The Valuation of Public Service Corporation Property: Transactions of the American Society of Civil Engineers,; vol. LXXII, June, 1911, ASCE 1190Riggs, Henry Earle
General
The Valuation of Public Service Corporation Property: Transactions of the American Society of Civil Engineers,; vol. LXXII, June, 1911, ASCE 1190
The field inspectors were furnished with the records of the office
inspection covering the district assigned. They were given notebooks,
tape lines, and various blanks for reporting progress and recording
original estimates in the field. Provision was made for inspection by
the field men, either by the use of hand-cars, gasoline inspection cars,
or velocipede cars, although, with one or two of the roads, no
satisfactory arrangement could be made, and the men were compelled to go
on foot. A careful inspection of every structure was made. If any
correction to the office inspection record was necessary, it was made;
if the structure was new, it was carefully measured and described, and
everything noted which would be of service in estimating its value.
Side-tracks were measured, and the weight and type of rail noted. All
culverts and bridges were examined, described, and their condition
noted. Estimates were made of excavation and embankment, clearing and
grubbing, etc. (based on the standing timber at the time of the
examination), and careful estimates were made of classifications of
material. The records of the field inspector generally contained only
the description and the percentage, but, occasionally, when apparently
valuable information as to cost of any particular structure was
available it was noted, as was special information of local matters
affecting the value of any part of the work.
It was the plan (carried out with but few exceptions) to complete the
record with the field inspector so that from his notes a full and
accurate descriptive inventory might be made. There were a few
exceptions to the general method of field inspection work as outlined,
which were:
_Special Work on the Chicago and Northwestern Railway._—The Chicago and
Northwestern Railway had no records of any sort, all construction papers
having been destroyed by fire. This company organized and placed in the
field four complete engineering parties, each under one of its own
engineers, and with each party was sent one field inspector. The line
was carefully surveyed and cross-sectioned, and complete records of
every building and structure were made, side-tracks were measured, and
data taken for rail and ballast charts, etc. All work was done in the
presence of the field inspector, and he was given copies of all notes.
He placed his own percentage of depreciation on everything. The
estimates, made up independently by the Chicago and Northwestern
engineers and the appraisal staff, using in the latter case the same
unit prices as applied elsewhere in the Upper Peninsula, varied less
than 2 per cent.
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