New-York tribune., 1874-08-01
CHEMISTRY'S CENTENNIAL.

THE NORTHUMBERLAND CONNENllON'
PROMINENT CHEMISTS IN ATrBNDANCE-AN ADDRESS |
OF WELCOME BY COL TAGGART OF NoRTHUM- |
RERIANp - GREETINGS EXCHANGED WITH THE |
CONVENTION AT BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND - ADJ !
DRESSES ON THE PROGRESS OF CHEMlsTRY-A
VISIT TO PRIEsrEY's GRAVE.
NORTHUMBERLAND, Penn, July 31.-This
usually quiet town early asr, the streets being
thronged with to the Convention OF the
Centennial Of Chemistry celebrate the discovery OF
oxygen by Joseph Prestley, whose remains lie mere
Before the hour of organization the schoohouse' win
large seating capacity, was well hled there oeihg 'e
or no standing room Many of the wives and daughters
Of the visitors and residents graced the occasion WIN
their presence Among the most prominent chemists
present are:
f. n Hosfcrd OF Cambridge Macs Thomas NJ Drown'
American Institute Mining Ensnneers sia PGs 'seeH'
tialn Of New-York City, E. L. Forster Columbia Col
ese rypShPFq Fred Heman
City; Theo. G. womley, Columbus Ohio; "; Ewyn yNr
Chas H. Chambers Of Antioch College, OHIO ). W.
Manet Of the University Of VIRGINIA; Misses s"RVT "
Kcdzie Of the state Agricultural College. Michigan W.
II Kedze OF the State Agricultural College OF hasas sis
Survey. ry,Sti Phiadephiiai; Arthur II. Elliott OF
Baln@ore; Dr. H. SarringtOn, ,. Bolton sfevens SeSm
COlumDs college X Henry HH GTGi OF t6e t5e Mas
tachusetts Institute OF Technology; g Gilbert M.euleI
Professor OF Chemistry U1Yery nS cSeps G Of Indanap
Ind: Eugene W Hiyard and s. H. Douglass OF the
Unversity OF Michigan; DR.. Henry Coppee' late fres
dent OF the Lehigh University
The meeting was called to order shortly alIer
o'clock. After music by the band prayer was o4oiou
by the Rev. Or. Pyehere. Prof o. Ii. Cnahuol VI
Columbia College, New York. was chosen chairman 'o'
David Taggart Of Northumberland delivered the address
of welcome which was as follows:
AN ADDRESS OF WELCOME.
Ihave been chosen by my fellowcltizens to offer 10
the learned and distinguished men and women WHO
have gathered here TO commemorate grand discovery
and TO honor a great brief but earnest welcome.
We cannot follow you through the VIDE realms Vi
science nor explore very deeply the mysteries OF ma
fure for we about oxen tnah oAyESu i aiiT
great deal more about the whey Of mik than the inAy
way But we can move with equal step m m payll2g PAYNE
tribute and 10 the ilustrous man VINO egh
years found among the ruue @ bonored
hamlet quiet home and seventy years ago an
grave While in the oPo Si mana ages VIII have
come and and left Their silent ioomarGs on h tho
earth before the name Of Ps'Gy Ely will eawde Ro5s c2 M HE
has Written it in letters OF light and glory
qe Of snS' rsSs aSd oor % be- takes rank with the
dead but sceptered sovercigns who st RUE our srs
from their urns. Like the eagle he built his eyre upon
lhe mountain top, inaccessible TO vulgar lntrusOns IN
that atmosphere he dwet not above @ hpgn NAV ssT ha
% and fools were AIMED at him but they could
penetrate the triple armOr which philosophy enthusasm
and truth had thrown around him. Like you, genie
men he made science his mistress, aud with pure
heart and an untiring mind he wOrshped her through
long days Of labor aud nights devoid OF ease ana tG
he stands with Calico Newton harvey, ftankln,
faraday and Humboldt, grand, colossal, ana endul,
ing of the great nigh priests in the 00undesS ana
A brutal English mob could burn his dwelling, and in
an political madness and religious frenzy de-
.troy work of but could not stay the indom
1aDle energy of his genius nor am the user OF ms ms
composed that mob have long ago given back to the
great element winch he discovered 70 per cent OF their
worthless carcasses, more than eighty years alter
ward his great name rs talsman 10 draw
10 this quiet village many OF the most re-
kuUWlCdgt-u
aI1ocracy OF learning aud intellect that can anoII
10 loOK down from its high ctadels of thought and
reinforcement with pity If not with contempt, upon the
vulgar aristocracy OF blind accident In conclu
zion would merely reiterate 10 you, and women
of science behalf Of all my neighbOr very sincere
and unfeigned welcome TO our homes and to our hearts
let assure you most earnestly that we are MOI
pleasure your well-tImed pilgrimage to the home aud
grave of the greatest discOverer OF his time.
