Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1915-07-16
GA|VVETT LEAVES
THE STATE SERVICE
Chief Engineer of the Water Sup
ply Commission to Engage
in Private Work

Farley Gannett, who has been engi-
neer of the Water Supply Commission
of Pennsylvania for nearly ten years,
has resigned to enter private practices
of engineering in Harrisburg. In his
letter of resignation Mr.. Gannett states
that he has desired to take this step!
for some years in order to take up.
numerous projects which have been
brought to his attention, but had re-.
tained his connection with the COM
mission at the request of the chair
man. John Birkinbine, to complete i'm
portant Investigations and reports,
which have now been finished.
Under Mr.. Gannett the engineering
force of the commission has increased
from two to fifty men and the reports
have grown from paper-coVered. PAM
phlets to volumes containing 500 to-
1000 pages, which are recognized all
over the United States as standard for
photographic reports. 1t is conceded
that Pennsylvania's laws for the
supervision of streams excel those of
any other eastern state and that they
have, set an example which has been
followed by many. The supervision
over the safety OF dams is thorough
been examined in the last two years byH
the. engineers of the commission and
several scores of them have been
strengthened as a result. Since 1913
no bridge or encroachment of any kind
has been built over or in a stream in
the state unless the engineers of the
commission have shown it not to be
injurious or have had the plans modi-
fed so as to make it harmless in time
of Hood. The system of measuring the
How of streams, instituted by Mr.. Gan
nett in 1907, is the most extensive of
any state and its results are used and
quoted by all engineers.
One division of the commissions
force of engineers has recently COM
pleted 1,500-page report, showing
the location, name and use of every.
stream in the state. Every one of the
500 water supply systems was visited
and described, as well as all the water
power plants Navigation, floods, culm,
rainfall and other subjects relating to
the streams are treated in a compre-
hensive manner with maps, diagrams
and photographs.
Mr.. Gannett, who is the son of the
late Henry Gannett, president of the
National Geographic Society of Wash
ington, d. c., came to Harrisburg in
1902 after graduating from the Massa-
chusetts Institute of Technology in
Boston to work under James H.
Fuertes for the Board of Public Works.
lie helped design and build the Paxtoni
creek interceptor, made the first sur
Vey for the Wildwood storage reservoir
and park and was assistant engineer.
during the designing and construction
OF the filter plant. In 1905 he was
invited by the newly appointed Water
Supply Commission of Pennsylvania to
apply for the position of engineer to
the commission and was appointed De-
cember 1. 1905.
Mr.. Gannett, who is president of the
Engineers Society of PENNSYLVANIA,
has always been interested in the well
fare of engineers and has done much
to advance their interests in the State.
He has written many papers for engi-
neering journals and addressed engi-
neering. societies and technical schools
concerning hydraulic subjects and has
been called upon by the federal gov
errment for expert testimony. Mr.
Gannett will associate himself with
several well-known engineers and will
specialize in practice before the vari
Gus state departments. representing
corporations and municipalities. He
has established, in connection with a
chemist and bacteriologist, laboratory
for the analysis of water and sewage.
testing filter plant operations, etc.