Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1878-10-18
The Latc Joseph Dana Alien.

|
lington, Otsego Co., New York. October l6,
1899. Thrown upon his own resources in ear
ly life. be prepared himself to enter in 1921.
Norwich Military University. in this State,
then presided over by Capt. Alden Par
fridge, late Commandant at West Point,
and an able instructor in civil engineer
ing, the profession Mr.. Allen had chosen.
Graduating in 1925. he was appoint
ed assistant professor of civil engineering
in the University. which place he held for
two years when he resigned. to accept the
position of engineer Of the Connecticut
River Navigation Company, corporation
organized for the improvement Of the navi-
CATION of that river from Barnet. Vt, to
Hartford, Conn. In the year following he
was engaged by q company of New York
capitalists to prepare plan for system of
public works. then projected, by which the
bays and waters on the south shore OF Long
Island were to BE- connected SO As to form
continuous inland channel for ocean vessels
from the eastern extremity Of Long Island
to New York harbor. Upon the completion
Of these surveys and his report thereon. he
took charge of the Worcester division of
the Blackstone caLal, then in process of
construction, to connect the interior OF
Massachusetts with Lang Island Sonnd
Having completed this work, he laid out
and built the Cumberland and Oxford canal.
to open that lumber region of Maine to
;,b H., %, =, p,r,,,n,
o'nilnu"'v"''Un WIN D
Ia 1851, the Ne" iofk lanai bearu ehiieu
Mr.. Aliens engineering ability to their aid
!, n,a,riny and MARKETING the elaborate
~. ,,, ana;,,ro,;,,
System VI 9"'Hi-' '"ou u'u''
designed to develop the resources OF ihat
State and to render it the highway of com
m.rc;.l commr,;ca,;on hstween tho then now
,,r -, ::.L A.
west anu 'no seaooafu' Aotins VII" 'n'
New York Canal Board, he. as chief eng l.
neer. constructed the Black River and Che
I, af,., u,;., bo ,,oL ,b,r,. of
mug
the building oil the northern DIVISION oil tue
Chenango canal. from Bling hamton to Uti-
ca, NY. Prior to this period, 1896, the |
.,,I-,.,h., ,oo ,h;n ar,ho r,,,r, on5
lam ga" .'A1 mn u wv
engineering skill ard business enterprise
found their largest fed of operation in ca
nal construction. At this tine railroads
began to attract attention. and a line was
prof ected from Now York city northward to |
connect with the junction of canal and river |
navigation at Albany. This was the first
railroad line leading out of New York city, |
and, by reason Of his recognized ability in his
profession, Mr.. Allen was selected to deter
mine the route and plan the construction OF
the now road, now known as the New
York and Harlem railroad. The un-
ca and Oswego railroad was also
laid out under his direction at about
the same period. but the financial panic OF
1897 prevented the completion of the work
In ISIS he was appointed engineer OF the
Erie Railroad from Bing hamton westward.
then under the presidency of the eminent
banker, Jonas G. King, of New York, and
directed the course of construction of that
line. This work affords evidence OF the en-
inent professional skill and engineering
ability possessed by Mr.. Allen, as, although
railroading was then in its infancy, and
there were no tried methods or proved plans
OF building. as there are to-day, yet tho
plans of construction advised by him at
that time, and accepted by the company
without change, have since been adopted
upon all the various extensions of the line
The course and construction of the
Chenango canal from Bipehamton to Tioga
Point, N Y, and also the Chemung Canal,
from Elmira to the same place, were subse-
quently entrusted to his direction. During
the ensuing four wears he was in charge, as
engineer in chief, of the enlargement of the
Erie canal from Little Falls, west, but fail
irg health, consequent upon arduous pro-
feSsional labors in the responsible positions
occupied by him during period of sixteen
years. with scarcely any intermission, COM
PEELED him to seek rest, and he purchased
an interest in the Onondaga salt works at
Syracuse, N. Y, hoping that a change of
business might prove beneficial to his health
but the contrary being the result, he
sought entire rest and change by removing
with his fsmily to Burlington, Vermont.
where he thereafter resided. In ls45 he
purchased the cotton mills at Winooski,
Vt, and carried them on for two years,
when his improved health appeared to rem
der it possible for him to resume the prac-
tice OF his profession. He accordingly ac-
cepted the position of Consulting Engineer
OF the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad,
and directed the laying out of the line OF
that road in Wisconsin. lie was also, at
this time. appointed Chief Engineer of the
Erie canal. but finding his health unequal
W my SpuSiuSIdplt ut, dltuOueH
strongly urged to accept. again retired .
from active practice and never resumed it to
Any extent. although subsequently, in the
,apaclty of Chief Engineer of the Albany
and Northern Railroad, he directed the
plan OF construction of that road, and after
ward. at the solicitation of the Rutland
Railroad Company, laid out a northerly ex-
tension of their line lie prepared for the
,ity of Burlington the complete and care
Gl surveys Of the city. together with the
maps and data. upon which is based the
,ystem of street improvements now being :
carried into effect In 1856. at the
.equest of the General Government.
he took charge of the erection Of
he United States buildings. postoffice.
,ustom house and Marine Hospital, in
Burlington, and COMPLETED them in the sub
taptial and careful manner partic ulariv
of every undertaking in which
ne engaged For a long neriod he was
director of the Merchants Bank of Bur
ington. and at different times was called 4
ipon to fulfil other Or iyate and municipal
trusts.
Mr.. Aliens active life, as has been said
Covered period of but little more than six
cen wears, and yet bat few men have, in so
,risf period. ACCOMPLISHED 50 great an
uch recognized reputation in their pro-
ession. For more than thirty years sui
ering from ill-health, his enforced quiet
was especially irksome to one OF his natural
and industry Init his gtullnus habit |