Columnist Ruthe Deskin: Here’s a cheer for engineers

Ruthe Deskin

Thursday, Feb. 17, 2000 | 8:47 a.m.

Ruthe Deskin is assistant to the publisher. Her column appears Thursdays. Reach her at deskin@vegas.com.

"He's a rambling wreck from Georgia Tech, and a hell of an engineer."

With that school song, I say "yes" to engineer, entrepreneur, philanthropist and all-'round good guy Bob McNutt.

Bob wanted me to remind readers that the week of Feb. 20 (Sunday) through the 26th is Engineers Week. And why not? We have Secretary's Week, National Pickle Week, Save the Whales Week, Nurses Week, Bosses Week, National Health Week and a week for almost everything.

So why not Engineers Week?

As McNutt tells it:

"George Washington is considered the first engineer of the land. Originally engineers were divided into two categories: civil and military. As time went on specialties became regularities. Engineering has many branches. But civil and military engineers were the first and still abound. Civil engineers have specialized in public works, municipal, state and federal works. The civil engineering profession prides itself upon the ability to take a raw, barren parcel of land and turn it into something of beauty and value, useful to all. The first true engineers to hit Las Vegas were the railroad engineers who established the best route for the Los Angeles, San Pedro and Salt Lake Railroad.

"The springs that fed the lush meadows (Las Vegas) were a natural for development by the railroad and their engineers designed a system to take water to the locomotives and their personnel. The construction of the railroad required bridges, grading, culverts and constraint of maximum gradient. At the turn of the century, engineers provided all of this.

"The little town of Las Vegas found the Depression threatening. Then Congress decided to tame the Colorado River. Boulder Dam was designed by engineers, built by more engineers and operated by even more engineers. The name was changed to Hoover Dam to recognize the president at the time of the authorization. Herbert Hoover was also an engineer. Hoover Dam has been listed among the seven modern wonders of the world.

"During the '30s, when most communities were quietly dying in the throes of the Great Depression, Las Vegas prospered and flourished with Hoover Dam and legalized gambling.

"From the few people in the beginning Las Vegas has grown to more than a million residents, and it is still growing. The engineers provide the infrastructure for this growth, usually in time to meet the demands of the growth. The American Society of Civil Engineers recognizes the top achievements of the 20th century in its monthly ASCE News. The first publication of the year 2000 has two Las Vegas scenes on the front page: a picture of the McCarran International Airport terminal and the traditional picture of Hoover Dam. The first two achievements of the 10 are airports and dams. All 10 praise the role of the civil engineer in the fantastic growth of the 20th century.

"Las Vegas has only to look at the streets, freeways, sewers, water systems, power lines, telephones, subdivisions, golf courses, shopping centers, airports, rapid transit and a host of others to realize the dramatic changes that have taken place in the last 100 years. And the engineers led the way.

"The raw desert land becomes a subdivision, a shopping center, a Summerlin, a Green Valley, a McCarran, a Silver Bowl, the Stratosphere Tower, the Mandalay Bay and much else because of the design abilities, the logic, the humanity, the reverence for the land of many engineers.

"We pray that future generations of engineers will be as understanding, sympathetic, even as motivated as those of the past. Only knowledgeable, logical, practical engineers could have dreamed of a Hoover Dam, a Spaghetti Bowl that works and many other items in our community. Give thanks to the ENGINEERS."

As I salute the engineers, I thank Bob McNutt for his comments.

Off the cuff: As an old (in years and dedication) Rebel basketball fan, I am grateful to Channel 48 and the advertisers who bring the Rebel games into my home. Unable to attend in person, I still don a Rebel Red shirt, sit on the sofa and cheer the Rebels on to victory. Coach Bill Bayno has his team playing with more consistency and determination. Who knows how far they can go as long as Mark Dickel's legs hold out? A good back-up point guard would be a blessing.

Every public board or commission needs at least one member who has the fortitude to challenge instead of going with the flow.

On the Board of Regents, Steve Sisolak is that person. His somewhat pessimistic approach to the fast track action concerning the proposed state university in Henderson shouldn't be ignored. Other members should listen instead of rushing to condemn.

Happy Days for chocolate lovers: Experts are considering the possibility that chocolate is good for our health.

Las Vegas dietitian Patty Zedeck, M.S., goes so far as to say: "An ounce and a half of chocolate has the same amount of heart-protective antioxidants found in a glass of red wine. Take your choice -- wine or chocolate. Or, how about both and be a mellow fellow with a glass of wine in one hand and chocolate candy as a chaser?

From reader Joe Hickman: "Some people think it's recession when they can't afford a new car to tow the boat."