The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-04-11
ENGINEERS HAVE l CORK|NG TIME ON | BIRMINGHAM TRIP Dinner Last Night Happy Ending to Busy Days Entertainment ICROCKARD SPEAKS ON LOCAL METHODS Visitors Commend Specially the Ad- vanced Civic Ideas They Found
 Being Put Into

ment rendered the members of the American Society of Mechanical Engi- | neers who were in the city yesterday night in their special train for New Orleans, where the spring meeting of the society begins this morning. The visiting engineers and the mem- bers of their families accompanying them over the district were thoroughly delighted with their reception here and all the speakers at the dinner last night paid high tribute to the hospitality of the people of Birmingham as we'll
 as expressing their surprise at the splendid showing made by the district in an industrial way.
 R. B. Brakeman, chairman of the local division of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, was the toastmaster and the visitors were well comed to the city by Commissioner John R. Hornady, who made an ex- ceptionally happy speech. On account of the inability of W. c. Radcliffe, gen eral manager of the Chamber of Com merce, to attend, Commissioner Hor- iioNS eeioO opOho Ioi eAoI VI 5eihlAA tioA. PRAISES LOCAL SOCIETY Calvin w. Rice, general secretary of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, congratulated the Birming- ham division of the society upon the splendid way in which it had started
 out since its organization, and he ex- pressed the hearty appreciation of the ,Inr +1,o f4r tion given them by the local organiza- tion.
 Tt was especially thoughtful of the local members to send a member to Chicago and another to New York to accompany the two trains south, and then have a committee meet us in Chat tanooga and complete the trip" said MT. Rice. "The members of our society throughout the country are constantly
 playing larger and more important part in all matters of public interest, and I am certain that Commissioner
 Hornady and the city government will find that the local society will stand ready at all times to aid in any move
 ment for civic betterment and give their services and advice as engineers without cost to the city.
 You have in the membership of the local society some of the ablest men in the country, and I am glad to know that Frank H. Crockard vice president and general manager of the Tennessee Coal, Iron and Railroad company, is the choice of the Alabama engineers to make an industrial survey of the state of Alabama for the government in connection with the decision of Con- gress that an accurate accounting of the industrial resources of the nation as well as the military resources should be known"
 CROCKARD IS SPEAKER Frank H. Crockard, who was the principal local speaker, made an able talk, setting forth the advantages of the Birmingham district in an indus trial way and explaining to the engi- neers present, in a technical way, the
 methods employed in handling the raw
 materials of the district and the sys- tems used in turning out the various products of iron and steel The talk of MT. Crockard was one of the most 1 interesting of the occasion and his ex- planation of the operation of the coal and ore mines, the various sources of supply and the manner in which these materials were handled at the furnaces. 1 steel mills and other large industries proved very interesting.
 l In the absence of President Jacobus of | the society, who went to New Orleans | by boat, pr. W. F. M. Goss, former pres- dent, spoke for the visitors. He told of I a visit made by the members of the so- 1 ciety to Birmingham, England, six years | ago. and of the wonderful industrial dis 1 trict they saw at the British city. He
 drew a parallel between old Birming- I l.. %lx1 nit ne i America and declared that the resources
 and the industries of this district had
 proved just as interesting as had those | in the foreign country.
 ADVANCED CIVIC IDEAS
 q have been much impressed today in
 going over this district with the ad-
 varced civic and community ideas I saw l exemplified at the plants of the various | companies said Dr. Goss. At every place we went we found that the com panies were encouraging their employees
 to have neat, orderly homes, well kept yards attractive and profitable gardens
 Tn fact there was everywhere evident an
 orderliness and cleanliness as we'll as a
 dignity about the homes of the employees | that showed that the industrial corpora l tions of this district are abreast of the
 tines and in line with the most modern ideas and methods
 1 Tn the WOfQS or one Ol our DcSt hiioWi ex- Presidents of the country. we have had "a perfectly corking time in Bir-
 mingham," said Charles Winning Baker editor of the Engineering News. "The trip over the industrial district was a revelation to many of us, and the vel l come we have received surpassed oul l Highest expectations I repeat we have had a perfectly corlSing time and | want to take a vote on resolutions have drawn setting forth the thanks o the visitors for this entertainment Ths resolutions were adopted by the hearty
 and unanimous vote of the crowd.
 Before the visitors left for the train Chairman Brakeman announced that th'
 local society proposed to have the spring
 meeting in Birmingham at an early date
 and the announcement was greeted Witi applause by the crowd.
 The entertainment of the visitors wa!
 in charge of the executive committee O
 local society. of which R. F. Brakeman
 was chairman, c. B. Davis, vice chair
 man; Paul Wright, secretary. and F. G
 Cutler and J. IT. Klinck, associate mem
 bers.
 ] PLANTS VISITED
 During the day the visitors were car
 ried over the industrial district on spe
 cial train, and barbecue was served a
 Bayview at o'clock yesterday. Anon; the industries visited were Thomas fur
 mace, blast furnaces at Ensley, open
 hearth and rail mill, Edgewater coa mine. Fairfield by-product plant. and tn
 plants of the American Steel and Wir
 company. After the return to the city the Birmingham Manufacturers Perma nent Exhibit building was visited Tn . dinner was given at o'clock to alloy I .ixx fr,. Tar