The Helena independent., 1893-09-26
CIVIL ENGlNEER HONORED.,, |,

E u. ltenkier E,ootsd an nun0rMry Mem +.
her ~ th~ Montana Aaa,~iy.
A. the lass regular monthly meeting Of
thv Montana Society OF Civil Engineers
Mr. Il. II. Beoklse. lats chief engineer Of
the Pacific extension of tho d,eat Norther II
railway was unanimously elected an homer
Aty member of that society.
Mr.. hooklar ~ this first membo, of this
society elected Ia honot Aty membership, anu
Ia comforting this honor The Montana so-
ctsty did 90 Ia recognition of Mr.. Hscklsr's
high Nttatutssnts ~ engineer, and especially
In view Of sAe htQh professional ability hc
displAysd In the location and comet, uotion
of the paoiho extension Of the Great North
e1n railway. OF which ha wAs the chief en-
Rinser.
In the accom- plishment OF this great work
hs secured route through the mAin range
Of ths Rocky mountains with lower grad.
ients than any other trAnsconsinsntnl i,us,
tho maximum gradient east Of the summit
being hut one per cent or fltty-th,ss feet
per mils. and wsst OF thu summit Ia psr
cent or ninssy-hvo feet Per mile. The
crossing Of tho Cascade mounta ID made
with . maximum grade Of 22 per cent or
ll6 feet lsr mile and on Y route 80 direct
thnt Ahe distance from spokane, Wash., to
Puget sound Ia shortened ninety -four milss
over any other lonte.
The location for most Of The distsnos
was through IN uhexplo Cd mountainous
oouutry. aud the work OF construction un.
der NJ. Beekler's direction was pushed in d
manner heretofore uneQualed In railway
distsnee Of 8ls mile was completed in III.
tls over two ysArs from the tune oonstruo-
tion work was tnauRurated. In presenting
Mr.. Beckle,'s name to the sosristy, Nj.
John Heron said;
II take pleasure In nominating Mr.. II.
III Me- Ia $s>n AlA tn knN
bsrship Ia thts society, aud also In being
nble ~ this time 10 bear testimony to the
PERSONAL w0, th OF the man We ~ u society
dest,e TO honor.
HE 10 known to all OF us by the results OF
his energy aud ability. but best known to
some Of us BY that personali.y before
which II was II l. asurs to forget the dull
nsss Of daily routine anu 70 look on work
for its promises aud possibilities. speak
for myself aud my associates, who AZ aub-
ordinatss were connected with MIR. Becker
In this work. whom ! SAY that whether in
otlloe or in camp, in civilization or In the
wilderness. he WAS tho same. a leader Al
ways, but lsaper men would follow, he
cause hts counsel meant encouragement
and his friendship was NOT limited to time
or place.
''rhs report OF the special committee has
mentioned his engineering achievements:
Let him bear the prize who merits it'
attached 10 his achievements none onn
gainsay. The snsrRy thns commands y
great wo k to he done 10 entirely different
from the energy that determines the best
manner OF doing tue work. The result de-
psnds on the united energies, but in the
glitter and pomp attached to. the purpled
ohariots In their triumphal march the pop
ulAos see only tho energy that commands.
This to \ certain extent IL natural, Rnu
happy Ia he who lovss his work for ita own
sake and who sees his reward. not 40 much
in the applause of the populscs as
in the assurance that his work IL II
part Of that philosophy whose law IL prog.
reas,' and Of that oivilix alton which has
been advanced IN this work OF Mr.. Beokler's,
aud the spanning Of ~ continent with Its
annihilAtion Of distance.
Nv would be idle, Mr.. President, for us
to file \ protest. axalust the natural bent OF
human nature, ia almost idola.rous wor-
ship of what We are pleased to call success,
but 1t dosa seem 10 mo eMinently fitting
this evening that We. aa members OF the
Montana society OF Civil Engineers place
on record, not only our conviction bus our
pride, that honor OF these great engineer
ing works belongs to . member Of our 40
Niety."