Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1873-02-22
An Address before the Students OF the
Pardce Scientific Department in La
fayettc College. by Mr.. p. W. Sheafer
Concluded.l

Pardce Scientific Department in La
fayette College, ny Mr.. p. W. Sheafer
[Concludedl
Another element required to build
up orr nation s greatness we must con-
slider to-day We must, above ALL pos
sess an intelligent and skilled direction
and directors. In vain do we gather
multitudes of men for war, and send
them in confused masses against the
enemy. Unless, we marshal them I'M
der we'll skilled leaders, they will ac-
complish nothing. To-day all our
colleges and other institutions all
over our land, we are proud to say,
are equipped and preparing skilled Of
ficers to do effective service Let each
act we'll his part With intelligence
and industry each man is sure to make
his mark,-t take his place, and help
on the great work before u.s.
Do you ask, what is this work p
Look about You and see it. 1t is the
| work of carrying on the world. 1t is
the work of e7amobAng the world We
must make it better and purer and
holier for our having lived in it. The
old theory of successive ages of gold,
of silver, of bronze and of iron, was
all wrong In the golden age of
the ancients their ancestors were wan
dering half naked through intermin-
able woods, killing with flint lances
the wild animals on which thew fed,
roasting them before rude fire, fight
ing among themselves for the largest
share, and when the flesh was consum-
ed cracking the bones of their prey to
get at the marrow The golden age
has never existed We have only Just
passed the age of wood, and entered
upon that of iron, and it is our mission
to extend and exalt it's sway. The
control and use of coal and the metals
are but arts of civilization, nor do we
stop at their ordinary use. We must
not expect to plod in the old, deep
worn paths, but ever strive after the
Excelsior Every thing must be made
better, quicker, cheaper The first
watch was great achievement, but
how much better we make them now.
Were we satisfied with q fast line of
coaches, at ten miles an hour? Are
we to-day content with the locomotive,
at thirty or forty I? Do we lot hope
that better perfected materials and
machinery will one day carry US one
hundred miles an hour with no more
danger? We daily see animated ma
chinery no larger than mans hand,
but made by the great Artiicer, cleave
the air at the rate of sixty miles an
hour or, as in the case of some carrier
pigeons, even one hundred and shall
we stop short of this degree of perfec-
ton? The strength of our machinery
on land exceeds that of Mattress then
way not initiate her in the il, and on
the waves, or under them If Ma
tare S machinery can overcome the re-
sistance Of the elements, why cannot
ours? Have the telegraph, photo
graph and telescope, reached the limit
OF their powers ? We think not fully,
nor perhaps. nearly. We have quick
transmission Of thoaSht and faithful
reproduction OF feature and form but
we are not yet able 10 place the minia-
tire landscape IN all its gorgeous tints
upon the photographers plate, nor can
we yet dispense with the slow old
method Of type setting The electro
type, as yet is only applied to a frac-
ton OF its future uses. The telegraph
strikes ne note why not make ii trans
init harmonious melody? All these
things are still wanJing to be done.
The great treasures of Natures ar
cana are but partially explored. The
last hundred years have opened much
to our view where will the next humid
red place us? Are all the coal fields
explored? What will the interior of
Africa reveal? We need more iron,
to supply the world with set of rails
for every road myriads Of iron ships
for every sea, besides ships for the air.
We need more speedy method of
tunneling through Alpine heights
We need to have air made as subserv-
lent as gas or water, to be carried in
pipes and made to blow a whirlwind
blast or hutter lady's fan. These
are but glimpses of few drops from
the ocean of knowledge which still re-
mains to be explored.
Reviewing the past and with pro-
phetic ken anticipating the future, we