Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1884-04-04
Edward Hnigbt Phelps.

selves lingering with n sad hut not wholly
painful interest upon the life that is gone.
And If, happily, that life was especially ,ar,
II it contained little TO be excused and moth
ing TO be concealed, il it had traits of
noblencss in 1t which appeal to our admira-
ton and love, then VIC tske a real and very
high pleasure in dwelling upon its course
and noting its features and inc dents. To
recall such life, to seek TO prolong it in the
memory Of those who were interested in il,
is not enoGy, 1t Is affection, 1t is gratitude,
it is plely.
EDWARD HAIGnT PHELPS, the son Of Ed
ward j. and Mary IIaight Phelps, grandson
OF Senator Samuel S. Phelps and of Judge
1aight-of the best Vermont blood on both
sides--was born in Middlebury, Vermont,
June 3Olh, 1S47 lie passed his boyhood
mainly in Burlington, pursuing preparatory
studies partly At the Rock Point Episcopal
Institute, partly under private instructors,
until his eighteenth year, when, in 1866, he
entered the Collegiate department of Yale
College, from which be was graduated in
due course in 1870. Having decided while
in college to adopt the profession of civil
engineering, he applied himself especially 10
mathematics, taking extra studies IN this
department. and thus laying thorough
foundation for his professional course, which
he took in the Engineering Department of
the University of Vermont, at Burlington.
receiving he degree of G. E. in 1872. 1t is,
we trust, with pardonable pride that we
now recall statement publicly made 10y his
father and endorsed by himself that ''any
success which he had attained in his profes.
sion was largely due to the thor oughncss and
excellence of his Professional traininr. "
The seriousness and a ielity with which he
devoted himself to his work at this tin @
were characteristic and prophetic. His
graduating thesis on "Thoroughncss in Con-
struction, struck the kcy-not at once of the
great demands of the country and The time,
and of his own future success, in cnginct ring
| work.
After completing his technical course he
spent a wander year in Europe, adding to
his professional equipment by personal in
vcstigalion Of the methods and achievements
of European engineering. On his return.
after a short service in connection with tn.
projected hut soon abandoned New York
and Montreal Railroad he received the
appointment Of City Engineer of Burlington.
In the discharge of the duties Of this Office,
he not only proved himself faithful and
conscientious official, but with characteris' C
thoroughness and energy he studied and
assisted in developing the water and sewer
systems and the opening and grading OF
streets, the leading projects, at thai
inc, in city Improvement. In the build
iug of the Burlington and Lamoille RiilrolG
he took n prominent part for SO young an
engineer. Receiving appointment as assist
ant to Chief Engineer Hale, and holding this
position from the preliminary survey to The
completion OF the roa', he WAS ntrustcd
with some Of the most important and difficult
| parts of the construction, aud won high
appreciation from his employers for hi,
efficiency aud the thor0uyhncss of his work
A serious and complicated suit having
grown out of mining operati ms at Vershlre,
| Mr. Phelps was cillei on to make careful
| surveys and to give evidence in the case,
which he did In such way as TO elicit the
| highest praise from the Court.
In 1878 Mr.. Phelps was offered and &C
Ccptcd an important trust in connection with
| The Panama Railroad, which gave him his
| first oppoitnntY for indcp1ndeat work.
| This was the making Of surveys and plans
for the complete reconstruction of the Pana
ma Road, and especially for neH system
| of docks which would ObVilte the necessity
of lighterage in the transfer of freight from
water to land carriage. The plan also IN
cludcd new system Of water-supply for
the city Of Panama. The first part of the
scheme, the reconstruction of the Road, was
substantially carried into effect under Mr..
Ph"lps's supervision, hut owing to a chan It
in the policy of the Road, the remainder OF
the plan was for the time abandoned. The
exhaustive study, however, which Mr..
Phelps gave to the difficult problems pre-
| sented, and the very high praise awarded to
the plans he proposed, were of great service
to him in his subsequent career.
In the spring of 1880, Mr.. Phelps was
invited to position, the acceptance of
which led him into the most important work
If his life lie was appointed Chief Engineer
of the Jackson. Lansing and Saginaw
division If the Michigan Central railroad,
and in 1858 was promoted to b. Cnlef
Engineer of the entire Michigan Central
Road, one of the most EXTENSIVE corpora ions
in HE country, operating no less than 1900
miles of road. OF the services rendered by
Mr.. Phelps while holding the first of these
responsible positions, let Mr.. L. dyard sreak,
the President of the Michigan Central Roa 1,
himself n h'Ghly capable engineer, and an
accomplish cd gentlemtn:
"Tne jackson. Lansing and Saginaw
Ra'lrO at WAS n marvellous piece II engineer
in.,, through most difficult Country, aud
Was prosecuted to success through many
obstacles. There are few new roads in this
or any other State which will compare favor
ably with This extension in thorough and
workmanlkG construction"
The one wo k which, more than any
other drew up the resources and called
forth The original power OF Mr.. Phelps, was
he construction Of the DOCKS at Mackinaw,
Michigan. The exp lsurc OF the location h
winds and ice, the character of the bottom,
nj the nature OF the approaches, together
presented Il problem which was without pre-
crdout and when no mere routine engineering
could solve. The thorough study winch
considered and mas cred all the conditions oi
Ne problem, inc CAllpdrNlNeS slhlIlc ana
&C mnmcal and yet effective devices tor
overcoming the difficulties aud securing u
5 lid aud permanent structure. are reg ried
hy professional engineers US mantestins
ability Of the hlghesr order
Not 10 speak IN detail OF the many i'm
poytant works executed by Mr.. Phelps as
Cni'f Engineer Of this great road, including
in Mr.. Lodyard's enumeration, "the rr-
arrangement and practical rebuilding Of The
Yard at Detroit, the completion Of the EssrX
Ctnlrc Cutoff the Improvements in Canala,
including the new yard ut st. Thomas, the
replacement of the Kettle Cree bridge, the
construction of the Niagra FAILS branch,
including the Approaches on the Canadian
side To the Cantilever bridge we come to
speak of the last named work, the famous
Il Il L., Lii.