Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1879-06-18

CLEVELAND, June 1.-THE American So
ciety Of civil engineers began its eleventh
annual session In Council hall here to-day.
There are about seventy-6ye members pres
ent and more are expected. The convention
will continue for four days. The forenoons
and evenings of to-day and tomorrow will
be devoted to business sessions. In the af-
ternoons of the four days excursions
will be made to various points OF
interest in this vicinity. There will be
a social meeting in Council hall Thursday
morning, and on THURSDAY evening the mem
bers of the society will be entertained by the
Union club. Prominent among the mem
bers OF the local committee are Charles
Paine, general superintendent of the Lake
Shore and Michigan Southern railroad; John
Newell, general manager OF the same;
Charles Latimer, chief engineer Atlantic and
Great Western railroad B. +. Morse, city
civil engineer, and others. The society was
called to order by Secretary John Bogart,
of New York, who stated that the president
was absent in Brazil and called upon Gener-
al T. G. Ellis, of the United States army, of
Hartford, Connecticut, to temporarily pre-
SIDE. Mayor Herrick, of this city, was then
introduced to the society by General Ellis.
The mayor extended to the visitors the hos
pitality of the city. General Ellis, In behalf
of the society, returned thanks for the hearty
reception. Mr.. Charles Paine was then in
troduced as president of the convention. On
taking his seat, Mr.. Paine made a
speech, mainly a description of the geo.
GRAPHICAL position occupied in this re-
gion. His remarks were very felicitOus
and highly appreciated. Mr.. John Boz
CART was appointed secretary, and Major
G. W. Dresser assistant secretary. A COM
mittee was then appointed to determine the
order in which the papers should be read be-
fore the convention. Mr.. E. w. Sweet, jr.,
of Albany, New York, read paper on the
subject, Traction Experiments to Determine
the Resistance of Vessels in Narrow Chan
nels." After discussion of Mr.. Sweet
paper, Mr.. ALT Noble, assistant United States
engineer at Detroit, read paper on "E1pe-
riments with Clements and Appliances for
Testing" D. J. Whittemore, chief engineer
of the Milwaukee and st. Paul railroad, read
a brief paper on Clements" After discuss
ing this topic at some length, the society adj
iourned for dinner. This afternoon the
engineers visited various points OF interest
here, among which were the viaduct and
waterworks, Wade's park and the telegraph
supply company's works. At the latter place
Prof. Bush explained his electric light and
numerous experiments and tests were made.
Owing to the non arrival of Acting Presl-
dent Albert Fink, IF New York, who was to
have delivered an address on the progress OF
engineering, the evening session was occu-
pied by the reading of papers and discussing
the same. G. G.. Force, of this city, read a
paper on "Egg-shaped Sewers" Charles
Lalimer, Esq, chief engineer of the Atlantic
and Great Western railroad, exhibited a
chart, prepared by himself and assistants,
which gave a complete history of railroad
accounts. The ocean pier, at Coney island.
was illustrated and described by Charles
M'Donald, the president and engineer of the
Delaware bridge company, New York. The
specifications of the Glasgow, Missouri, steel
bridge vas read by W. s. Smith, chief
engineer of the bridge company.
General discussion followed, aud the meet
ing adjourned at half-past ten o'clock.