Search Documents

GEORGE S. RICE (written discussion *).-An interesting and important question arose during the coal famine of last winter as to whether the development of new mines should be discouraged on account of the need of labor for the necessary construction and development work at a time of scarcity of labor, more especially as there was an apparent overcapacity of existing mines. The question was referred to the author for his comments, which led to the study of the statistics. The essential results of this study are indicated on the accompanying chart, which illustrates, among other things, the increase in production or consumption, and the estimated maximum production capacity of the bituminous and sub-bituminous mines of the United States. The curves shown are based on data published in the "Mineral Resources" of the United States Geological Survey, and cover the period from 1900 to 1916 inclusive. The following curves have been drawn from the data secured: 1. Average number of days that the mines worked. 2. Yearly total production of bituminous and sub-bituminous mines. 2a. Yearly production of machine-mined coal. 3. Average annual production, equivalent to consumption, for a period of 17 years. 4. Number of coal mine employees each year. 5. Estimated capacity of mines, on basis of 300 working clays in the year. 6. Estimated drop in capacity if no new mines are opened. Considering these curves and the data from which they were constructed: It will be noted that the average number of days the miners worked varied from 193 in 1908 to 234 in 1900, the average being 217. The causes for so many idle days out of the possible total number of working days in the year are well known, namely: (a) Lack of business; (b) lack of cars. Taking the country as a whole, (a) is the important factor, which might otherwise be expressed as being an excess of productive capacity. The yearly production of the mines, which is practically synonymous with consumption, has shown a steady increase, with a few set-backs. An average line has been struck which indicates that the average annual increase of production has been 18 million short tons (16,330,000 metric tons).

Jan 5, 1918

(Under this heading will be published notes sent to the Secretary of the Institute by members or other persons introduced by members.) Member, graduate Columbia School of Mines, age 35, married, best of health, dependable, desires position as manager or scout for reliable interests. Experience covers responsible positions incident to the mining and milling of gold-silver, copper, lead, and zinc ores, and the examination of base and rare-metal deposits in United States and Mexico. Salary $3600. Available April 1. No. 453. Member, mining engineer, technical training, age 32, assayer, engineer and superintendent of porphyry copper development, churn drilling and shaft sinking. Examination of prospects and development of gold prospects. Considerable flotation experience. No. 454. Young Columbia graduate, conscientious worker, with experience in inorganic analysis, surveying, draughting, and wit. post-graduate training in geology, desires position wt. prospects. Minimum salary considered, $130 in U. S. and $150 in Mexico. At present employed. Draft exempt. No. 455.

Jan 5, 1918

We are advised by Second-Lieutenant Maxwell E. Erdofy, a member of the Institute, and athletic officer of the 602d Engineers, stationed at Camp Devens, Mass., that his regiment, representing all branches of the engineering profession, is in need of athletic equipment and supplies. The regiment will highly appreciate any assistance in the way of financial contributions, or of apparatus and equipment for their athletic needs.

Jan 5, 1918

By Ezequiel Ordoñez

THE great activity with which the oil resources of the northern Cantons of the State of Veracruz have been developed has largely resulted from the great success obtained by the important explorations carried out since 1902 in the Ebano district in the North, and several years later near Tuxpam, in the South. It must not be thought that these successes were quickly obtained, since the preliminary studies by good experts, the acquisition of what were thought to be the most promising coast lands, the extensive clearing thereof, and finally the number of unsuccessful drillings at great depth, signified an original outlay of some ten's of millions of dollars before finding commercial oil. The discovery of oil in industrial quantities at Cerro de la Pez, Ebano district, and the famous Dos Bocas gusher some years later, which was burned, once and for all made famous the Veracruz coast, where today is concentrated the Mexican output of mineral oil. In .1917, this production was nearly 50,000,000 bbl. It is well known that this output represents only a fraction of what the wells in actual production can furnish, because with adequate means of transportation and storage, the present extraction could be somewhat over 300,000,000 bbl. a year. These enormous potential oil resources of the Veracruz coast proceed from a relatively small number of wells, scattered over a few oil fields, separated from each other by large unexplored areas, wherein may be found other favorable fields which, in time, will undoubtedly become just as great centers of oil production. Experts who know our Gulf Coast believe that lands with commercial oil resources lie not only between the Panuco amid Tuxpan Rivers, but that indications are that the oil zone of Mexico, with more or less interruption, takes in the coast zone from Northern Tamaulipas to the foot of the Sierra Madre of Chiapas, and the banks of the Usumacinta River. This generalization is not merely the outcome of optimism, but is the result of the persistency with which one finds, throughout this Gulf Coast, the most usual characteristics upon which we depend for recognizing oil-bearing lands.

