The New York herald., 1875-01-28
THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE.

OF PROFESSOR CHANDLER AS 4
DIREcroR-CHARGEs OF DISHONESTY AGAINST
HIS ASSOCIATES.
During several years there have been murmurs
OF dissatisfaction among the exhibitors at the an-
nual fairs OF the American Institute, aud hints
have not been wholly lacking or suspected dis-
honesty and unfair dealing among tie judges and
boards OF the Institute. These have ut length cul-
IN the withdrawal or one or the most
prominent directors, Professor C.. F. Chand-
ler, President or the Board or Health. In
his letter OF resignation, which Is given below, lie
squarey charges his associates with injustice and
improper conduct. His letter Is rs iolows:-
SCHOOL OF MINES. COLUMBIA COLLEGE
Jan. %, 1875.
TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE AMERIOAy
INsrITUTE:-
action OF the Board OF Managers OF the late iaIr
with regard TO the award 10 the exhibitors OF met
compels me, III consequences oi the unjust treat
ment which these exnipitors have received from
the Board OF necflon, and finally IRON the Board
OIL Managers, to resign my position as a director
OF the American Institute.
When, a year or two ago, was invited to act az
q director OF the Institute, under It's then new
organization, l accepted with aiacrity, Tor be-
heved this organization capable or accomplishing
enormous amount Of good, not only III encour.
aging the manufacturing Industries Of the coun.
Try. but also IN educating The pubic IN everything
that relates TO Its material weli.ra.
From tlme to tins complaints nave reached nv
ears OF gross injustice suffered by exhioltors
sometimes attributed to ciashlng OF tner inter
estS those OF OcerS OF the Institute, at Other
times TO venality on the part o judges and Others.
nave hitherto been culpaoe IN neglectiug to IN.
vestgate these charges on account OF otner en-.
crossing duties ln this case, however, the facts
are belUIe me they are WITHIN my own knowledge,
nOtlceu; nor can consent to serve IN an organ.
lzatiOn which deals SO unJustly with those VINO
cept Its invitation TO exhibit at Its lair expecting
an impartial and dtslnterested awarl according
to the merits of the ARTICLES exhibited.
At the opening OF the fair IN september the
American Metaline Company placed the metal.
ined bearings on exhibition, running them with.
out lubricatOrs the end oil the fair. soon after
entering the me alne the company placed In the
with list OF thirty or iOrty establishments IN New
YORK ani It's vicinity where 1t was IN practical
use
committee of three judges was appointed, in.
cluding two mechanical engineers. VINO stand very
nigh IN their profession, and who are specially
competent To judge OF the merits OF a SUBSTITUTE
for lubrlcatOrs in machinery. A!ter devoting con.
siderable time to the investigation, visiting the
establishments where metallne is used, ana sub.
jectng 1t to wnat they considered the most severe
test possible, they unanimously recommended It
to the BoaId OF Managers tor the highest award OF
the Institute.
ms award, known as the "Great Medal OF the
American Institute" Is given, according to the by
laws OF the Institute, Ito the discoverer OF IN.
venror OF Il machine product, or process, wnicn
shall have been proved by long continued opera
tion and practical adaptation 10 oe as important
IN its use or application as virtually to suppant
every article or process previously used for ac:
complishng tue same purpose" The Board Of
Managers hesltateG TO award the "Great Medal"
IN this was the tlrst appearance OF metailne before
the Institute. out recOgnz nx Its merits, they rec
Onmended 1t to the Board Of Direction Tor tne
''Goid Medal OF Progress"
Being present at the meeting OF the Board OF
DTecuon when the papers relating to this case
were received from the Board of Managers. l was
astonished at the vehement attack which was
made upon the metane by two OF the highest Ot1.
GERS OF The Institute. especially AS neither OF them
had taken The trouble " visit single establisn-
ment wnere the metaline was In use and as they
did not advance any reasonable grounds iOr their
opposition.
opening OF the lnir, aud l was also aware that
bOtn were pecuniarly interested III an article
which netalne Will pr0oably supplant, hut DID
not suppose tnar their action would be Influenced
by such considerations.
AS u unanimous vote was declared to be uece]
sary at tnis meeting to award the "Medal Of Pro.
gress,' which dopoted, and 1t was apparent that
such vote would not oe given. another member
moved To send back the report OF the Judges lor
amendment, which was accordingly done. Tae
two experts promptly returned report, more
detailed and mucn stronger than the first, while
the third Judge, after postpontng the mattei
for several weeks sent III ninority report pur
porting TO give the results Of his observations q
several establishments where the metaine was IN
use His statements, directly opposed TO his irst
report, exhibited 80 much Ignorance, incompe-
tency and un1airness that the pr0prietors OF the
establishments visited by him protested IN writing
TO the Board OF Managers against them. The ex.
nDitors thereupOn requested the appon tment OF
other additional judges, as provided by the laws
OF the Institute for such cases. In the lace OF all
LHeSc IuCtS Tue DOdTu Vi muudBeIS uatc TtiuScu W
appoint additional judges, nave reversed tnefr
former action on a minority report, proved to De
false ana have awarded silver medal-an award
usually given 70 boots aud Shoes argand burners,
billiard tables blank books, fancy articles, &c,
i0r good workmanship merely.
Here Is an invention winch claims to do away
with lubricators on all kinds OF machinery, from
cotton spindes TO locomotive crank bearings,
which, II It's claims be sustained, viii save enOr.
nous sums now paid for lubricators, besides
avoiding all the dangers and losses which results
from hot journals aud from the free use OF OIL
Competent judges pronounce the claims well
founded; the iacts are available to every member
Of the Institute; letters from the most reliable and
vicinity were before the two boards. II the
claims were sustained the invention could not re-
ceive too high an award II not, no award should
be given. The award OF silver medal Is incon.
sistent and insulting. l consider the whole affair
to be q conspiracy, very adr0itly executed by q
few OF the managing men IN the Institute, to beiit
tie this rival invention, and cannot countenanco
1t by remaining longer u director Of the American
Institute. Very respectfully yours,
c. +. CHANDLER