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Research fellows at Carnegie Institute
Aug., i9~6.]
ENGINEERING REMINISCENCES.
I75
lines by a direct all-rail connection, thus bringing the entire project to its logical completion, was opened in I9I 7. The period of construction work, of course, was preceded by years of thought a n d planning, dating back in my own case to I884 and to my studies of the London Underground Tubes, made in I887 and I892. From 1899 to December 3 I, I912, as a Vice-president of the Pennsylvania Railroad, in addition to my regular duties, there was delegated to me the responsibility, under the President, of organizing for the work of construction, supervising its conduct, acquiring the property necessary, and directing all corporate work incidental to the project. This was, of course, the most important engineering work of my career and requ{red the closest and most unremitting attention during the entire period. I have felt that on this occasion it was appropriate, indeed a duty, to g~ve some facts and incidents, accumulated during my career, concerning the engineering profession, as a partial record of the last fifty years of railroads. Much more could be related and many more engineers cited, especially those who located our western railroads. Reference could also be made to my pleasant engineering acquaintances in England, and to the many engineering projects with which I have been connected or helped to promote, but I trust that what I have recited may be of interest to the members of The Franklin Institute to whom I am deeply indebted for the honor this day conferred on me. Research Fellows at Carnegie Institute.~Thirteen graduates of colleges and universities have been appointed Research Fellows to conduct an unusually extensive program of studies in mining and metallurgy at the Carnegie Institute of Technology during the coming year, according to a recent announcement. The work, as in the past, will be carried on by the Department of Mining and .~etallurgical Engineering, in co6peration with the Pittsburgh Station of the U. S. Bureau of Mines and under the direction of two advisory boards of engineers and business men representing the mining and metallurgical industries. Of the thirteen investigators, five will study problems in metallurgy and eight have been assigned to carry on research in problems relating to coal-mine engineering. The program of metallurgical studies will be supervised officially by an advisory board of Pittsburgh District steel men and engineers. The coal-mining investigations will be made under similar conditions with an advisory board of coal operators and mining engineers. Four of the studies, it is announced, will be financed by the
I76
CURRENT TOPICS.
[J. F. I:
Carnegie Institute of Technology, while the remainder of the work will be underwritten by the industries. Senior investigators to assist the Research Fellows will be .furnished by the Bureau of Mines. The following are some of the problems which have been selected and assigned for the coming year : " Constitution of Low-temperature Tar," " Coal Ash Fusibility as Related to Clinkering," " Solubility of Iron Oxide in Iron and Its t~ffect on Physical Properties of Pure Iron," " Flamm~tion of Fine Sizes of Coal Dust," " Electric Power of Storage Batteries v s . Trolley Locomotives," " Warning Agents for Manufactured G a s , " " Mine Timber Treatment," " Case Carburizing of Steel." R.
Philadelphia Sesqui-centennial, World's Greatest Light Spectacle.--Illumination has been of course always an important feature of all expositions, but at the Sesqui-centennial more lavish use has been made of lighting to carry out the desired effects than at any previous affair of this kind. The outstanding lighting f e ~ u r e of the Sesqui-centennial is the luminous Liberty Bell at the Pla~a, designed by D. W. Atwater, of the Westinghouse Lamp Company. Towering eighty feet above the sidewalk, the tremendous replica of the historic bell contains over 26,000 fifteen-watt lamps in amber, ivory and rose colorings. The structure contains eighty tons of steel, and rests on a foundation thirty feet deep, built of wooden piling and concrete capping. The columns on which the support of the bell rests are made of plaster and painted a bronze metallic color to blend with the predominating golden-amber hue of the luminous bell. The Tower of Light, stretching far above the other exposition buildings, when illuminated at night, is visible from all parts of the city as a lofty silver shaft shedding brilliant light. The tower, which is 2oo feet high, is located between the two main exposition buildings, right in the centre of the exposition. A sixty-two-inch Sperry searchlight, the largest ever built, is mounted on top of the tower, and is used to sweep the exposition grounds and prominent buildings in Philadelphia. Twenty-four immense searchlights with a combined intensity of io,8oo,ooo,ooo candle-power are located at the exposition grounds, and will form the greatest concentration of light ever seen in one spot in the history of the world. These searchlights are placed at intervals along both sides of the exposition grounds, and are equipped with color screens to form fantastic light effects. One of the many unique searchlight effects will be an immense colored aurora. Ornamental standards and floodlights illuminate the Grand Court and produce an effect never before attempted. The towers of the exhibition palaces are brought out in a pleasing blaze of color and contrast. The Gladway, which adjoins the Grand Court on the west, is illuminated by myriads of light of various magnitudes. The lagoons are swept by vari-colored floods of light. R.