Jan 5, 1918

Organization Place - Date 1918 American Iron and Steel Institute New York, N. Y. May American Water Works Association :.. St. Paul, Minn. May 20-25 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Berlin, N. H.. June 19-22 American Concrete Institute Atlantic City, N. J. June 24-26 American Society for Testing Materials Atlantic City, N. J. June 25-28 New York Electrical Society New York, N. Y. June National Association of Stationary Engineers Cincinnati, 0. Sept. 9-13 National Exposition of Chemical Industries New York, N.Y.. Sept.23-28 American Chemical Society Cleveland, 0. Sept. National Petroleum Association Atlantic' City, N. J. Sept.

Jan 5, 1918

W. O. OWEN,* Washington, D. C. (written discussion?). Few people appear to realize that the time to reach the crippled soldier is when he is first hurt. In my own judgment, the best time to reach him is before he is hurt, by showing him what other cripples have themselves clone of their own initiative, without Government-support, rendering themselves self-supporting, able to bear a little bit more than their own weight, so that they may lay aside a little bit for a rainy clay and some for a little fun in

Jan 5, 1918

During the year terminating at the date for the third annual meeting of Engineering Foundation, the Board completed, its undertaking to sustain the National Research Council for one year. Assistance given in the organization of the National Research Council has been amply justified by the results. The Council is now well established in a 4¬story building at 1023 16th Street, N. W., Washington, and has recently secured another similar building near by in order to house its increasing force. The breadth, importance and volume of work done have steadily grown. Foreign offices have recently been established in London and Paris, Dr. H. A. Bumstead being in charge of the former and Dr. William F. Durand of the latter. The total expenditure by Engineering Foundation for the National Research Council was $9,036, derived partly from income of the endowment fund and partly from special gifts from Ambrose Swasey and Edward D. Adams. In May, Walter M. Gilbert was appointed Assistant Secretary of Engineering. Foundation, with headquarters in Washington, his services being contributed by the Carnegie Institution. He also became and has remained to date Assistant Secretary of the National Research Council. In September, resolutions were exchanged between the Engineering Foundation Board and the National Research Council, setting forth a policy of continuing reciprocal relationship, and a conference committee, Chairman M. I. Pupin, Dr. Charles Warren Hunt, and Gano Dunn, was appointed to inform the National Research Council of the readiness of Engineering Foundation to work upon definite problems sug-gested by the Council. No problems have yet been suggested.

Jan 5, 1918

By J. Parke Channing

WE are accustomed to think that we are efficient in the United States, particularly with respect to such things as mining and manufacturing. The conduct of the war has demanded in England and in France a complete readjustment of manufacturing methods and plans, and today England is probably as efficient a country as there is in the world, not even excepting Germany. This is all the more remarkable because it has been notorious for years that England has been inefficient in her manufacturing and the country has been flooded with things "Made in Germany." Today England is almost a socialistic community and the State is doing almost everything. England is now in such a position that practically everyone in the country is engaged in industry necessary for the conduct of the war, and this has been accomplished by increasing the efficiency both of her tools and of her man power. In the United States we certainly have been efficient so far as machines and perhaps so far as methods have been concerned, but we have not been efficient iii the utilization of our man power. Before the war, our labor was undoubtedly far more efficient than that of England, but it certainly was not so highly efficient as it should have been, and the problem that confronts us today, and will all the more confront us after the war, is to make our man power efficient. England has had a taste of what you may call State Socialism, and her laboring men are not going to be content to return to the old order of things. There is one feature of the labor problem in England which has permitted her to reach this condition of state socialism with comparative rapidity; this is that practically all of her laborers are English; she has little or no foreign population. While an Englishman may he a strong union man and ready to fight his employer tooth and nail, at heart he is still a British subject, and when his country was in danger he rose to the occasion.

