Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1896-01-24

following list of new members:
T. T.. Burley. NoundsvilF. John c.
Childs. Poca: +. II. Crockard Benwood;
James A. PAUL, Noundsville; w. II.
Howard and L. Z MusgrOve, PIT. Pleas
ant: r. /. Hoge. G. +. Dickinson, otto
Schroll. z. b. Franzheim, Robert Haz-
letr. Gilmore Browne, c. u. Hamilton,
G. w. LOhse. s. II. BrockUnier, Charles
n. Cooke and Louis Mackenzie, Wheel
ing Associate member, S. c. SatheIs.
The list was elected as reported by the
Committee.
The report of the Secretary and
Treasurer. William Steenberger, of
Point Pleasant. was then read and APP
proved
President White then read his
ANNUAL ADDRESS,
as follows:
members and irlehdS
of the West Virginia Society OF civil
Engineers and Suryeyors:-I am very
happy TO welcome YOU to this the tlrsl
meeting of our society. You show by
ycur presence that you approve the OBJ
jects of our Society. Some of you have
Travelled quite a great distance
All of us are here at some temporary
sacrifice. But we trust and believe that
the benefits Will amply repay us. ! can
say TO our friends and members out OF
the city. and on The behalf of the local
fraternity. that we Will try 10 make
your stay among us pleasant and may
we hope mutually profitable. Those Of
You who expect expect carefully pre-
pared address from me will be dis1p-
pointed.
Perhaps a short account of the birth
Of the Society at this time would not be
out of place. Thinking that there
should De o State Society, because of
the many advantages that suggested
themselves. / sent a letter to each Coun-
~ Surveyor i'm the State, and 10 each
civil engineer and surveyor whose
name was i'm Pope's State Dictionary.
The object being 10 secure as general an
expression as possible upon the advisa-
biliry of attempting to organize State
Society. The responses We're so encour-
aging that q meeting was called at
Parkersburg on the 4th of last April to
form am organization. Although the
attendance was small vet all parts of
the State were represented. Having
the Constitution and bylaws of the
American Society of Civil Engineers
and various State and local societies TO
guide us. we formed a temporary organ
ization. and in Committee of the Whole
proceeded 10 draft a constitution and
bylaws 10 govern the new Society And
while there are some, perhaps many,
imperfectiOns i'm the constitution and
bylaws adopted, yet it can be said that
each member present did the best he
could. After the adoption OF the con
s-iutution and bylaws. and the election
of officers. we adjourned to meet at
Wheeling January. 1896. The constitu-
ton and bylaws provide 'Or a spring,
midsummer and fall meeting. II was
not deemed advisable with our limited
membership to having midsummer ana
fall meetings. so that this Is our first
meeting since the organization at Park
ersburg last April.
THE objects Of the Society are both
social and professional. Article l. sec
ton . of the constitution declares that
the object of this Society shall be the
DEVELOPMENT of engineering knowledge
and the practice and maintenance Of a
height professional standard among its
members The first object the develop
most worthy one. 1t implies that while
ment Of engineering knowledge is
ON engineer by diligent study. close OBJ
servatiOn and intelligent practice may
gain valuable knowledge; yet he must
NOT stop there. but should give the re-
suit of his knowledge to his professional
brothers. who i'm turn should give TO
him the benefit of their experience. The
fu1 knowledge is too broad and deep,
and wide for one mind to grasp it all
This observation may not be confined to
knowledge i'm general. but it is true OF
each profession. and even 10 e2ch
branch of q profession.
"This is an age of specialists, Of eX-
merits I'm all departments of human en-
deavOr. This specialization has not yet
reached it's limit, but is destined 70 con-
tinue to- the end of time. Our profess
sion is no exception to this rule. The
tendency TO specialize is i'm many cases
carried too far. or perhaps, exclusively,
at the expense of general knowledge
Genral knowledge is the basis upon
which the specialist should build. AfJer
an IL is the man of general knowledge
that moves the world, but he does it
with the cranks. Both are necessary.
So fin our Society: let each crank ride
his hobby, for by this are We al bere-
fitted
THE second object is the 'mainte-
nance of a high professional standard
among it's members. BY this / under
stand that We are 10 strive for a higher
technical knowledge and practice, as
well as to encourage and uphold that
professional courtesy and e-iGuett that
should prevail among us. The advan-
taees Of organization are certainly as
great to MS IS TO other similar Organi-
cations are to other professions.
There are many reforms thar should
be inaugurated in this State. This can
only De done by or through an organiza-
zion The methods of making surveys
marking lines. calculating contents
making plats and recording same could
De greatly improved 10 the advantage Of
the public and TO the credit of the pro-
fesslon AT the present time. We are
utterly without a system. Every en-
eineer or. surveyor is law unto him
self. There are certain fundamental
facts and principles that all surveyors
49, Whit ,r-e how, ..,,,r-.,---..-