intendent of the Division is a member of the Board of Awards of the office.

During the period of heavy increase in specialized work caused by the building program of the Veterans' Bureau, that is, the erection of hospitals and sanitariums, a section was set up to study special hospital problems and to supervise the design, planning, and construction of such buildings.

Structural Division. The Structural Division, headed by a superintendent, bears responsibility for the design of structural features of public buildings, and the solution of problems arising in connection therewith.

The earliest activities of the division, so far as the erection of a building goes, are concerned with the preparation of drawings and specifications for special soil investigations, including load tests and tests on piles, and the checking of surveys for structural requirements, including decision as to type of foundation, soil pressure, and degree of water proofing required.

The next step in the line of duties is the preparation of structural drawings, including the selection and design of various types of construction in wood, reinforced concrete, and structural steel.

The division also supervises construction details on architectural drawings, reviews all structural drawings prepared by private architects employed on public buildings, and is responsible for designing all work in connection with vault construction, including vault doors, special shelving, etc.

With work actually under way other duties arise: the checking of shop drawings in connection with structural work, including the administrative features of keeping files and records and the mailing thereof, and the construing of structural drawings.

Mill, shop, and field inspection reports on structural steel are also handled directly.

The division bears responsibility for the solution of all engineering problems in connection with building construction, including retaining walls, wharves, bridges, etc., and prepares memoranda relative to structural work.

A service function is performed in preparing special inspection reports on the strength of various buildings under control of the Treasury Department or, upon request, similar reports for other departments.

Mechanical Engineering Division. The Mechanical Engineering Division, the titular head of which is a superintendent, is responsible, broadly speaking, for all matters in connection with the design, construction, and installation of mechanical and electrical equipment in public buildings, and it exercises general initiative regarding the execution of this type of work.

The first duties involved are those concerned with the production of mechanical and electrical engineering drawings, specifications, and estimates for new buildings and extensions to occupied buildings. In addition to this work, specifications, drawings, and estimates are produced by the division for alterations and repairs to plumbing, heating, and electrical equipment, deep wells, elevators, refrigerating plants, etc., in occupied buildings.

The division reviews the plans and specifications of private architects on mechanical and electrical equipment, construes mechanical and electrical engineering drawings and specifications, and checks shop drawings for the same phases of the work, in addition to surveys for sewer, water, gas, and electric services.

The division passes approval upon all mechanical engineering samples and has power of selection of all mechanical engineering appliances.

Recommendations on all matters involving expenditures for and pertaining to the work of the division are made to the Board of Awards.

More closely concerned with actual construction are the duties of obtaining full data for private sewer lines and satisfactory water supply for public buildings.

This division is also charged with the task of preparing bills of quantities for mechanical engineering materials.

A continuing activity is that of general supervision over mechanical inspectors, including selection of personnel and initiating action on reports turned in by them.

On the coöperative side the division performs numerous duties. It offers technical advice generally to other divisions upon mechanical and electrical work and gives assistance and makes recommendations to the Maintenance Division concerning expenditures on mechanical and electrical equipment in occupied buildings, and with regard to engineering supplies and personnel.

The division prepares memorandum recommendations on technical matters for the Computing and Maintenance Divisions as a basis for miscellaneous correspondence.

Files of active drawings and specifications are maintained.

Repairs Division. The Repairs Division falls directly under the Executive Officer as a matter of organization,' but since for major repairs it functions under the Technical Officer, it is here so included.

The division, as its name indicates, bears responsibility for all major and minor repairs on public buildings under the jurisdiction of the Treasury Department, and is headed by a Superintendent. Theoretically there is no difference in the duties involved as between major and minor repairs. In practice, however, minor repairs usually involve no planning, or design, while major repairs require practically the same procedure as new construction: design, planning, writing of specifications, supervision of actual work, inspection, etc.

Hence, the prime activity of the division is the production of drawings, specifications, and estimates for alterations and repairs to completed buildings and the general supervision of such repairs.

The division in connection with such work makes recommendations to the Board of Awards concerning prospective expenditures on repairs.