Jan 5, 1918

The House Committee of the Engineering Societies Building has lent to he members of the three welfare committees a room on the ground floor of the building where they can carry on some of their war activities. Two sewing machines and two knitting machines are installed there and ladies are invited to sew for the Foreign War Relief Committee and knit for the Emergency Committee, which is working for the 27th Engineers, a special mining regiment. The Emergency Committee, Mrs. H. Norman Spicer, Chairman, reports the formation of a committed of 21 members. The organization meeting was held March 7, and plans were made for future activities as follows: A letter was read from Mr. Ingalls asking for 72 sweaters, 72 helmets, 66 pairs of wristlets as well as 772 pairs of socks, 272 being for immediate delivery. To meet this request it was decided to secure the helmets and wristlets from the Navy League, and to undertake the making of the sweaters and socks ourselves. Accordingly Mrs. H. N. Spicer and Mrs. J. H. Devereux were empowered to buy wool in sufficient quantities, and woven material for the 72 sweaters, sending the bills to Mr. Ingalls, who had guaranteed the money from the Engineering and Mining Journal. This was attended to promptly, and the materials were ready for distribution to the committee on March 13. After considerable difficulty, knitting machines for the socks were discovered and the agent came to demonstrate them. Mrs. Spicer gave one to the Committee and Mr. Ingalls has guaranteed the money to buy two when the manufacturers can deliver them. Up to April 6, 130 pairs of socks, machine and hand-knitted, have been handed in-also 68 sweaters, 80 helmets and 90 pairs of wristlets. It has been calculated that it needs five women knitting behind each man at the front to keep him continuously supplied with knitted garments.

Jan 5, 1918

Executive SIDNEY J. JENNINGS, Chairman GEORGE D. BARRON J. E. JOHNSON, JR. EDWIN LUDLOW ROBERT M. RAYMOND Membership KARL FILERS, Chairman LEWIS W. FRANCIS J. E. JOHNSON, JR. LOUIS D. HUNTOON ARTHUR L. WALKER Finance GEORGE D. BARRON, Chairman CHARLES F. RAND BENJAMIN B. THAYER Library E. GYBBON SPILSBURY,1 Chairman ALEX C. HUMPHREYS3 GEORGE C. STONE 2 J. H. JANEWAY4 BRADLEY STOUGHTON

Jan 5, 1918

PRESIDENT SIDNEY J. JENNINGS NEW YORK, N. Y. PAST PRESIDENTS L. D. RICKETTS NEW YORK, N. Y. PHILIP N. MOORE FIRST VICE-PRESIDENT C. W. GOODALE BUTTE, MONT. TREASURER GEORGE C. STONE, NEW YORK, N. Y. SECRETARY. EMERITUS ROSSITER W. RAYMOND, NEW YORK, N. Y. SECRETARY BRADLEY STOUGHTON, NEW YORK, N. Y.

Jan 5, 1918

Thirteen Directors, the Secretary, and seven guests were present. The formation of a Philadelphia. Section was discussed. The proposed rules for admission of additional societies to membership in Engineering Council were approved. An invitation was extended to the American Institute of Metals to become affiliated with the Institute upon the general terms proposed in the report of the Joint Conference Committee of the American Institute of Metals and the American Institute of Mining Engineers. The request of the Iron and. Steel Committee to hold a meeting in Milwaukee during the week of Oct. 7, 1918, was granted. The reports of the Treasurer and Finance Committee were accepted. A change in the By-laws was proposed. Thirty Members, two Associates, and four Junior Members were elected. The status of two Junior Members was changed to Member. The resignations of seven members were accepted. The clues of two members who are on active duty at the front were remitted. One member was reinstated to membership.

Jan 5, 1918

EUGENE WESLEY SHAW,* Washington, D. C. (written discussion?).-Mr. Requa's subject is one of great economic importance, yet relatively new, and he has been able to combine extensive practical experience with the talent of grasping the broad features of a problem that has many discordant details.

