The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-07-05
THE ENGINEERS IN SESSION.
Continued from page


scores upon scores of lives at their
mercy in conducting the affairs of their
respective companies, and who should
DO looked upon by the commercial
world as their benefactorS, for would all
the railroads of this country cease to
work for ono single year imagine what
tho commerce OF this country would
suffer and tho enormity of losses sus-
tanned, exemplified by one single strike
on one of tho leading railroad lines of
the country.
sincerely hope that this country con-
tinues to be prosperous and that there
will be no occasion to fear war in the
United States, which would necessitate
the movement of troors and should it
be necessary to do SO of course the
United States Government would at
once call upon tho railroads of this
country to assist them, and for this
reason think that the United States
Government might be asked to take
part financially giving the necessary
ala towards the establishment OF
National Railroad School, as this school
would be similar in character to the
schools established in other countries
by their respective governments.
II you gentlemen tor ono moment
Will stop and imagine thatsuch a school
rs mentioned by me had already been
esta blished, imagine for instance that
grand structure had been erected
with all tho necessary out buildings
etc., and to SEQ hundreds Of young
men enter their class rooms, what a
pleasing sight this would be to anyone
Interest ted in the education and welfare
of their fellow beings. Now imagine
tho commencem cnt day, day to which
agood many of you who have graduated
In college look back to as ono of the
most pleasant occasions of your lives,
prominent railroad men from all sec
tons of the country would come to this
commencement day to sec their sons
graduate, and II tho school is properly
conducted it would soon have fame
equal if not superior to any college in
this or any other country. This school.
IL established, would give an in petus O
any young man OF genius for invention 8
or suggestions particularly adapted 10
railroad work this school might DO the
means of introo ucing standards OF rail-
road construction throughout the United
States, something which | believe ali
railroad Companies arc now striving
TO attain, but have not vet been able to
accomplish. The meetings of master
mechanics, master carpenters, master
car builders. etc, show this tendency
and this idea seems tn he just now TAX
iHS Hoi0 vi tIts OIL most OF
the railroad officials. The objection
might be raised that all these matters
are already taught in ono school or
another, suppose they are, but there is
not school where ali these matters
combined are taught.
venture to say that after ny ideas
arc thorough lilly understood, and in case
this society would give the nrst impetus
to school of this kind, that instead OF
one, in fow years more than one school
of this character will be established, AZ
this country is TOO great and the terri
tory to be covered too vast for one school
to accomplish nil that is desired Next
year the Colun bian Exposition will add
another chapter TO the history oi the
United States. and IL IN that year
the ideas advanced by me
could be made TO take shape, it would
add another chapter to the history of
railroading in this country. Great as
tho undertaking at first seems to ho
there is nothing that cannot be d me bv
American puck and enterprise; and.
varied as tue opinions might be on all
subjects, in this particular instance
hope that ali The different interests can
be combined and this grand work be
started and carried on to successful
end, and every enc who will lend a
helping hand TO IL and see it accom-.
plished will in after years point wi,h
pride to An establishment which will
stand as monument as To what can be
accomplished by the corporation OF
kindred minds, working for one object
and that Is the education of their fel.
low beings and the advancement OF
science, even though it be the science
of rallroad;ng, or in other words the
esta blishment OF IL national school for
the education uf railroad en-.
You will know hat there is no use in
reading papeis before engineering or
other societies unless suggestions made
by the persons reading these papers are
carried out and followed up. Should
my efforts 10 instrumental in raising
sufficient interest in this IN alter would
onsider tho day on which a movcmt mt
to make my suggestions actual facts
ono of the proudeSt days of my life, but
no success in anything is possible unle IS
followed up in n bnsiness-like manner.
I am not sufficiently posted in matters
OF this kind and can. therefore, give
you no figures. butall have underworld
to give you is an idea Of what might be
done. In conclusion the question would
naturally arise az to where this school,
II ever established, should be lo:ated.
We call ourselves tho Association of
Engineers OF Virginia. let us therefore,
if have awakened enough interest in
this subject, work for Virginia and have
this institution established as monu.
ment to the energy and far sightedness
displayed by the engineers OF Virginia.
and the world will look upon this ass, =
citation no longer as an infant, but az "a
giant, and if every ono OF your members
would feel and think as l do, failure
would not be possible, but success will
crown Our lIOclS and we will rise To q