Bardol, Frank V. E. - Erie County

FRANK V. E. BARDOL, former Chief Engineer of the City of Buffalo, is today one of the leading civil engineers of this part of the State.

He was born in Erie, Pa., June 12, 1869. When he was three years old his parents removed to Buffalo and here he attended Grammar School No. 31. Later he entered Cornell University at the age of sixteen, where he pursued a course in civil engineering, graduating with the class of 1889.

After his graduation Mr. Bardol was employed by the Lehigh Valley Railroad Company as a draughtsman and on field work. He assisted in the Company's engineering enterprises at the Tifft farm at South Buffalo, and in terminal work at East Buffalo. He continued with the Lehigh Valley Railroad two years and a half, at the end of this time being appointed by the Board of Public Works Assistant City Engineer of the City of Buffalo. For five years he served in this capacity, rendering such excellent service to the municipality that on the 1st of January, 1898, he was appointed by the Board of Public Works Chief Engineer of the Bureau of Engineering. The position was one of arduous responsibility, Mr. Bardol having charge of all public improvements, such as the laying out of streets, and the construction of sewers, bridges, and viaducts, and all similar works carried on by the city. During his administration Mr. Bardol was officially and in fact the supervisor of engineering undertakings involving an outlay on the part of the city of $1,000,000 a year. His official record was among the ablest, most economical and successful of any to be found in the history of the city. It reflected credit on the administration and did equal honor to himself.

When Col. Francis G. Ward, the Republican Commissioner of Public Works, took charge of that department at the beginning of 1902, Mr. Bardol resigned, and began the private practice of his profession, locating in the D. S. Morgan Building, where he has had his offices ever since. Mr. Bardol is also engaged in general contracting, in which he has an extensive and valuable business.

He belongs to a number of engineering and other societies. He is a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers and the Western New York Association of Civil Engineers, also of the Cornell Alumni Association, and the Buffalo Orpheus, and a member of Washington Lodge, F. & A. M.

SOURCE: Memorial and Family History of Erie County New York; Volume I