Another branch of collective labor, which of late years has given
rise to sharp debates, is that of public works. "To manage the
building of a road, M. Dunoyer very well says, "perhaps a pioneer
and a postilion would be better than an engineer fresh from the
School of Roads and Bridges." There is no one who has not had
occasion to verify the correctness of this remark.
On one of our finest rivers, celebrated by the importance of its
navigation, a bridge was being built. From the beginning of the
work the rivermen had seen that the arches would be much too low
to allow the circulation of boats at times when the river was
high: they pointed this out to the engineer in charge of the
work. Bridges, answered the latter with superb dignity, are made
for those who pass over, not for those who pass under. The
remark has become a proverb in that vicinity. But, as it is
impossible for stupidity to prevail forever, the government has
felt the necessity of revising the work of its agent, and as I
write the arches of the bridge are being raised.
Pages:
354
355
356
357
358
359
360
361
362
363
364
365
366
367
368
369
370
371
372
373
374
375
376
377
378