Uniformity of Requirement and Clearness of Specification in Agreements for the Graduation of Railroads

The construction and betterment of the subgrade of railroads is a large business, affecting the expenditure of hundreds of millions of capital and calling for the services of thousands of engineers and contractors. A somewhat extended experience in this class of construction, partly as engineer and partly as contractor, has impressed upon the writer matters which, in his opinion, are worthy of consideration in the preparation of agreements for such work. The magnitude of the business, the large number of individuals interested, and the benefit to their business relations which would result from any advance toward uniformity of requirement, increased clearness of specification, and reduction of friction in carrying agreements into effect, are the reasons for presenting this paper, in which some of the matters covered in contracts for graduation will be considered.