Evening star., 1909-05-05
IDEAS IN ENGINEERING
Papers on Mechanics Dis
cussed at Convention.
REPORTS OF COMMITTEES
First Business Session Of Spring
Meeting Is Held.
FREEDOM OF CITY EXTENDED
Commissioner Macfarland Makes
Welcoming Speech-Visit to Fort
Myer This Afternoon.
OF CITY EXTENDED

The first business session of the spring
convention of the American Society OF
Mechanical Engineers opened this morn
ing at 9:15 o'clock. The morning was de-
voted to hearing from committees ap-
pointed at the last convention, reading
of minutes, and the discussion Of several
technical papers.
Reading of Papers.
"A Unique Belt Conveyor'' was de-
scrbed by Ellis c. Soper of Detroit His
paper contained description Of the in
stallation and operation of belt con-
veyor a quarter of mile long, built on
practical lines, and requiring less power
to operate empty than when loaded, be-
cause 1t operates down hill.
1t Is in actual operation at the present
day. The only requisite labor is that Of
a boy to do the oiling and adjusting.
Automatic feeders for handling ma
terial in bulk, described by c. kembe
Baldwin of Chicago, are not lunch coun-
ter appliances, but, as the paper said,
cover eleven styles of apparatus, ena-
of feeder is best fitted to his use Mr..
Baldwin favored shaking FEEDER" be-
cause of its simplicity.
"A New Transmission Dynamometer''
u.
Fl. kenerson of Providence. r. I. POL
ishing Metals for Examinatio With the
MICROSCOPE was described by Albert
kfngsbury of Pittsburg
The entire convention went to Fort
Myer at l O'Clock this afternoon where
the cavalry and artillery went through a
special drill in the armory.
Freedom of City Given.
The freedom of the city was given to
the engineers last night, and in present.
ing it and receiving it everybody pres
ent at the New Willard reception had
good time. The resident members of
the American Society of Mechanical En-
gineers and the Washington Society of
Engineers played the part of hosts. After
every one had been introduced there was
dancing. The Marine Band furnished the
music.
In the receiving line were Calvin w.
Rice, Mr.. and Mrs. Jesse NJ. Smith, Mrs
Charles d: Walcott. Mrs. Marshall, wife
of Gen. Marshall and Mrs. Frederick
H. Newell, wife of the director of the
reclamation service
The city's welcome was extended by
Commissioner Macfarland Reply was
made to him by Jesse NJ. Smith, presi-
dent of the American Society of Me-
chanical Engineers.
Speech Of Welcome.
The Commissioner said:
washington has warm welcome for
this society. because its members have
done much for the National capital
Take. for example. the admirable sery-
ice of the superintendent of our water
department, which has expended since
1900 four and half million dollars in dis
trbuting water and improving its facili-
ties. The water department pumping sta
ton. model institution of it's kind, will
be his monument
The past nine years have been the
great period of municipal building of our
day. About seventeen million dollars has
been spent in that time on the filtration
plant. sewers and the new sewage-dis-
posal system, the governmental part of
the railway terminal work, the District
government building, the bridges and
other extraordinary improvements
'PropOrtionately more has been done
here than in any other municipality and
therefore there is much that is new for
you to see The mechanical and engi-
neering features will especially appeal to
you. but you will feel the common inter-
est which all intelligent Americans take
in their National capital
Help Is Asked For.
I'VE who live here. 100000 in round
numbers. pay half the National capital
dred million of Americans pay only the
OtnCI l-dSt year we pdlu ABOUT Slt
head. and all the rest of you paid about
q cents head
II am sure you would be glad to nav
twice or three times that amount If yol,
did the progress Of this capital would be
more rapid.
Support your senators and representa-
tives in all that they do for the nation $
city, which is in the supreme control OF
Congress. We covet your constant CO.
operation in the great and joyous task
of making this the most perfect capital
on EARTH