Jan 5, 1918

The following list comprises the names of those persons who became members during the period of Mar. 10, 1918, to Apr. 10, 1918. ADAMS, NOAH- :.. Geol.,. E. N. Gillespie & Co., Box 1875, Tulsa, Okla. ALVAREZ, PEDRO Asst. Met., American Smelt. & Refin. Co., Blue Hill, Maine. BARTRAM, JOHN G., Pet. Geol., Roxana Petroleum Co. of Oklahoma, Cheyenne, Wyo. CHANEY, S. E Supt.., Arizona Binghamton Copper Co., Stoddard, Ariz. CLEVELAND, EARL C Mgr., Deadwood Min. Co., Mogollon, N. M. DENNIS, HOWARD B Min. Engr., Empire Mines, Grass Valley, Cal. FOWLER, ARTHUR A., Partner, Rogers, Brown &- Co., 30 Church St., New York, N. Y. FRIEDMAN, L. A Pres. and Gen'l Mgr., Rochester Mines Co., Lovelock, Nev. GUIBERSON, S. ALLEN, JR 923-24 1. N. Van Nuys Bldg., Los Angeles, Cal. KROHN, ARTHUR Mine Supt., Missouri Metal Corpn., Mine La Motte, Mo. KURSELL, H. A., Mgr., Altai Mines Ltd., Zmeinogorsk, Altai Gov't, Siberia, Russia. LANE, L. RAY Mine Examinations, Galiano 24, Aptd. 1066, Havana, Cuba.

Jan 5, 1918

The Diamond mechanical soot blower system, manufactured by the Power Specialty Co., Detroit, Mich., consists of a permanent installation of units arranged in groups to fit the design of the various boilers to which they are attached. The units are so arranged as to effect the cleaning of the fire surfaces of the boiler, particularly the tubes, by means of steam jets. When this steam is released among the tubes at a velocity of approximately 2700 ft. per sec. (assuming a pressure of 150 lb.), a perfect whirlwind of currents is created, reaching all the nooks and crannies of the boiler, and thoroughly removing the particles of soot and fine-ash accumulation. This operation requires but a moment's time-from 20 to 50 sec. per unit¬and is performed from two to four times a day, while the boiler is under full load, using a greatly decreased amount of steam and labor as compared with the hand hose or any other system of blowing. Moreover, this cleaning is effected without admitting air, with its cooling effects, to the boiler setting. The Diamond model "G" blower consists of five principal elements as follows: 1. A head through which the steam passes from the main supply line when the valve is opened. The head is the foundation element to which the other elements are attached. 2. A wall box which is bricked into the setting. The box supports the unit, and is so constructed that the blower can be turned freely without admitting air to the inside of the setting. 3. A blower element running cross-wise of the bank of tubes, and consisting of a small header with nozzles so placed as to discharge steam between the boiler tubes. 4. A sheave or hand wheel by means of which the blower element is rotated. 5. Bearings attached to the boiler tubes which support the blower element and permit it to revolve freely. The nozzles from which the steam issues are designed on the principle of the Venturi tube, and vary in design for different pressures. The expanding walls of the Venturi nozzle increase the velocity of the steam over 200 per cent., as compared with a nozzle having a straight orifice. Thus, the velocity of the steam issuing from a straight nozzle at 150 lb. pressure is 912 ft. per sec., whereas, at this pressure the velocity of the steam issuing from a Diamond Venturi nozzle is 2795 ft. per second.

Jan 5, 1918

My predecessor in the office of President of the Institute started a custom of visiting the various local sections, thus obtaining their points . of view and their ideas as to how the Institute can best serve the interests of its members. Exceedingly valuable- exchange of ideas was thus brought about. I am following this custom as far as the limited amount of free time at my disposal will allow me, and I trust that my successor in office will appreciate the benefit to be derived from following the custom thus initiated and will continue the swing around the circle of the local sections. The activities of the Institute are increased by the prestige gained from large numbers and I trust that every member of this local section will consider himself a member of the committee on increase of membership and will see if he is not able during the coming year to gain at least one new member for the Institute. This is a perfectly possible proposition for, although the membership of the Institute is at present approximately seven thousand, I feel sure there are at least seven thousand more men in the United States who are interested in mining, metallurgy or geology from the metal-mining point of view who would make admirable members or associate members of the Institute. The first consideration of the Institute as a body, and of each member as an individual, is to win the war and defeat the Huns. In order to accomplish this, the Institute, as a body, has cooperated with the other national engineering societies and the great bureaus of the Department of the Interior, the United States Geological Survey and the Bureau of Mines in forming committees to study and advise the Government on pressing problems of vital importance.

