
home
consumption have increased enormously, due-
to higher wages, the problems of transportation,
and the cost of fuel.