22

of American Red Cross officials who have been
working in that country.
Serbia proper is bisected
by a main trunk line
that was not even “two streaks of rust” when the
armistice was signed in 1918. At that time every
ra'lroad bridge from Belgrade to Ghevgelli had been
destroyed by the retreating German-Austrian army.
Today all of these bridges have been repaired in
a way, yet every repair job is of the most temporary
character. Piling and timber cut in the mountains
have been used to support the trucks over which the
light ’ocomotives and lightly loaded trains are forced
to
creep
at a snail’s pace. Obviously, the whole of
Serbia must be equipped before long with substan-
tial bridgework as well as miles of track and hun-
dreds of locomotives, fre :
ght and passenger cars.
Common railroad station talk has it that Ameri-
can engineers will soon take over Serb railways on
a forty year contract, agreeing to build
up-to-date
roadbeds and
put in sufficient locomotives to haul the
country’s commerce.
It is no wonder that American-Serbs are agitat-
ing the entrance of American engineering genius
into their mother country. All of them have travell-
ed over the main American trunk lines. They have
experienced the sensation of riding sixty miles an
hour in comfortable coaches and arriving at their
destinations on time, while in Serbia for the past
three years they having been riding in box car
trains that are hours late. For a journey that would
take about nine hours in the United States, Serbian
trains now require forty-eight hours and even then
don’t
get in on time.
American Red Cross workers in Serbia have been
greatly handicapped by the present traffic situation
of that country. The transport tieup delayed the
American Red Cross relief trains uncounted hours
and in many instances these supplies arrived at their
destination
days late.
Mercantile and Industrial Buildings of Concrete
Portland Cement Association.
BUSINESS
executives confronted with the ne-
cessity of choosing a type of building that will
best meet the needs of their industry consider every
factor likely to affect the desirability of the
proposed
structure. Such features as fire-safeness and.con-
sequent low insurance, freedom from maintenance
and depreciation, adaptability, speed of construction
regardkos of season, permanence,
and sanitation
are desirable factors. Each must be considered from
the standpoint of its
proper
relative importance,
although to many
of them no definite money value
can be given. Nevertheless, all are susceptible of
being capitalized.
Today the merits and economies of mercantile
and industrial building are judged largely in the
cost accounting department. The annual balance
sheets will show that first cost of a (Structure is only
one item and not necessarily of first importance. It
is ultimate cost that will test and prove economy.
Ultimate economy dictates the choice of that type
of construction on which freedom from depreciation
and maintenance, low insurance and favorable in-
fluence on production will, by comparison with some
other type of construction, in a short time, more
than compensate for
any probable additional first
cost.
Employes' welfare must be considered. Build-
rings which are sanitary, light, well ventilated and
hence provide healthful quarters for workers, are
certain to contribute to profits because of the con-
tentment developed among
the workers and the
consequent reduction of labor turnover. A sense
of security is felt
by owners, operating officials and
employes in the knowledge that the building which
houses them and their industry is proof against de-
struction
by fire, tornado and earthquake. It is
worth money for owners and employes alike to know
that none of these visitations can suddenly wipe out
the industry on which
they are dependent, with the
resulting loss of time, money, patronage and pres-
tige that
may
have taken
years of endeavor to build
up. Attainment of these desirable ends is certain
to favorably ijnfluenee financing and credits. Per-
manent, fireproof buildings are also of distinct ad-
vertising value to their owners. With concrete
buildings, these desirable ends are secured in the
fullest measure.
A comparison of the initial cost of fireproof
buildings Avill almost invariably show the low cost
of the concrete [structure. In many cases concrete
buildings designed for heavy floor loads have been
built for less than any other practicable type would
have cost. Speaking of conditions in 1916, Arthur
R. Lord, a consulting engineer of Chicago, said, in
22 Octobek, 1920.
THE’ CONCRETE AGE