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By J. WILLIAM WETTER

WHEN the privilege was extended to me to address this meeting I could not help but make a mental review of my own activities and experiences in connection with association work. After having spent about 16 years in the mining engineering field, I entered into the operating branch of coal mining which afforded, about 12 years ago, my first opportunity of attending a meeting of our local Association and sitting in with the "big boys" of the industry. This was quite a thrilling experience because I had heard a great deal about the various operators who belonged to the Association and knew, or at least thought I knew, that a certain group dominated its affairs and that a "clique" was in control of a sizable "roller" which could be "steamed up" at will to flatten out any opposition which might appear upon the horizon or under it, too, for that matter. Now, I was to have the privilege of observing this "clique" at first hand, of seeing a small group making the policies and shaping the destinies of a great industry and planning the activities of an important Association while a large majority of the members would sit by either complacently or otherwise with the full knowledge that the "roller" was in waiting to reduce them to ribbons at the first sign of resistance.

Jan 1, 1930

By AIME AIME

FOR the development of a mine, a shaft of small cross-section is usually sunk, of no larger size than is absolutely necessary. After the mine has been developed and put on a production basis it is a common practice to sink a shaft of larger cross-section for hoisting and use the original shaft for the handling of men and material into the mine. While that ar¬rangement is usually expedient, the small size of the supply cages presents a problem in the handling of ma¬terial. Where a cage is, say, 4 by 4 ft., which is not an uncommon size, all lengthy and bulky material must be handled piece by piece several times from the supply department to the underground stations. Thus drill steel and timbers over 4 ft. long will be loaded on cars at the supply department and wheeled to the shaft, where each piece must be unloaded from the cars and stood up in the cage. They are then lowered to the shaft station, unloaded piece by piece and placed in cars, run to the supply station and again unloaded and stored until called for. In such a case handling becomes a major item in the cost of supplies.

Jan 1, 1930

By AIME AIME

CHARACTERIZING the annual meeting as the biggest and best one yet has happened so repeatedly that some may suspect it has become a conventional phrase, like "good morning," and yet, what else can be said when not only one but all the many who express an, opinion use exactly those words, while the first of the two adjectives refers to a physical fact that is established by count. Perhaps there were hose who thought it not the best, but if so they were too tactful to say it out loud. So without further ado . let us admit that the one hundred and thirty-ninth general meeting of the A. I. M. E. held; as our By-laws provide, in New York during the third week of February, was the biggest and best of them all. Perhaps it is because we appreciate friendliness more as we grow older, but somehow the friendly atmosphere seems to rise slowly in temperature with the passing of the years. The actual atmosphere on the opening morning was quite the contrary, Feb. 17 being the coldest clay, so far, of this winter, and the suburbanites claimed that their thermometers had registered 5" below zero when they got up, though the official records of the weather man did not go that low. From that time the temperature steadily rose until Thursday afternoon, when the official record of 66" constituted a record high for Feb. 20 at New York. The weather man explained it by learned discussion of highs and lows, but we suspect the A.I. M. E. members must have had something to do with it.

Jan 1, 1930

By Edward P. Barrett

DURING the past few years numerous references have been made in the technical press and Bureau of Mines Bulletin 270 to sponge iron' and so-called "direct metal" processes. The idea has been prevalent that sponge iron and "direct metals" are cheap commodities. In many instances it has been proposed that these processes be used to treat low-grade ores, utilizing low-grade coals as reducing agents. It is questionable whether or not high-grade sponge iron can be made from low-grade materials. Particles contain¬ing iron oxide and gangue become, upon almost complete deoxidation, particles containing metallic' iron and gangue. The possibility of mechanically separating the metallic iron from the gangue in these particles depends . on the physical characteristics of the particular ore under treatment. Some ores, in which the minerals constituting the gangue break free from the iron oxide upon crushing, may be concentrated magnetically after the iron oxides have been reduced to metal. The finely disseminated ores are least amenable to concentration. In general, high-grade sponge iron can only be made from high-grade raw materials. Sponge iron containing small amounts of sulfur can only be made from raw materials containing small amounts of sulfur or by

Jan 1, 1930

By AIME AIME

T HE Mining Methods Committee held its initial meeting* on Tuesday afternoon, with F. W. Bradley in the chair and W. Y. Westervelt as vice- chairman. The first paper to be presented was "A Plea for a U. S. Court of Patent Appeals," for which Kenneth W. Greenawalt ably pleaded. The paper (which was published in full in last month's issue) is so carefully prepared that no synopsis can do it justice. It discusses the opposed views of some patent lawyers and other lawyers and members of the judiciary as, for example, Chief Justice Taft who is quoted as saying in 1921: "I think it is a great deal better to take a first class lawyer and a first-class judge and make him a good patent expert than it is to take a patent expert and try to make him a first-class lawyer and a good judge." Mr. Greenawalt argued the need for specialized scientific and engineering interest and understanding to enable a lawyer or judge to prepare or interpret patent specifications and decide the originality necessary for a valid invention. He proposed the special U. S. Court of Patent Appeals to also counteract the costly confusion and injustice now ruling where a patent may be declared valid in the courts of certain States and invalid by the courts of other States.

