Search Documents

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA LOCAL. SECTION Executive Committee SEELEY W. MUDD, Chairman C. COLCOCK JONES, Vice-Chairman FREDERICK J. H. MERRILL, Secretary-Treasurer, 631 Higgins Bldg., Los Angeles, Cal. RALPH ARNOLD A. B. CARPENTER In. order to make the meetings of the, Section more interesting and fruitful, the Executive Committee has formed a sub-committee on programs for. Section meetings, which announces for the coming autumn and winter season, four dinner meetings, at intervals of two months, in which the co-operation of all Section members is urgently. requested. The subjects chosen for discussion at these meetings, with the proposed dates, are as follows: Sept. 28, 1915. Mining Geology of Mojave County, Arizona. Dec. 14, 1915. General Geology and Mining Conditions in Southern California. Feb. 1, 1916. Petroleum, its Geology and Technology. April 4, 1916. General Mining Conditions in. South America. F. J. H.. MERRILL, Secretary.

Jan 10, 1915

By C. R. Keyes

Discussion of the paper of C. R. Keyes, presented at the Chattanooga meeting, October, 190S, Bulletin No. 26, February, 1909, pp. 119 to 166. E. R. BUCKLEY, Flat River, Mo. (communication to the Secretary*) :-Some statements in the paper of Mr. Keyes relative to the nature and formation of the Ozark lead- and zinc-deposits seem to me erroneous and misleading, and I respectfully present the following criticisms, placing Mr. Keyes's original statements in quotations. Referring to the Ozark dome: (P. 127.) "It is a region that has been repeatedly upraised and planed off, until in the middle portion the oldest known' rocks only are exposed." Does he mean that the St. Francois mountains, which have always been considered as lying on the eastern flank of the Ozark dome, are the middle of the dome? Or does he mean that the Cambrian rocks of the generally-accepted middle are the oldest known rocks ? Certainly not the latter, and if the former, his idea of the middle of the dome is not in accord with that of others who are familiar with the region. (P. 138.) " . . . the ore-deposits are definitely associated with, or localized by, geologic structures of some kind that .produce in effect basins in which' the underground waters are impounded, or their flow retarded." This statement does not appear to be altogether consistent with the facts, since the ore- bodies of the Joplin district, as the rule, occur in those parts of the Mississippian formation which have a tendency to accel¬erate the flow of ground-water rather than retard it. I might name the open, breeciated ground near Joplin, Webb City, and Oronogo as especially noteworthy illustrations. The ore-bodies, everywhere, occur in positions where there must have been a free and copious circulation of dilute lead- and zinc-solutions in the presence of reducing constituents. The inequalities in the distribution of the ore-deposits are

