Evening star., 1915-01-21
T|TTMAN ELECTED
GEOGRAPHIC HEAD
Made President Of National
Society to Succeed the
Late Henry Gannett.
VICE PRESIDENCY VOTED
TO ADMIRAL PILLSBURY
Gain Of 103,157 New Members in
the Last Year Believed to Es-
tablish World Record.

O. H. Tittman, superintendent of the
United States coast ad geodetic sur
vey, was unanimously elected president
and Rear Admiral John E. Pillsbury,
Z. S. N, retired, was unanimously
elected vice president of the National
Geographic Society, at a meeting Of
the board of managers of the organiza-
tion held yesterday afternoon. Mr..
Tittman has been vice president of tho
society for the past five years, and sue
ceeds the late Henry Gannett, as presi-
dent. He was also one of the founders
of the organization. Admiral Pillsbury
has been a member of the board Of
managers for some time.
The following other officers of the so
ciety were re-elected: Gilbert h.
Grosvenor, director and editor; John
Joy Edison, treasurer; .. T. Austin, sec
retary: John oliver La Gorce, associate
editor; Frederick B. Eichelberger. as
sistant treasurer. and George W. Hutch
inson, assistant secretary.
society's Amazing Growth.
Henry White, former ambassador to
France and Italy, who was elected as
a member of the board of managers at
the annual meeting of the society
few weeks ago, was present at the
board meeting for the first time yes
terday, and expressed astonishment at
the proportions to which the organlza-
ton has grown.
This remarkable growth in member
ship of the society for the year was
announced in the annual report of Mr.
Grosvenor. The report showed net
gain in membership of 1O3,15 making
the total membership on December 81,
1914, 337,446. This is the la. sest III
crease in the history of the society. and
nerhaps of any organization in the
world. There is not community oi
one hundred white persons IN the
United States, it was reported, tnat
does not nave one or more members III
the National Geographic Society: More
than $1,000 towns and post ofhces IN
the United States are on its mailing
list.
California, in proportion to it's popu-
lation. leads the states with men,
Dership of $4,000, or one for every 100
inha bitants Massachusetts follows
with $4,000 members. New York has
u, 900 members, New Jersey $4,000,
Pennsylvania 10000 and Illinois 24,O0o.
The organization. it is announced,
has now become one of the greatest
institutions of the National Capital
During the year exploring expeditions
were maintained and conducted by the
society in Peru, Canada and elsewhere.
Out OF its income during the year the
society purchased at cost OF $l05,OO0
the large unimproved property on 10th
street adjoining its present buildings
at NJ street. 1t is proposed in the fu-
land for the meetings of the society
1t is also announced that the sum of
$40. 900 was added to the society's re-
serve fund during the year.
Has Had Notable Career.
o, - -..,tano% - %N~ or~,os..
ton, Mr.. Tittmann. was born at Belle
vile, ILL.,. August 20, 1850. At the age
of seventeen he entered the United
has worked his way UP to the SUPER
intendency of that world-famous scien-
tific bureau. During his career many
notable experiences have been his lot.
In 1874 he went to Japan as assistant
astronomer of an expedition to observe
the transit of Venus; in the years i'm
lmediately following he was engaged in
Icoast survey work on both the Atlantic
and Pacific coasts.
From 1889 to 1898 he was in charge
of the United States standards of
weight and measure. In 1890 he went
to Paris to bring to the United States
the standard meter which is now SO
carefully kept at the bureau of stand
of all our exact measures. At the same
time he studied the systems of stand
ards at Paris. London and Berlin. He
was a delegate to the International
Geodetic Conference in Berlin in 1895,
and became member of the perma-
neut commission of the International
Geodetic Association in 1900.
In 1895 he became assistant in charge
of the United States coast and geodetic
survey office, and in 1890 assistant su.
nerfntendent His appointment as su-
perintendent of the survey dates from
Dece mber. 1900. Mr.. Tittmann was ap-
nointed to represent the United States
in marking the boundary between
Alaska and Canada, and in 1904 was
appointed United States commissioner
Of the Alaskan boundary and northern
boundaries excepting the great lakes.
A Scientist Of the Navy.
Rear Admiral John e. Pi1lsbury, the
new vice president Of the society, was