THE PARK ENGINEERING DIVISION 619 



occupies a position of major importance and in fact is practically the entire 

 executive department. During this period the chief engineer may actually 

 have charge also of conducting negotiations for the acquisition of the prop- 

 erties desired for park purposes. And, in case it is necessary to resort to 

 condemnation proceedings, the engineer must provide the attorney, the court 

 and the appraisers with all the necessary technical data upon which the 

 proceedings are conducted. 



It is a very important function of the engineering division to keep 

 careful, detailed accounts of each construction project. Mr. A. C. Godward, 

 engineer of the Minneapolis Park Department, in an article on "Engineer- 

 ing in Park Development" (Parks and Recreation, Vol. VI, No. i, September- 

 October, 1922, pages 2627), enumerates the following reasons for keeping 

 careful accounts: 



(a) "To guide the work of the field organization in such a way that 

 the engineer and superintendent will know each day that all work is being 

 carried out as to schedule; that work is being done economically and within 

 the limits of the estimates; that quantities of materials being used are such 

 as comply with the specifications. Only by true and up-to-the-minute 

 accounts can the progress, efficiency and honesty of public work be main- 

 tained. 



(b) To provide reliable data for the basis of future estimates. 



(c) To furnish to the public a true and accurate account of all work 

 performed and services rendered." 



In the preparation and enforcing of contracts and in conducting liti- 

 gations frequently arising out of construction work, the engineer must pro- 

 vide the attorney with the necessary technical information to enable him 

 to prepare and conduct the case or cases intelligently and successfully. 

 A great deal of such litigation may be avoided if the engineer is himself 

 thoroughly familiar with the laws governing construction operations and 

 endeavors to organize and conduct his work accordingly. 



RELATION OF THE ENGINEER TO OTHER TECHNICAL EXPERTS 



Relation to the landscape architect. In the processes of selection and 

 development of properties the activities of the engineer are in a measure 

 subordinate to and under the general supervision of the landscape architect 

 as the general planner of the system and the designer of individual prop- 

 erties and of special features in those properties. But at the outset the 

 services of the engineer are indispensable to the architect in making boundary 

 surveys and topographical and hydrographical surveys. The preparation 

 of a map or maps embodying the data of these surveys is the work of the 

 engineer. The preparation of a general plan map or maps showing the 

 location of the different types of properties in the system, design maps and 