Oct 1, 1909

By K. E. Nelson

The effect of thorium and zinc variations on the strength and 100-hr creep characteristics of Mg-Th-Zn-Zr alloys was investigated. Optimum resistance to creep at 650° and 700°F are attainable within a certain range of thorium and zinc contents. This range does not conform to that which develops maximum tensile properties. RAPID advances have been made during the last few years in the development of magnesium alloys for elevated temperature applications demanding high resistance to creep. The beneficial effect of rare-earth metals on the creep resistance of magnesium alloys has been emphasized by a number of publications1-13 and such alloys are now in commercial production. The use of thorium as an alloying ingredient in magnesium was mentioned by McDonald and also in two Alien Property Custodian patent applications.10,17 The initial observation of Sauerwald that thorium contributes still higher creep resistance to magnesium than is attainable with rare-earth metals has recently been substantiated.'" " In fact, it has been demonstrated that the useful temperature range of magnesium alloys is appreciably extended by the use of thorium. In all cases, it was observed that zirconium must be included in the alloys in order to render them fine grained and more readily castable. Several recent publications:2-27 indicate that a still further improvement in creep resistance and a further extension of the useful temperature range can be realized by the addition of zinc to alloys. The primary purpose of this paper is to present the results of a comprehensive study of the effect of zinc on the strength and creep characteristics of Mg-Th-Zr alloys. Compositions covering the range of thorium content from M to 6 pct and zinc content from 0 to 5 pct have been investigated. The creep characteristics at 650" and 700°F reported in this paper are based on results of tests of 100-hr duration. It is appreciated that creep tests of 100-hr duration might not yield adequate data for design purposes for parts with much longer expected life. However, for the purposes of the present discussion, it is felt that the combination of stresses and temperatures used in the 100-hr creep tests have yielded a clear representation of the compositional variation of creep resistance at the temperatures investigated. Creep tests of 1000-hr duration are now in progress on a few of the most promising alloys. Preparation and Testing of Alloys The alloys studied in this intensive investigation were prepared in 25 lb capacity mild steel crucibles. The thorium, zinc, and zirconium were alloyed and poured as described in earlier publications The thorium was introduced into the melt in the form of a Mg-Th hardener," the zinc added in the metallic form, and the zirconium alloyed in the form of the commercial hardener containing magnesium and 30 to 50 pct Zr.10, 26 Fluxing practices for melting and refining were the same as for magnesium-rare-earth metal-zirconium alloys. The melts were sampled for analytical determinations and poured into separately cast 1/2 in. diameter standard tensile bars. The test bars were given a precipitation treatment of 16 hr at 600°F in laboratory furnaces. It has been shown by other tests that a high temperature solution treatment followed by an aging treatment is unnecessary for the development of optimum properties in Mg-Th-Zn-Zr alloys. The selection of 600°F as the aging temperature was based on an attempt to achieve metallurgical stability without coalescence of the undissolved phases and the attendant loss in strength. The thorium, zinc, and zirconium contents of each melt were determined chemically. The zirconium contents are reported in two parts, "soluble" and "insoluble," referring, respectively, to the portions present in the alloy which are soluble and insoluble in dilute HCl acid. Distinction is being made between these two components of the zirconium content in the alloys because it has been found that only that portion of the zirconium content which is soluble in dilute inorganic acids affects the structure and properties of the alloys. The usual impurities consisting of copper, iron, manganese, and nickel were determined spectroscopically. The analysis for each melt is listed in Table I. A description of the methods of tension and creep testing has been detailed in earlier papers. The tests were performed with the cast skin re-

Jan 1, 1954

By W. W. Anderson

A formula for quantitative efficiency is proposed, in which the efficiency value is a function of the improperly distributed material at the, gravity of separation effected by the cleaning equipment. The misplaced material is expressed as a percentage of the total material discharged from the equipment. Numerous examples are given, demonstrating application of the formula to various types of separation, including multiple-product separations.

Jan 1, 1950

COLUMBIA SECTION Holds four sessions during year. Annual meeting in September or October. S. S. FOWLER, Chairman, J. C. HAAS, Vice-Chairman, LYNDON K. ARMSTRONG, Secretary-Treasurer, 720 Peyton Bldg., Spokane, Wash. W. H. LINNEY, J. F. MCCARTHY. A special meeting of the officers of the Columbia Section was held in Spokane, Wash., Jan. 10, 1918, for the purpose of organizing and nominating members to the principal committees of the Section. Present: J. C. Haas, Vice-chairman; W. H. Linney, Past Chairman; and L. K. Armstrong, Secretary. J. F. McCarthy, Wallace, Idaho, was appointed fifth member of the Executive Committee. The following were appointed to the Membership Committee: R. M. Betts; for Oregon; W. J. Hall, for Idaho; J. M. Porter, for Washington. A member for British Columbia will be appointed later. The following were appointed to the Committee on Papers: Prof. F. A. Thomson, Moscow, Idaho; Prof. L. 0. Howard, Pullman, Wash.; H. S. Lee, Rye Valley, Ore. A fourth member, representing British Columbia, is to be appointed later. The following members were appointed representatives on the Executive Committee of the Spokane Engineering and Technical Association: J. C. Haas, W. H. Linney, F. A. Ross, L. K. Armstrong. The Treasurer reported a deficit, resulting from the participation of the Section at the Northwest Mining Convention in 1916. It was recommended that the Institute be petitioned to make good this deficit, in addition to the usual annual allowance. The members of the committee who were present expressed their desire to be of greater service in the present war, and discussed at some length the possible means of carrying out their desires. It was later decided to reopen the subject at a subsequent meeting of the Section, or to present it to the Executive Committee of the Spokane Engineering and Technical Association for discussion and cooperative action. L. K. ARMSTRONG, Secretary.

