The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1915-06-17
BUREAU OF STANDARDS
Washington, d. c.

EultoE REGISTER.
A few months ago | visited the U. S.
Bureau of Standards of Weights and
Measures. 1t occupies seven buildings
located on II of the hills of the Dis
tl;ct of Columbia and overlooks the
city OF Washington. Prof. Nelson, a
graduate and eX-teacher of mathe-
MATES in the State College, at Brook
ings, was employed for a few months
by the government to set up and ad-
just some of the machinery used 10
test the strength of materials of all
kinds. He had placed an iron girder
three feet in diameter to be used in
the walls of high sky scrapers in the
machine and gradually applied a force
up to 1000 tons which warped it out
of shape and made it totally unfit for
use. He noted what it would safely
bear.
On the other hand a steel bar three
feet lonS and three and one-half inches
in diameter was supported by its ends.
A delicate device showed a sag Of this
bar OF one-hundred thousandths part
of an inch by a pressure of a finger on
its centre. The weight of a pin laid
upon It's centre produced the same re-
suit.
The scales used will weigh very
heavy objects, others the smallest con
ceivable one will weigh accurately to
a fifty millionth part of an ounce. 1t
is kept under several glass cases and
no n approaches it nearer than ten
feet, lest the heat of the body would
affect its accuracy. 1t is manipulated
by rods and read by powerful tele-
scopes set on firm pillars.
The standard measure of length is
the meter furnished by the French
government. Some years ago | visit
ed the bureau of standards near Paris.
The length of this standard meter bar
was ~perceptibly increased by the heat
of my finger which the guide asked
me to lay on it. 1t was shown by re-
fecting mirrors. Nothing | saw in
Europe made a more lasting impress
sion.
| found the same accuracy in the
measurement of time, electricity, light,
heat, thermometers, barometers,
strength of cement, silk, colors-al-
most everything that is manufactured.
It's importance can be appreciated
when we learn that on investigation in
the different states the loss to the con
sumers was fully 800, 900 600. The re-
violations made, have led most of the
states and cities to enact laws that
are correcting this loss to the people.
In some states thousands of scales
and measures have been condemned
and destroyed or shipped to other
states that have no strict laws. 1t is
easy to appreciate this work but the
value Of the devices for the almost in.
; finitely accurate measurements can be
understood only by the skilled scient.
ist. One example may show its value.
The Averoid Barometer is used to
detect heights. To test their accuracy
several of the best makes were taken
up in an aeroplane. One of them re.
corded 1000 feet, while another gave
l less than 1,400 feet.
For illustrations and fuller de,
I scription Of the bureau of standards
read the article in the February mum
Der of the National Geographic Maya.
zine. 1t deserves to be studied by the
l people. There are many other great
institutions in Washington. The
Smithsonian collections and investiSa.
tons are the greatest in the world
| The work of the various bureaus OF
the agricultural department is reach.
ing out into every corner Of the coun
try to make it better. The large well
arranged libraries, the hospitals, the
law courts, and other institutions are
unsurpassed. All of these we hope to
see organized into a great national in.
stitution for instruction and study
The country needs it, the government
needs it, the world would be helped by
ii. The people have put more than
/ 500, 900, 900 in them and when proper
ly organized they will surpass those OF
any other country.
Every American who can should see
Washington. In many respects it is a
better place to spend a winter than
some of the southern resorts,
w. H. H. Phillips.