National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-01-09
ENGINEERS ASSOCIATION.
PROPOSED ORGANIZATION OF EN-
SISEERS IND ARCHITECTS.

PRoposED ORGANIZATION OF EN-
GISEERS IND ARCHITECTS.
MUTUAL BENEFIT AND sELF-PRoTECTIoN
ATS oBJECT-REToRM IN THE PRoFts-
zion NEEDED-THE BODY TO BE Pohi-
FLED OF ALL UNWORTHY MEMBERs.
Some time since about thirty OF the civil engt-
neers and architects of this District conceived the
iaca Of handing together and forming o society
for their mutual benefit and selfrrotectfon, ana
accordingly issued circular to their ieiioW-"en.
bcrs in the profession looking 70 thAt sno' VI
which the following is u copy:
.S,onyiuced that the establishment OF socaely
cF enriueers in the District of Columbia Will meet
with general approval, and will indeed answer 2
want long felt by many, If net the large ma9ofity
q. ms: such societies are nov existing IN All the
prominent cities CT the Union, and only Washing
Ton is yet behind.
Advantage they afford, not only to their own mem
bers, hut also to the profession general Is "oo'e
Any doubt.
,nte such bodies the chief tendency of which is
70 reach by cooperation what the isolated mem,
Der cannot attain-to make the knewielge , anu
practical experience of the single one, OF which
without such connection great deal will be lest,
common property; to secure a continual probes,
snrr I'M body of eli unworthy ele
nleuts: and to surmount. united. difficulties in
eurmountable to the isolated, thus raising in
every respect the standard of the profession.
And of all higher branches OF profession, none Is
suffering more from adversary influences, more
needs a unanimous cooperation OF Its members,
than that OF the engineers. No lawyer is admit
ted TO the bar, physician is allowed to practice
without diploma or other satisfactory evidence
of his ability, yet everybody is at leave to call
himself engineer and practice as such.
4, In consequence thereof the public respect for
the engineer, and the social and pecuniary stand,
ing Of the same, is in very low condition, ana
the totaity of the profession, thus encountered by
hostile elements in our ranks, rs we'll as oy most
of adversary preJudices among inc poulc az
be. Yet reform in this line, enforced by reguia-
lions Of the law. would be liable TO run into the
other extreme. and become nuisance and incum-
brance rather than relief Therefore help can
come only from the engineers themselves. inns
the engineers of the country have early recog-
nized. and have, in the cities important at the
time organized societies, the constitutions OF all
of which say that their chief purpose shall DC
advance Of the engineering science and i'm,
which. connected and cooperating with each
other have done great deal of benefit already.
formed in New York; 1857 the Institute Of Archi-
tects-which although somewhat different in its
purpose and form Of organization, has to be men
toned here-was established; 1854 the Franklin
institute was chartered in the State of Pennsyl-
varia which comprises all mechanic arts and is
subdvided into sections. one of which, that of
mechanical engineering, is almost an indie
pendent engineer society. About the same
time second society Of engineers and associates
cities a the West developed, the Western Engi-
neer Association in st. Louis and the Northwest
ern in Chicago were constituted In 1868 and 1859.
In 1873 also, the Boston engineers answered the
call and founded q society in that city. Some
time ago the engineers of Baltimore have, on oc-
casion of the foundation OF Chapter of the 1nsti
tute of Architects, formed temporary organiza-
fion, sharing rooms and local expenses with tho
said chapter, which will soon develop to an indie
cinnati a movement for the establishment Of such
an organization is starting at this very time.