Jan 3, 1918

Under date of Sept. 30, the following open letter was addressed to the Members of the Colorado Section of the American Institute of Min-ing and Metallurgical Engineers by a Colorado Committee: At a meeting of the Colorado Section of the American Institute of Mining and Metallurgical Engineers, held on Friday, Sept. 19, a reso-lution was unanimously passed condemning the Engineers' Licensing Bill passed at the last session of the State Legislature, and requesting the Chairman to appoint a Committee to act in conjunction with the other National Engineering Societies and the Colorado Metal Mining Associa-tion, with a view to securing its repeal at the extra session of the Legis-lature which the Governor has expressed his intention of calling. It may be within your knowledge that the bill in question was passed by the Legislature and signed by the Governor without the knowledge of any of the National Societies, and of few if any of their members. Under its provisions residents of other states cannot even come into this to examine a mine without securing a license, and aliens (among whom are many honored members of, the profession in Colorado) cannot obtain such a license at all. The mining industry in this state needs the coopera-tion of outside engineers, and we should welcome any assistance from them that will tend to develop our resources. To attempt to discourage the activity of visiting engineers will inevitably react on us, and brand the state as being hostile to brains and capital from outside. The difficulty of securing a license will prove a serious handicap to young engineers starting out in the independent practice of their profession. Moreover, a license issued to au engineer qualified in one branch will entitle him to practice in any other: so that the license is apt to mislead the public.

Jan 11, 1919

By C. M. Schwartz, A. E. Austin, W. B. Wilson

High-temperature X-ray diffraction studies were conducted with Th-U alloys with up to 10 wt pet U. The solid solubility of uranium in thorium as a function of temperature was determined by the method of lattice parameters. Thorium will dissolve up to 2.5 wt pet U at 950°, 4.5 wt pet U at 1150°, and 7.5 wt pet U at 1250°C. Determinations were made of the temperature of the transition of thorium and of the effect of uranium upon the transition. The a to ß transition for thorium was observed to occur at 1330' ±20°C. Mean coefficients of expansion were calculated for thorium and two alloys, and for ThO2 in contact with the thorium, using X-ray lattice-parameter data. Values obtained at 950° C for thorium and Tho2 were 12.1 and 9.40 X 10-6 per OC, respectively. Impurities obtained during the X-ray exposure were identified by diffraction and were essentially Tho2 and ThC, with two additional unknown phases being detected. The effect of the impurities upon the results is discussed. DIRECT investigation (i.e., high-temperature X-ray diffraction studies) of the phase diagram of thorium-rich uranium alloys has been shown to be necessary since recent work1 - has disclosed the presence of an allotropic transformation near 1400°C in pure thorium with the room temperature face-centered-cubic phase transforming to a body-cen-tered-cubic structure at the elevated temperature. The effect upon the transition of the addition of uranium to thorium and of the solubility of uranium in thorium at high temperatures remained unknown, yet was of interest in understanding fabrication procedures and elevated temperature use. The present work was undertaken to provide information in this area by determining the transition temperature, the effect of uranium on the transition temperature, and the solubility of uranium in thorium as a function of temperature. Experimental Work The high-temperature diffraction data were obtained using a camera especially designed for the purpose3 and capable of reaching temperatures in excess of 2000°C at pressures as low as 1 x 10." mm Hg. Temperature regulation was provided by regulating the power input to ±0.1 pet variation, and by regulating the water flow through the camera jacket to provide a constant thermal load. The X-ray sample was a rod nominally 80 mil diam, which was further turned down to 20 mil and then etched to 18 mil over 1/2 in. of one end. This was placed in the sample holder and mounted on the camera so that the smaller part was surrounded by a cylindrical tantalum-sheet radiation-type heating element. Diffraction from the sample was recorded on film after passing through a slot in the heating element and radiation-baffle shield and through beryllium vacuum windows. The X-ray film mounting was of the Straumanis type4 with a camera diameter of 114.59 mm. Since previous work of Chiotti' indicated that impurities considerably alter the transition temperature, chemical analysis of the arc melted iodide crystal-bar thorium samples was obtained prior to testing. The analysis disclosed the material to contain as low as 0.001 ±0,0002 wt pet H and 0.007 ±0.001 wt pet 0. Carbon was 0.003 wt pet and nitrogen less than 0.002 wt pet. This material was sealed in mild steel in an inert atmosphere and subsequently hot rolled to 3/8-in. diam rods at a temperature of 732°C. Following removal of the jacket, the material was pickled and cold swaged to 1/8-in. rods, from which the diffraction samples were prepared. The alloys were similarly prepared, with the uranium being added during arc melting. The uranium analyses of the alloys prepared appear in Table I. The experimental procedure for diffraction examination of the three samples of high-purity thorium differed from those of the Th-U alloys. The original practice, later modified, consisted of pumping down the camera with the diffusion pump on and then admitting liquid nitrogen to the cold trap of the system. This was modified for the Th-U alloys by maintaining liquid nitrogen in the cold trap at all times before and while the diffusion pump was heated. This minor change produced a reduction in the amount of carbon pickup by the sample during exposure to the diffusion-pump vapors. The sample was brought to the desired test temperature and exposed for 21/2 hr at pressures which were usually 2 x 10-6 mm Hg, or lower. Exposures were made at

