The University daily. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 18??-????, 1895-06-13

IL 81
CINE first to climb tie rugged heights.
of Palestine, flrst To awaken from
their lethargy the streets Of this an
cient city, was Of American manufac-
ture.
The engineer Is not only the modern
crusader, but he Is the chief workman
Of the period. OF all other men he IS
doing constructive work that 50 i'm
measurably surpasses that Of antique
TT as to be unable to receive from such
q source many suggestions to promote
the success Of his operations. The
American engineer is not behind his
co-Werkers Of other nations In what
has been accomplished By the profess
sion. The great railway trunk lines
Of this country, binding together all
sections as one community, and chang
ing unpeopled deserts into great and
populous states, are monuments to his
industry and genius.
He has stamped his individuality
upon the commerce of nations. The
nineteen thousand miles of railway,
winding across the, humid Pampas,
high plateauss and towering Andes Of
South America have transformed, it
is said, the Argentine Republic, in
thirty years, from pastoral country
into an agricultural and manufactur-
ing country, ranking among the great
producers of the world.
Here at home railway development
has reached such a point. that there
remains but little to be done. As a
consequence the canal which has been
SO long oyershado wed by its more sue
cessful competitor, will rise into re-
| newed prominence and favor. The
time will shortly come when the ma
| jestic ocean steamer may be seen plow-
ing its way through Nicaragua to the
Gulf of Mexico, shortening the voyage
from ocean to ocean distance of ten
thousand miles. In the near future
the valuable commerce of our northern
lakes can find its way by two water
avenues to the southwark. One from
lake Michigan to the Mississippi, the
other from lake Erie to the Ohio. This
latter is of national importance. 1t
4 will enlarge and better the means OF
transportation between the great ore
producing region of the northwest and
the great iron manufacturing region
of Western Pennsylvania and Eastern
Ohio. 1t has been. predicted that it
will line, the Ohio valley with furna-
ces, and will bring to US. an era OF
prosperity of which we, in our Wild
est fancies, never dreamed. ~
The real work of the. engineer has
! but just begun lie has simply erect
ed skeleton which IS yet to be cloth
ed with flash, and through whose ar
teries viii flow the life blood Of new.
ly quicl being. He has built il
of the feS0erces already at his COM
1 mand, and the future may be depend
ed upon to develop new forces te
breathe into it IT,, breath Of life. .
Those of us who anticipate that
period in our lives at which we may
be designated engineers, should not be
cast down because time and hard work
are so necessary to its attainment.
We>should not falter in our purpose,
nor turn aside from our course, be-
cause the press of to-day awards SC
much space to the exploits of the pol
itician, and points out in glowing
terms how lucrative are the emolu.
ments that await him. We should
ever hold in mind the lessons taught
by the political reverses of '92 and '94.
| We should ever remember it has been
said that: empires, Dynasties, and
political parties with their attendant
courtiers and intriguing cabals rise
and fall, and the story of what they
have done or left undone soon drifts
into the musty records of the past to
be forgotten. But to the men who,
by their ingenuity and indomitable
will, wrest from nature her hidden
secrets, Harvesting them to the car OF
progress and helping humanity on
ward towards that high civilization
! that shall make all the world better
and all akin'-to these men are due,
and In, good time will be awarded, the
-honors they have so we'll earned"
/ - Literary Note. =.