Jan 5, 1918

Feeders and Grizzlies are links of the utmost importance in the chain of milling operations, but, hitherto, the close analysis granted to other equipment has been withheld from these machines. The development of. the self-clearing drop-bar feature, the result of many years' practical study of the problem, has made possible a machine which will

Jan 5, 1918

SHELBY M. HARRISON,* New York, N. Y. (written discussion ?).¬Your secretary requested a brief description of the Russell Sage Foundation, in order that members of the Institute, if they should desire to avail themselves of it, would know what type of service is offered to them through our institution. The foundation was established in 1907 by the gift of Mrs. Russell Sage of $10,000,000 as a capital fund, the income of which is to be spent for the improvement of social and living conditions in the United States. One of the lines of activity which the foundation has felt would lead toward this end is the development and promotion of community surveys; and because the scope and methods followed in these surveys are very similar to the scope and method of much of the institution's work in general, an idea of its main activities can perhaps be given best by describing one of our surveys. Incidentally, it may be pointed out that antecedent to the survey stand at least two important facts: first, the recognition. that communities are active, not static forces, that they develop, that changes in. material and human relationships occur continuously, and that with them come new social and civic problems which must, in many cases, be diagnosed and prescribed for anew; and second, the reality of scientific advances along lines which make possible at least some measure of solution of the problems. Evidences of these changes are abundant; many of them are found in the rapid growth of cities in the last few decades. Villages in agricultural districts, places where everybody knew everybody else, where the pulpit had been long the chief or only influence molding public opinion, where the air was unclouded by the smoke from factory stacks, where the water supply was not affected by pollution, where sunlight and building

Jan 5, 1918

The following is an incomplete list of members and guests who' called at Institute headquarters during the period Mar. 10, 1918 to Apr. 10, 1918. W. Sinclair Brown, Lebong Donok, Sumatra. F. Laroque, Roodepoort, Transvaal. H. B. Catlin, Syracuse, N. Y. A. H. Means, Camp Upton. A. R. Chambers, New Glasgow, Nova Scotia. J. H. Miles, Nome, Alaska. W. M. Corse, Buffalo, N. 1 . Harvey S. Mudd, Washington, D. C. George C. Crossley, Toms River, N. J. Henry Noyes, Melbourne, Aust. F. A. Dalburg, Montoursville, Pa. C. L. Petzel, Camp Upton. Kuno Doerr, El Paso, Tex. J. L. Schueler, Peoria, I11. V. E. Edwards, Worcester, Mass. J. G. Scrugham, Reno, Nev. H. F. E. Gamm, Rutherford, N. J. Frank M. Smith, East Helena, Mont. J. W. Gerhard, St. Louis, Mo. W. G. Swart, Duluth, Minn. Julius H. Gillis, Sudbury, Ont., Canada. A. L. Sweetser, Boston, Mass. S. J. Gormly, Guayacan, Chile. W. N. Thayer, Cincinnati, Ohio. Fletcher Hamilton, San Francisco, Cal. Felix E. Wormser, Cornucopia, Ore. Dorsey A. Lyon, Washington,. D. C. John B. Arnold has opened offices at 606 Lyceum Bldg., Duluth, Minn. E. E. Barker, formerly mine superintendent with the Chile Exploration Company at Chuquicamata, Chile, has resigned his position to become superintendent of mines for the Cerro de Pasco Copper Corporation at Cerro de Pasco, Peru.

Jan 5, 1918

CHICAGO SECTION CHARLES H. MACDOWELL, Chairman, LUTHER V. RICE, Vice-chairman, HENRY W. NICHOLS, Secretary-Treasurer, Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago, Ill. ALEXANDER K. HAMILTON, G. P. HULST, HENRY P. HOWLAND, FREDERICK T. SNYDER. A meeting of the Chicago Section was held at the Chicago Engineers' Club on the evening of March 30, 1918, on the occasion of the visit of the President, Vice-president. and Secretary of the Institute. The meeting was called to order by Henry W. Nichols, Secretary of the Chicago Section. The first speaker of the evening was Mr. Allen, Deputy Fuel Administrator for the State: of Illinois, who spoke on the problems and difficulties encountered by the Fuel Administration during the past -winter, He paid high tribute to the spirit of cooperation shown by the

Jan 5, 1918