Col. Taggarts address briefly replied TO by the
President OF the meeting On motion, committee was
appointed couier with the Centennial meeting 10 Biz
mingham England also. 10 take part in spirit in the
uuvang of the statue of the late Joseph Prestey IN
,hat city, Numerous letters OF regret were received
and read TO meeting. Then followed sketch OF the
ife and abors of Joseph Prestley. by Prof Henry H.
Croft of Toronto, Canada Prof HorsOrd Of Cambridge.
Mass then gave interesting sketches of the life,
aud read several original letters OF the late Dr. Presey
The reading of letters occupied considerable time, at
the conclusion OF which the following cable telegram
was read:
The American Chemists assembled at Northumberland,
covering oxygen will be unvaed tomorrow presented
by the subscribers through Prof Huxley TO the town
and accepted by the Mayor We greet you as colleagues
IA hOnoriug the memory OF a great and good man.
THE PRESLEY MEMORIAL COMMITTEE,
birmingham, Eng
Ihe following telegram was sent 10 England
NORTHUMBERLAND. Penn, July 81, 1874
The brother chemists at the grave to their brothers at
the PRESLEY send greeting on this centennial
anniversary of the birth of chemistry.
The convention adjourned till 2. IN.
THE AFTERNOON SESSION.
At2p III. the chemists proc seded to Prestley
zion where they were photographed Iu this building
the apparatus, books, manuscripts, g., belonging 10
Dr. Pnestley, and other objects illustrating the history
OF chemistry, exhibition. Tie meeting reas-
sembled at o'clock Andrew Huestou age IS years
said 10 printer in the Umted States,
pied a the floor. it announced that there
were so scientific delegates present
A CENTURY's PROGRESS IN THEORETICAL CHEMISTRY.
7. sterry Hunt Of Boston delivered extended
review Of the centurys progress In theoretical chems
try, of which the following is an abstract:
The speaker traced the progress of chemistry an
art from earliest times, and endeayOred to show how
u took form science IN the eighteenth century be-
ginning with the laDors Of Becher aud stahI. lie
described the ph!ogstc hypothesis OF the latter, and
then proceeded to notice the three great chemists who
one hundred years since began a These
Rchee, PrcStcy and L1vOlSicr o. these the first
eXperUcDters bat failed rightly 10 interpret
the existence OF oxygen s held To the old philosophy,
and died The last defender Of the pbOgsc hypothesis
mail o. wn,h his discovery had much
tributed The third OF this groupof chemists was LtvOI
who seized win marvellous cOmpre henson the true
Significance OF the facts made known by his COtem-
pOTaries, greatly enlarged the field by MS own re-
searches aud-another NewtOn-shOwed the grand har-
which govern all the changes Of matter IN the
mineral vegetable. and animal Kingdoms. L1vOis:er
justified by the aid OF the balance the old doctrine of
aDd nothing gained. He, with Weuze made chemistry
aQuantiatine science, and the great laws OF deante