ENGINEERING REMINISCENCES.
I75
lines by a direct all-rail connection, thus bringing the entire project to its logical completion, was opened in I9I 7. The period of construction work, of course, was preceded by years of thought a n d planning, dating back in my own case to I884 and to my studies of the London Underground Tubes, made in I887 and I892. From 1899 to December 3 I, I912, as a Vice-president of the Pennsylvania Railroad, in addition to my regular duties, there was delegated to me the responsibility, under the President, of organizing for the work of construction, supervising its conduct, acquiring the property necessary, and directing all corporate work incidental to the project. This was, of course, the most important engineering work of my career and requ{red the closest and most unremitting attention during the entire period. I have felt that on this occasion it was appropriate, indeed a duty, to g~ve some facts and incidents, accumulated during my career, concerning the engineering profession, as a partial record of the last fifty years of railroads. Much more could be related and many more engineers cited, especially those who located our western railroads. Reference could also be made to my pleasant engineering acquaintances in England, and to the many engineering projects with which I have been connected or helped to promote, but I trust that what I have recited may be of interest to the members of The Franklin Institute to whom I am deeply indebted for the honor this day conferred on me. Research Fellows at Carnegie Institute.~Thirteen graduates of colleges and universities have been appointed Research Fellows to conduct an unusually extensive program of studies in mining and metallurgy at the Carnegie Institute of Technology during the coming year, according to a recent announcement. The work, as in the past, will be carried on by the Department of Mining and .~etallurgical Engineering, in co6peration with the Pittsburgh Station of the U. S. Bureau of Mines and under the direction of two advisory boards of engineers and business men representing the mining and metallurgical industries. Of the thirteen investigators, five will study problems in metallurgy and eight have been assigned to carry on research in problems relating to coal-mine engineering. The program of metallurgical studies will be supervised officially by an advisory board of Pittsburgh District steel men and engineers. The coal-mining investigations will be made under similar conditions with an advisory board of coal operators and mining engineers. Four of the studies, it is announced, will be financed by the
I76
CURRENT TOPICS.
[J. F. I:
Carnegie Institute of Technology, while the remainder of the work will be underwritten by the industries. Senior investigators to assist the Research Fellows will be .furnished by the Bureau of Mines. The following are some of the problems which have been selected and assigned for the coming year : " Constitution of Low-temperature Tar," " Coal Ash Fusibility as Related to Clinkering," " Solubility of Iron Oxide in Iron and Its t~ffect on Physical Properties of Pure Iron," " Flamm~tion of Fine Sizes of Coal Dust," " Electric Power of Storage Batteries v s . Trolley Locomotives," " Warning Agents for Manufactured G a s , " " Mine Timber Treatment," " Case Carburizing of Steel." R.
Philadelphia Sesqui-centennial, World's Greatest Light Spectacle.--Illumination has been of course always an important feature of all expositions, but at the Sesqui-centennial more lavish use has been made of lighting to carry out the desired effects than at any previous affair of this kind. The outstanding lighting f e ~ u r e of the Sesqui-centennial is the luminous Liberty Bell at the Pla~a, designed by D. W. Atwater, of the Westinghouse Lamp Company. Towering eighty feet above the sidewalk, the tremendous replica of the historic bell contains over 26,000 fifteen-watt lamps in amber, ivory and rose colorings. The structure contains eighty tons of steel, and rests on a foundation thirty feet deep, built of wooden piling and concrete capping. The columns on which the support of the bell rests are made of plaster and painted a bronze metallic color to blend with the predominating golden-amber hue of the luminous bell. The Tower of Light, stretching far above the other exposition buildings, when illuminated at night, is visible from all parts of the city as a lofty silver shaft shedding brilliant light. The tower, which is 2oo feet high, is located between the two main exposition buildings, right in the centre of the exposition. A sixty-two-inch Sperry searchlight, the largest ever built, is mounted on top of the tower, and is used to sweep the exposition grounds and prominent buildings in Philadelphia. Twenty-four immense searchlights with a combined intensity of io,8oo,ooo,ooo candle-power are located at the exposition grounds, and will form the greatest concentration of light ever seen in one spot in the history of the world. These searchlights are placed at intervals along both sides of the exposition grounds, and are equipped with color screens to form fantastic light effects. One of the many unique searchlight effects will be an immense colored aurora. Ornamental standards and floodlights illuminate the Grand Court and produce an effect never before attempted. The towers of the exhibition palaces are brought out in a pleasing blaze of color and contrast. The Gladway, which adjoins the Grand Court on the west, is illuminated by myriads of light of various magnitudes. The lagoons are swept by vari-colored floods of light. R.