, 1874-05-15
Final Adjournment Of the Associa-
lion.
An Interesting Paper on the Metric
Syatem.
plcuss!on OF Valves and Valvo-Coar,
Patent Brakes, Etc.
Noxt Years Business,

l. MoRN1NG SESSION.
Ina thsfd dayh sescion Of tho Seventh Annual
conventions Of tho American Railway Master HE
ehantoa' Association commenced yoytordav morn
chair, ''e'N a" sA'S
I TIE METRIC sYsrEm.
Tho President made the announcement that
ae their last Convention, Supervisory Commit,
top had been appointed to solicit from associate
m9moora papora upon scientific subjects. Thoy
haa aucoooded In inducing tho Hon. Coleuau
Sellers, President Of tho franklin 1ustituto
Philadelphia, to give one.
mr. aeilera. was then introduced. and
road long and scientific paper on "1ha
Metric System in our workshops, wil]
1ta Valuo in Practice be an Eq,iiyuIont for tba
Cost Of 1ta Introduction ?" The following Ia a
SUMMARY OF tho important document;
| Abbut thrce-quartera Of oontnry $40. the
notor was first made tie legal standard in
Frauae, and sinco that timo it Ind been adopted
| by other countries, either in full OF In part,
and " was claimed that tho proportion Of
the population Of tho gtobo already
enlisted in its use numbered 100000. 600.
Many of our leading colleges woro making the
motl1o PyHtcm tho basis Of measurement in oil
their teachings, with D view to eondiup their
graduates into tho world aB advocates OF what
70 tnem eoemed 30 perfect System. There
,if uuto pSno ooaot INIT 1t Was desirable to havo
" n1UrsE ni' 1ot only 'n regard to meaauromenta
tty would certainly facilitate trade, md adYauca
our knowlndge Of tho works Of other couutrios.
Ihoas who used tho metric system found It Won
mss W. 81 adapted to facllltoto calculation.
education, snd could he uaod by those who lad
no idea OF tho Latin and Crock gorda from wljnh
: the names Tere derived.
ua1FY1no THE co1NAas.
oarncan a'e 81 Sfhator @ hnmnor had beo an earnest
9oralnoa ao- g push ts adoption iu this country
rep: =, lo79t resolution wna passed In the Uui-
ted statea Senate thas tho presldcnt bo requoat-
ca 70 lnv1te oorrespopdenco with droat britain
ing tho adoptton by the legislatures OF tho several
powers of common mint aud standard OF an
~ in1soinhtlonal gold coinage. In accortlnuco with
fhn ,dapnto Vas prepared BY tho
se fo.h tho 70;
why suoh Uniform syHtom would dc deairable.
TEE INCH As THE UNIT.
a. ae II men oeiea the attoution Il the Conven-
IN hmsroe n cona,ons od the mechanic arts
attend our adoption Of the metric system. Tho
primary op3oct or this Association might afrnost
10 saa @ 10 Pc 10 lntioduce uniformity in oil pare
ot g. tne 9Tsat railroad eystom Of the United
states' states ~ Ihore "ab no country in the world
who,o the value Of uniformity in tho dovices
used IN o2mmo', by all moohanicR waa 10 fully
fecognlzad as in THIS land OF oars. What had
@ Oa"n ao9e uo N tnls drection and what VAS doing
m ~ fba % t9 ,nch the unit Of
me mecn'ne shop, however. waa not indepeud-
ens OF othef trades. and it ~as necessary to a
pIopeEs Understanding OF the subject that they
shoald pave clear perception Of tie nature OF
this infer-aependenoV. Machines mado Of
meeal aao pats cast ana pnrts forged. Wllon
rolling pills were obliged to mako round il on.
niuetlnA iu diameter ffunl the mercantile Sizes
the pr!c4 per pound was increased. as special ap-
81 Plsaaee ana extra care were requiied.
90 tho ne mechanical eneineer .oonformed bis
."po, ~, LYLE 70 tna pfoenrab'e sizes Of bar
~. H"a useo sne iron without The expense Of
art"asng anso osner Sizes. Ino tools and appli-
nuuIs ,.da ~ ~ tans nacnihe shop had 10 time been
70 fonfos% to these alzes and we're all
py tho division Of the inch into halves,
1,o :, .1 ano slzseenehs All the gear
ng n the country oil the patterns OF cog |
s,ao, Eese r. sIAeed IN tho teeth BY pitohes
WharY tba - tn.asS; ,nalric xu..n
r,nnno7 II IL t nektn oystem was introduced in |
~ ~ saGn!ne'WolK was done bv hand;
n,,, 9,s8 naonnea lof metals, md oil tho VI.
io 1raant,9,, n1oMn W. as machine tools, Will
mosf unknown. villa VII tlaa F,aacS aatas were
~ Ju w tnla oecima1 ssstem OF In.
,na,fns,, ,ao,,,a aases. tue pettcr class Of
- ,ioc;n<, n,aa;,;. wore H9l9lne the problem
,.rta T6Sera ,y waro tarsnn mt,n 'a9te!ohangeao!o
,lioh 41,o shave. x..... - - %'Au Aa1la "a |
nm,a h. ~ Jnaaso llGua tne inon to the metre
,,oaa aa, ~ @ ~ t1ie eost simply because
;c3s Fnr !on 'au u'suea WIN no special do
rii1a ~ "a ro,1ri's ~ eHon o. thla oay; such
;sa au ,1sns ~ tnoy Aaa were altered In
H. T., II ~ snn "na ana 1anoy or the workmon
d. ~. ,not ot oup NV. snv unle q measurement
j4rnasaj tns a1sn -, nGt snG 'oot HOT mo yard We
1n;'',, ~ ~ w. measurements Of Objects
"' n'e"I W mnu1 .ess '1an one 1oot IN size.
1,b. .asaaa,an as iGn ~ fnE ..; onAsuE'
,otra sostaIa ~ ~ .ue nuest'tntlon o. the
e,.,s o.,, n;n'sm ~ oIs 1asolite men said We
oaa0 ooa ou!5 " % unTe 10 eWo new names to these
1us. IT, ,,', ~ coua cail cur men 2596 m!limettes
We e9asu pa.! y tue t"enty-afo hundred and
- 5is III ataoIeo-tnousanatns OF metre. or
;s sa;, - '"o nso mlil!oetres,
10 ,a, nundreotns ol mslhmotie: He =
@ len uapa.nou auW ~ tne nnanKe IN el2o could be !,
.t1uRnta t'.R aoout. Iho drawings Of al! our ma !,
1lnas n drawings tnat md accumulated through
any !, years' and were representatives =
gaotn!Gus sums o1 money, and the best .
oouau!sal M ~ saiene o1 me ltna naa to be gone q
ses 80 ana "a au ne s42oa ouangea. Drawings msdo
'ents-nse 3sa1a ago "eFa IN uHe to-day, and u
~ .ooas ~ Aaufob we're pe'feosoa to manu- =
os"lG ~ ~ 'naentoes III Rceofaahce With tleso draw
e. ~ no.aaY sney oegan no" drawings with t