Jan 1, 1959

The eastern part of the state of Rhode Island on both sides of Narragansett Bay, including the island of Rhode Island, is underlaid with carboniferous rocks which carry veins of anthracite. This formation extends into the neighboring portion of Massachusetts, including the area from the state line, the towns of Mansfield, Brockton and Bridgewater,: and extending probably ten miles east of the latter two towns, to Middlesboro, and to Fall River. In Massachusetts the coal formation extends over nearly the whole of Bristol, and parts of Plymouth and Norfolk Counties. In Rhode Island and Massachusetts the area covered is about 400 square miles. In both states the exact limits of the coal measures cannot be determined on account of a thick layer of drift which overlays it. Along parts of Narragansett Bay, the coal measures outcrop in the cliffs on the west side of Rhode Island, and the presence of coal here seems to have been noted as early as 1760, and in 1768 a patent was granted to parties who "were about to dig after pit, coal or sea coal" at the back of the town of Providence. In 1807-08 Benjamin Silliman, later a geologist, visited some openings,' and in 1808 a mine was opened near Portsmouth, in the northeast part of Rhode Island. Work was done here until about 1814 when the mine was abandoned. No anthracite had been used in New England at that time, all coal used came from Nova Scotia, Virginia or England, and was high volatile bituminous; neither experience nor the means of firing favored the use of the local fuel? This mine was again working in 1827, was again abandoned and operations were resumed in 1847. In 1837 a note in a magazine mentions, "the immense coal mine in Cumberland-about six miles from the city of Providence" as having a shaft 14 ft. in diameter and 80 ft. deep, that the horses then used for hoisting the coal were to be superseded by a steam engine and another shaft was to be sunk. With these improvements 30,000 to 50,000 tons were to be produced the following year at a cost of $1 per ton and a sales realization of $6.1 Hitchcock's report refers to a number of localities in both states where definite knowledge of coal existed. These are:

Jan 1, 1942

WASHINGTON, D. C. HERBERT C. HOOVER, Chairman H: FOSTER BAIN, Vice-chairman DAVID WHITE, Vice-chairman HARVEY S. MUDD, Secretary-Treasurer, Room 2114, Dept. of Interior Bldg. J. F. CALLBREATH HENNEN JENNINGS E. W. PARKER T. T. READ An inspiring meeting of the Washington, D. C., Section was held at the Cafeteria of the Interior Building on Friday evening, Dec. 6, 1918. One-hundred and thirty-five members and guests attended, and Vice-chairman H. Foster Bain presided. The Committee on Nominations reported: for Chairman, Herbert Hoover; for Vice-chairmen, Frederick G. Cottrell, and F. L. Ransome;

Jan 1, 1919

Dec. 2, American Mining Congress, annual membership meeting, University Club, New York. Dec. 2, Society for Applied Spectroscopy, Socony-Vacuum Training Center, New York City. Dec. 4-6, AIME, Electric Steel Furnace Conference, Hotel William Penn, Pittsburgh. Dee. 5, Atlanta Meeting of Southeast Section, AIME, Ansley Hotel, Atlanta. Dec. 7-10, American Institute of Chemical Engineers, annual meeting, Hotels Cleveland and Carter, Cleveland. Dec. 8, AIME, Arizona Section, all-day meeting, Tucson. Jan. 6, 1953, Society for Applied Spectroscopy, Socony-Vacuum Training Center, New- York City. Jan. 14, 1953, AIME Connecticut Section, Hammond Metallurgical Laboratory, Yale University, New Haven, Conn. Jan. 14-16, 19th Annual Meeting of Society of Photogrammetry, Shoreham Hotel, Washington, D. C.

