Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-02-20
7WENY-YEAR SERVICE
TOPOCRAPHERS GATHER
Sixth Annual Dinner of Geological
Survey Experts Occasion Of
Good Fellowship.

The twenty-year-service topographers
of the geological survey celebrated
their sixth annual dinner at the Shore
ham last evening. This dinner is
unique, as only those who have served
twenty years in topographic work are
eligible for membership. There is no
real organization, but an unwritten
law. that of good fellowship, brings
these men together once a year to re-
new old friendships, to toast and good
naturally roast each other.
There are no formal speeches. no one
is allowed to talk more than five
minutes al one time. No distinguished
orators from the forums of the nation
electrify or thrill with their eloquence.
No man, however prominent. in other
fields Is permitted to be present. No
speeches on preparedness are neces-
sary. it is urged. as the men of the
topographic corps in their daily work
are trained in all that makes for pre-
paredness. The topographer must not
only be an expert in his engineering
and map-making. but must be capable
Of handling a pack train, shoeing a
ton, for their work takes them to the
widest and most desolate portions of
the United States.
Corps Well Trained.
The president is postmaster Of the
evening and is automatically installed,
his time to serve being based on the
date of his appointment in the topo-
graphic corps. Today the topographic
corps is one of the strongest and best
trained in the world, and many of the
scientific and economic bureaus of the
government have drawn on the topo-
graphic corps for men to handle their
executive work and direct their re-
searches. The reclamation service, bu-
reau of mines, international boundary
survey. Carnegie Institution and the
general land Office are among the num-
Der.
The president and toastmaster last
evening was r. c. Mckinney, who was
introduced by the retiring president, A.
Benson Searle. Mr.. Mckinney developed
much wit and merriment through
clever cartoons, Quips and other jests.
Glen s. Smith is chairman of the com
mittee on arrangements, the only cleo
tive office which he has held since the
organization. To him is given great
credit for the successful handling OF
the dinners.
Guests of Evening.
The guests. including several who
came from distant cities. were:
r. c. Mckinney. topographic en-
gineer: Hersey Munroe. topograp hic
engineer: Frank Sutton, geographer;
]. M. Whitman. topographic engineer;
W. Fl. Griffin. topographic engineer: A.
e. Murlin. topographic engineer;
George T. Hawkins. topographic en-
gineer: J. H. Jennings. geographer; A
P. Davis. director. reclamation service
w. H. Heron, chief geographer Frank
Tweedy, topographic engineer; s. S
Gannett, seographer: D. C. Harrison.
f. c. Barnard. commissioner interna :
tiona1 boundary survey; Oscar Jones.
topographic engineer: Robert Muldrow,
topographic engineer: r. B. Marshall.
superintendent Of national parks:
W. J. Peters. terrestrial expert.
Carnegie institution; f. T. Per-
graphic engineer; W. J. Lloyd. topo-
seographer: J. H. Wheat. topographic
engineer; w. NJ. Beaman, inspector; AL
bert Pike. topographic engineer; Glenn
s. Smith, topographic engineer: A. M
Walker. topographic engineer; Van H.
Manning, director bureau of mines: r
H. Chapman, topographic engineer; j
r. Ellis; James Mccormick. editor
Basil Duke, topographic engineer; w
l.. Miller, topographic engineer; T. c.
Gerdine, geoRrapher; Charles e. Cooke
Topographic engineer; f. l.. McNair, to-
geographic engineer: c. w. Goodlove
topographic engineer: Duncan Hanne-
gan, topogra phic engineer; A. Benson
Searle, topographic engineer.