On the side of intramural coöperation the division furnishes advice and assistance to the Maintenance Division and makes certain technical recommendations, in addition to furnishing memorandum recommendations as a basis for correspondence.

Administrative duties call for the maintenance of files of certain active drawings and specifications and card index records of all drawings and specifications, contracts, etc., from start to completion of job on each public building, marine hospital, and quarantine station.

The Executive Branch. The Executive Branch comprises those divisions concerned with the administrative activities of the organ

'The organization chart prepared by the Office places it under the Executive Branch, but connects it by a major control line to the Technical Officer, through a "function rectangle " called "major repairs."

ization, but including in addition the maintenance of buildings function and certain of the repairs.

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The Office Proper of the Executive Officer exercises supervision over the work of the divisions included under the Executive Branch and is headed, as the name indicates, by the Executive Officer.

The work is supervisory and directory and the office acts as general clearing station for administrative detail, relieving the Office Proper of the Supervising Architect so far as possible of this work.

For example, all visitors or callers upon the Office of Supervising Architect are sent to the Office Proper of the Executive Officer and from there, if necessary, are directed further.

In addition, all telephone calls clear through this office as well as letters, documents, and references relating both to technical and administrative matters for transmission to the Supervising Architect or Assistant Secretary of the Treasury.

The Executive Officer, in addition to his duties as head of the Executive Branch of the work, acts as a member of the Board of Awards.

His normal duties, in effect, are those of an administrative assistant to the Supervising Architect, with the function of relieving that officer, so far as possible, of all routine duties of administration.

The Executive Officer gives signed approval of all vouchers payable from the various appropriations under control of the Supervising Architect as well as requests for funds used in construction, repair, and maintenance of public buildings, and has authority to authorize or approve expenditures not in excess of $500 from all appropriations except "general expense of public buildings."

Maintenance Division. The Maintenance Division, headed by a superintendent, bears responsibility for the "service" functions of the office, including purchasing, custodianship, and personnel control.

The work of the division may be arbitrarily, but conveniently, classified under the following titles which, with one or two excep

1o Of a minor nature only; i. e., in general, those not requiring plans to be drawn. It is to be borne in mind that though mentioned secondarily in this monograph the Executive Branch takes precedence over the Technical Branch. See page 70, ante.

tions, are synonymous with the titles of funds administered: operating supplies, operating force, repair and preservation, mechanical equipment, furniture (including carpets), vaults and safes, storeroom, and miscellaneous.

Under "operating supplies " the work of the division is concerned almost wholly with investigating and determining needs, fixing standards and approving purchases. It includes the authorization for and purchase of janitors' miscellaneous supplies," oils, and lamps, articles and appliances paid for from the appropriation “mechanical equipment for public buildings,"" and coal.

Specifications for materials pertinent to the work are written by the division and correspondence regarding authorizations to purchase is carried on.

Under "operating force" the division activities deal with personnel. This work includes supervision of custodial and janitorial forces, and engineering personnel," as well as the authorization of employment of the force, the control over pay rolls and discipline and the carrying on of correspondence with regard to these

matters.

The activities concerning repair and preservation of buildings are administrative and include the authorization of certain expenditures on recommendation of the Repairs Division and miscellaneous correspondence pertaining thereto.

Activities under the head "mechanical equipment" exactly duplicate those of “repair and preservation " except as to the object to which applied.

The Maintenance Division, in addition to other duties, prepares drawings and specifications for the manufacture of furniture and authorizes expenditures therefor, both as to the original furnishing of a building and renewals of furnishings.

On the administrative side the division maintains the record of furniture owned and has charge of the sales of old furniture and other material of no further use or value to the department as well

11 These, as classified by the division, comprise fuel, electric current, gas, washing towels, removing ashes and rubbish, removing snow, and cutting grass. The division, it may be noted, cares for laundering towels for all occupants of public buildings but purchases towels for custodial forces only, together with such miscellaneous articles as enter into housekeeping features as soap, mops, pails, brooms, brushes, tools, etc.

This on recommendation of the Mechanical Engineering Division. 13 On recommendation of the Mechanical Engineering Division.