Jan 1, 1952

By W. N. Lacey, B. H. Sage

In recent years there has been an increase of interest in the flow of gases at relatively high pressures. Hydrodynamic calculation of the energy losses in the flow of gases in conduits, as well as through the porous solid materials constituting natural petroleum reservoirs, requires a knowledge of the viscosity of the fluid at the pressure and temperature involved. Although there are numerous publications concerning the absolute viscosity † of hydrocarbon gases at atmospheric pressure, there appears to be little information available relating to the effect of pressure upon the viscosity of these gases. Voge133 determined the viscosity of methane at 32° F. and atmospheric pressure. His measurements at 32° F. were later substantiated by the measurements of Rankine and Smith20 at 63° and 212° F. Ishida14 also reported values for the viscosity of methane at atmospheric pressure. Trautz and Kurz30 measured the viscosity of propane at atmospheric pressure, from 83° to 530°F., by the use of a short capillary tube. Rap-penecker2' determined the viscosity of gaseous isopentane at elevated temperatures. Day6 made an accurate investigation of the effect of pressure upon the viscosity of n-pentane and isopentane at pressures from 2 lb. per sq. in.‡ to the vapor pressure at 77° F. (approximately 9.8 and 13.3 lb. per sq. in., respectively). Earhart7 reported data upon the viscosity of several natural gases measured by the long capillary-tube method. The viscosity of air, at atmospheric pressure and 73.4° F., was measured by Harrington9 by the rotating-cylinder method. Kellstrom15 has rec,ently made an elaborate investigation of the viscosity of air at atmospheric pressure. The latter work is perhaps the most accurate investigation of the viscosity of a gas that has been made.

Jan 1, 1938

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA LOCAL SECTION Executive Committee THEODORE B. COMSTOCK, Chairman SEELEY W. MUDD, Vice-Chairman FREDERICK J. H. MERRILL, Secretary-Treasurer, 300 Germain Building, Los Angeles, Cal. C. COLCOCK JONES FRANK ROBBINS The February meeting of the Southern California Local Section-was held at the headquarters in the Chamber of Mines and Oil of. Los Angeles on Feb. 17, C. Colcock Jones presiding. Fourteen members were present. The subject announced was Ore Sampling. W. M. Watts opened the discussion by a general outline of the important points to be covered, in sampling a mine and the methods to be used in the various stages of the work. All the members present successively contributed details from their personal experience. The March meeting of the Section was held at its headquarters on Mar. 15. Twelve members were present, with Dr. Theodore B. Comstock in the Chair. The subject announced was Secondary Enrichment and all present took part in the discussion, Frank Robbins contributing a short paper on some observations in Central America. The next meeting will be held on Apr. 14, at which time the subject of Mine Accounting will be discussed. F. J., H. MERRILL, Secretary.

Jan 5, 1914

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA SECTION Executive Committee SEELEY W. MUDD, Chairman. C. COLCOCK JONES, Vice-Chairman. FREDERICK J. H. MERRILL, Secretary-Treasurer, 631 Higgins. Bldg., Los Angeles, Cal. RALPH ARNOLD A. B. CARPENTER A. B. W. HODGES WILLIAM F. STAUNTON The third meeting of this winter season tool: place in a private dining room of the Sierra Madre Club in Los Angeles on Feb. 1, 1916, at 6:30 p.m., 22 members and guests being present. In the absence of the Chairman, S. W. Mudd, the Vice-Chairman, C. Colcock Jones, presided. After an enjoyable dinner the meeting was called to order, and the first paper by Ralph Arnold on Conservation of Oil and Gas in the Americas was read by the Secretary. W. F. Staunton then read an important paper on The Influence of California Oil on the Mining Industry of the West. In this he touched upon the uses of oil as a fuel for generating power, especially in connection with the Diesel engine. This paper was discussed it some length by J. F. Mitchell-Roberts, R. B. Moran, F. H. Asbury and L. D. Godshall. The Chair then introduced Robert B. Moran of the California State Mining Bureau, Deputy Supervisor of Gas and Oil, for the' Los Angeles . District, who addressed the meeting on the work of his department. The meeting concluded with A. B. Carpenter's reading of a paper on The California Gasoline Industry by W. R.. Hamilton, Manager of the Ventura Refining Co. F. J. H. MERRILL, Secretary. ,