Soon every prominent city OF the country will
have its local engineer organization, and the day
is not lar when a consolidated Engineers Union
will unite them all into a well-organized force
Only in Washington, the capital Of the country,
we have so far been Indifferent. And there arc
men in this city, sufficient both in quantity and
quality to entite society formed here to vitality
And the call has ii not in words or writing, at
least morally, been issued to us long ago, and to
do our share in furtheriDg the common interest of
the engineers is not only our right, but is In fact
ITO comply with this duty,to answer the cal, to
do what is expected from US to supply the wanting
engineers of the whole country for the interests
we have common with them all, to do Our share
in raising and improving the position OF the eng.-
eminent engineers will gradually improve in the
same degree,) we the undersigned, have resolved
to organize Solnmbia society OF Engineers,
same time, we propose to secure mutual help and
assistance in every other respect, and therefore
intend to embrace mutual relief association IN
the society Also, acquaintance and friendship
and social Intercourse among the members shall be
furthered in everyway.
1.-THE society shall be organized on the same prin
cple all the others existing and is intended to
include every regular civil, mechanical, construc-
ting &C., and building engineer or architect, who
may sympathize with the purpose OF the same, as
member and as associates, all draUghtsnien, en-
Hravers, builders, oyerseers, &c, men of profess
sions kin to and connected with engineering end |
architecture, who are not qualified Tor membership
according to the proposed constitution.
'In order to reach the above purposesthe follow
ing plan of management shall be observed: Reyu-
lar meetings of the society shall be held for the
purpose of intercourse and discussion OF questions
of any kind referring TO engineer matters and for
the exchange oftechnical information and praet! /
cal experience. the value Ofwhich will be evident
to every one who is not perfectly indifferent 10 \
anything that passes outside OF his office.
"The cub-rooms of the society shall be open At |
least one day, for the present, and after awhile |
several days ofeach week, for the purpose Of read
Iished in the English and German Languages; |
and for those who wish for lighter pastime, the |
managing committee will provide all facilities for
every kind Of social amusement.
"a library snail be graduallyestablished, TO |
which not only members and associates but also |
any other persons symLathiZtnS with the society |
may contribute, for which they shall enjoy GER
tain rights Of members.
"Also, the society shall. fairly started,
commence to Issue publisati99ns. as the Other So
LAS soon as organized and constituted we shall |
Immediately place ourselves in connection with |
all the organizations enumerated above; and es-
pecially VIC intend to exchange with them q col |
Of personal items, giving notice of all admis-
sions Of new members, changes, translOcatons, |
vacant positions &c, and this alone will make 4
the membership Of the society be Of advantage to
any one.
the engineers o. the whole country, is desired in
carefully planned and eEereetically carried On
movement to improve our position as engineers.
II you syInpathize with the above purposes, and /
feel il your Guty to further the common cause, |
add your name to the list of signatures below, |
and come TO the assembly: Of The time and place
of which you will be nctite.' |
In pursuance Of this call n number of gentle |
men, members OF the profession, assembled at |
Sangerbund Hall, corner OF Eighth and L streets, |
last evening for the purpose Of carrying out its \
object
Among those in attendance We noticed @. F. |
Till, John L. Weyss, S. ID. Charles, ]. Il. Bruf,
E. T. Friedrich, IL. S. Starkweather, w. De- |
Moores, S. Boots, ]. A. Partridge, W. NJ. Pon-
dexter Charles Wilson, IL. l.. Perrine, J. Z. Lang,
Gustave Heroil, Gust. Friebus. L. Dessay, F. |
Schilling, William Hutchinson. A. B. Noer, Rich |
Chenworth, q. II. Poole, u. I. Z. Chandler.
The meeting was called TO order by Mr.. J. A. |
Partridge, and Mr.. q. I. Trill chosen temporary
chairman and Mr.. N. Du Bots secretary.
The chairman then stated the purpose of the /
which was to become branch Of /
the North American Engineers Association, and |
its object TO carry out the views stated above.
Messrs. Bruif, Charles, Starkwcather, Weyss
and Po!ndexter were appointed committee on L
permanent organization. The copies Of the con-
stitutions and bylaws Of other societies in the
possession Of the chairman were referred to the
for consideration, and from them to de.
sign a constitution for the present organizations;
after which the meeting adjourned, subject to the
call Of the Chair.