The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1866-05-17
Letter from Pittsburg, Pa.
THE PREsIDENT's POLICY IN PENNsYLVA-
N1A.-RoDMAN GUNs-PREsIDENT
WOODS AND THE WESTERN
UNIVERSITY.
PITTsBURG, PA, May -.


UNIVERSITY.
PITTsBURG, PA, May IL.
TO the Editor Qtthe Press:
The removal of the Postmaster OF this city,
and the appointment OF man who supports
@mv nolicy.. has caused a great excitement,
because the gentleman removed was in every
way fit for the place and has the confidence of
the community. So far, however, the Presi-
dent has taken nothing by his motion, as the
removed postmaster will hold his Office till the
appointment of the other one is confirmed.
During the war this was one of the most in
tensely loyal cities in the State, and many of
the most patriotic citizens feel indignant at
the efforts that are made to lower the high
toned policy of the Union party and bring it
down to President Johnson's "poor white" lev
Ell. There are appearances of plotting to
carry this section of the State over to that
party and policy which is receiving the I'M
stinted praise of the South.
Your readers need not be told that Pitts
burg is vast workshop where iron and glass
are manufactured to fabulous amount. 1t
was here they cast those enormous guns that
reduced Fort Fisher to 'pulp." Mr. Rod
man, from whom those guns received their
name, revolutionized the manufacture of guns
by his invention. Hitherto, guns had been
cast solid, and were bored out. The outside
cooling first, became, by contracting over the
hot interior, honey-combed, and of course
greatly weakened. Mr.. Rodman conceived
the idea OF reversing this process of cooling,
and this could be done only by casting the gun
hollow and carrying a. stream of cold water
through case of clay to be inserted in the
mould. The experiment was tried successful
ly, and fifteen or twenty inch gun is cast,
which can be fired as many thousand times
without bursting as the old guns can be hun
dreds. 1t is found that by this process Of cool
ing, the iron acquires some of the tenacity Of
wrought iron.
The Pittsburghers not only make shooting
irons, but they have here an institution in
which they teach the young idea how to
shoot, viz, the Western University of Penn
sylvania. George Woods, LII. D., native of
Cumberland County, Maine, is the President
of the University. As he was for many years
an educator Of youth at Yarmouth, there are
doubtless not few of your readers who will
be pleased to hear of his success.
The University has had a chequered histo-
ry. In 1916 fire destroyed all its property
buildings, apparatus, library and cabinet
Again in 1S49 it was visited by similar
calamity. Discouraged by these misfor-
tunes, the Trustees suspended instruction.
In 1854 the present large edifice was COM
pleted and instruction commenced; but the
school had SO far lost its prestige that when
President Woods was called to take charge of
it, in 1858, there were only thirty-fve students,
no regular curriculum, and but two professors.
Now there are two hundred students, eleven
professors, regular college course, a scientific
course, and preparatory courses in English and
the Classics. Forty thousand dollars have
been added to the endowment, the apparatus
is worth $1,000, and the cabinet $4,000. On
the other SIDE of the Allegheny river, oppo-
site Pittsburgh, is an observatory having in it
the third best telescope in the country. That,
with drjlling-house and ten acres of land has
been given to the University. The old pupils
of President Woods will be pleased to read
this record of his success. AS an educator of
youth and as Christian gentleman he takes
the highest rank in this community. Politi-
cally, President Woods is true to that faith
once delivered to the saints at Yarmouth, but
from which SO many Of their children have,
of late apostatized. Us. OF Maine.