Jan 4, 1916

"NAME…""Utah"" is derived from the name of the Indian tribe, variously spelled ""Yuta, “Ute"" ""Youta,"" ""Uta,"" ""Eutaw,"" and finally ""Utah."" It means ""in the tops of the mountains,"" or ""on the heights."" The state emblem is the ""Beehive,"" typical of industry. State nickname is ""Beehive State.""AREA…Utah is the tenth state in area. It contains 84,990 square miles, of which 2,806 miles are water. When admitted as a territory in 1850, Utah included all the area from the east line of California to the summit of the Rocky Mountains between the 37th and 42nd parallels, which embraced practically all of the present state of Nevada, all of western Colorado, part of Idaho and part of Wyoming, in addition to the present area of Utah.TOPOGRAPHY…Utah is generally mountainous, with several main ranges and also detached groups of mountains. The valleys are broad and level. The mean altitude of the state is 6,100 feet above sea level, which makes the state the third highest of the Union. The highest point in Utah is King's Peak (13,498) in the Uinta range. The lowest point is Beaverdam Creek (2,000) in Washington county.CLIMATE…The climate is diversified between mild temperate in the northern portion to semitropical in the southern portion. There are four distinct seasons. Snowfall is heavy at the greater altitudes and rare in the southern portion. Rainfall is moderate throughout the state. Extremes of heat and cold are unusual."

Jan 1, 1925

COLUMBIA LOCAL SECTION Executive Committee F. A. THOMSON, Chairman GEORGE W. RODDEWIG, Vice-Chairman L. K. ARMSTRONG, Secretary- Treasurer, P. O. Drawer 2154, Spokane, Wash. R. S. MCCAFFERY S. H. RICHARDSON The quarterly meeting of the Columbia Local Section of the Institute Was held in Pullman, Wash., May 16-17, 1914, as a joint meeting with the Spokane Sections of the. American Institute of Electrical Engineers and the American Society of Civil Engineers, each holding separate sessions on the afternoon of the 16th With a joint meeting in the evening. The Section meeting was held in Science Hall, the Chairman, Prof. Francis A. Thomson, presiding. E. Jacobs, Secretary of the Western Branch of the Canadian Mining Institute, acted as Joint Secretary: About 35 members and guests Were present. H. C. Bellinger, formerly Metallurgical Manager of the Great Cobar Co., Ltd., N. S. W., Australia, described the Horwood process. Papers as follows were presented and discussed: A Smelting Furnace for Cyanide Precipitate, by P. S. Anderson. Mining Methods in Rossland, by C. H. Loux. Geological Notes on a Part of Central Idaho, by Prof. D. C. Livingston. Some Notes on the Ore Deposits of Republic, Wash., by A. M. Balfour. E. Steidl, of the U. S. Bureau of Mines Rescue Car, spoke on the mine rescue service of the Bureau, and E. Jacobs described what is being done along similar lines in British Columbia and elsewhere. The evening was occupied in joint session, J. B. Fisken presiding. Mr. Fisken read a short paper on the benefit to the young engineer of an association y membership in the local section of either of the societies represented in the meeting, and C. F. Uhden gave a stereopticon lecture on Power Development Along the Spokane River.

Jan 7, 1914

E. H. Dix, JR., Chairman L. W. M. PEIRCE, Past-chairman R. F. MEHL, Vice-chairman ALBERT J. PHILLIPS, Vice-chairman E. M. WISE, Secretary International Nickel Co., Bayonne, N. J. W. M. CORSE, Treasurer LOUIS JORDAN, Executive Secretary 29 West 39th St., New York, N. Y. Executive Committee W. H. BASSETT, JR. R. H. LEACH' W. H. FINKELDEY W. E. REMMERS2 J. A. GANN H. J. ROAST G. O. HIERS C. S. SMITHS L ZICKRICK

Jan 1, 1936

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA LOCAL SECTION Executive Committee THEODORE B. COMSTOCK, Chairman SEELEY W. MUDD, Vice-Chairman FREDERICK J. H. MERRILL, Secretary-Treasurer, 631 Higgins Bldg., Los Angeles, Cal. A. B. CARPENTER C. COLCOCK JONES A meeting of the Southern California Local Section, in honor of the presence of Secretary Bradley Stoughton, was held at luncheon in a private dining room of the Sierra Madre Club on Friday, May 21, 1915, 27 members and guests being present. In the absence, through illness, of the Chairman, Dr. Comstock, the vice-Chairman, Seeley W. Mudd, presided. After the luncheon, Secretary Stoughton made a short address on the activities of the Institute. George S. Rice, of the U. S. Bureau of Mines, who was present, then spoke on the activities of his Bureau. Local Secretary F. J. H. Merrill gave a description of the activities of the Southern California Section and its progress, and reported the latter as substantial and its condition as very good. After some informal remarks by other members present the meeting adjourned. F. J. H. MERRILL, Secretary.

Jan 7, 1915

W. H. SHOCKLEY, Chairman, FRANK H.-PROBERT, :Vice-Chairman, T. A. RICKARD, Sec.-Treas.; 420 Market St.,. San Francisco, Cal. C. C. BRAYTON, J. F. NEWSOM. A Meeting of the San Francisco Section was held on May 7, 1917. Chairman Shockley was in the Chair. The Section was honored by the presence of President Moore and Secretary Stoughton of the Institute. C. W. Merrill introduced President Moore, who then spoke to the Section on the Aims of the Institute. He discussed the possibility of improving the standards of membership by introducing a classification of membership. The present rigid investigation of applicants was pointed out by him. He spoke of the important influence that the local Sections can exert on the Institute and of the importance of sociability and informality at the meetings. Secretary Stoughton, who was introduced by the Chairman, emphasized somewhat the same points. He mentioned the need for making the Bulletin of the Institute more, interesting than it is at present, this to be accomplished by raising the necessary funds by increased advertising. He asked for an expression of opinion on this point. He. said that the employment department of the Institute is now used extensively. At the request of Mrs. Mark L. Requa, Mr. Stoughton. announced that a San Francisco branch of the Woman's Auxiliary of the, Institute was being formed and asked that the ladies of the members' families send in their names to Mrs. Requa or to the Secretary of the Institute.

Jan 10, 1917

MONTANA SECTION FREDERICK LAIST, Chairman F. W. BACORN, Vice-chairman E. B. YOUNG, Secretary-Treasurer, 52G Hennesy Building, Butte, Mont. C. H. CLAPP C. D. DEMOND The Montana Section held its annual meeting at the Silver Bow Club, Butte, Mont., on Friday, Feb. 7. The technical session was preceded by a dinner at which 54 members and guests were seated. N. B. Braly presided at the dinner and the, business and technical sessions. The officers whose names are noted above were elected for the ensuing year. H. B. Pulsifer presented a paper on The Metallurgy of Aluminum and Magnesium; it was discussed by C. H. Clapp and F. A. Linforth. J. C: Horgan presented a paper on The Manufacture of High Explosives and their Use in Metal Mines; it was discussed by C. W. Morse, J. J. Carrigan, and C. W. Goodale. The matter of reformed spelling as proposed in a circular letter coming from Palo Alto, Calif., was discussed, after which the Secretary was instructed to write to Secretary Stoughton and ask that when the matter is opened for discussion in New York he present the emphatic protest of the Montana Section against the alleged reforms in spelling. E. B. YOUNG, Secretary.

Jan 4, 1919

By F. S. Peabody

ANYTHING that may be said about "too much coal" must seem rather incongruous just at this time when two-thirds of the mines in the United States have been idle for nearly four months and a temporary coal shortage looms as more and more of a possibility. It is the purpose of this article, however, to deal primarily with the fundamental ills of the bituminous-coal industry, which, when summed up, can be expressed in one word-overdevelopment. During recent years the bituminous-coal industry in the United States has been seldom, almost never, in a state of normal business health with production run-ning evenly, prices steady and the market absorbing the output from week to week. There has been either a condition of feverish activity or apathetic sluggish-ness. We have had, for example, the intense strain on production during the war years with heatless days and lightless nights, followed by the slump late in 1918 which lasted through the greater part of 1919 when coal was a drug on the market. Then came the panicky demand of 1920. Competitive buying forced prices up to the highest levels in history. This demand in turn fell off suddenly in November, 1920, and the market remained apparently paralyzed all through 1921. During the latter year, lack of buying forced intermit-tent suspension of mining in all fields and prices averaged less than actual cost of production.

Jan 8, 1922