Jan 1, 1930

By Oliver Bowles

THE most important non-metallic mineral industries from a tonnage standpoint are those that are allied with the construction industries and are engaged in handling sand and gravel, crushed stone, building stone, cement, lime and gypsum. The greatest problem facing a number of these industries at this time is over-production. They have experienced un- usual, and in some instances phenomenal, growth during recent years, stinlulated by extensive highway and building construction, but in some localities expansion of producing plants has far outstripped industrial needs. The cement industry is operating at about two- thirds capacity. Over-production tends toward price- cutting and unprofitable and interrupted operation, involving maintenance expenses for idle plants and disorganization of working forces. This condition has encouraged active efforts toward reducing production costs by the introduction of labor-saving equipment. Also, there is a tendency toward the location of manufacturing plants, wherever possible, near the centers of consumption rather than at points of production of raw materials. In order to reduce overhead expense, or for other reasons, many consolidations of companies into larger units have taken place. An economic study of conditions in these industries is highly desirable. The U. S. Bureau of Mines has taken one step forward in this direction in the issuance of Economic Paper 7, entitled "Economics of New Sand and Gravel Developments." Briefly, this report emphasizes the importance of making a thorough study of all the economic factors involved before undertaking new .enterprises.

Jan 1, 1930

By G. C. RIDDELL

THE metallurgist, chemist, and physicist are blazing trails that lead far afield. Pushing on into an "Alloy Age" they see a non-ferrous era over- taking iron and steel. Delving into the nature of the physical world, they break down a supposedly indivisible element, hydrogen. Not content with terrestrial problems, they peer back along the cosmic ray into iaterstellar space, glimpsing forces that are, apparently, still busy with the task of atom-making. Mastering and organizing the material and physical, they advance steadily toward that borderland of science where the concept of matter itself seems abandoned, and force is the substance left.

Jan 1, 1930

By P. B. Bucky

IN this day of steady progress in the mining industry, especially along mechanical lines, the question of whether to discard present equipment for that of a new type often engages the minds of many officials of mining companies. The rapid strides made from year to year sometimes cause this question to be brought up within a year after new equipment has been purchased and installed. It is a moot question whether a machine that has been purchased last year should be replaced by a new one put on the market this year. As I see it, the reasons for the replacement of present equipment may be summed up as follows: (1) because of increased safety; (2) because of legal regulations; (3) because of increased profits. I think all of us, as engineers, will endeavor to put in as safe equipment as it is possible to devise. The tendency of mining companies in that direction is very gratifying.

Jan 1, 1930

By AIME AIME

A. A. Holland, Consulting Engineer, Toronto, Ont.-I noticed in this discussion of locations in which radium is found, no mention is made of the recent deposits discovered in Ontario. While radium is not a subject with which I am very familiar, I took an interest in this deposit on account of its novel occurrence. It is found in Haliburton County, near Wilberforce, Ontario, associated with a quartz free pegmatite, in a "break" that I understand can be traced for two miles. This "break" marks the contact between the limestone and syenite and contains numerous cavities or vugs. The gangue, on account of its deep purple, appears to :be amethyst.

Jan 1, 1930

By AIME AIME

THE quarters provided for the session on Milling Methods, Monday afternoon, Feb. 17, were filled to capacity. Galen H. Clevenger presided and notables, such as A. W. Fahrenwald, A. O. Gates, F. A. Thomson, W. L. Zeigler and others who had not graced a milling meeting in New York in recent years, or per- haps even never before, were actually present and spoke "in person." The first paper, by A. W. Fahrellwald (T. P. 275), entitled "Classifier Efficiency ; An experimental Study," was summarized by the author, who clearly showed the inconsistency of determining the efficiency of a classifier by means of sizing tests, especially where the material classified consists of a mixture of minerals of different specific gravities. In place of sieve analysis the procedure recommended involves the use of a glass settling-tube which is considered to give ideal classification and thus serve as a standard against which mill classification will be compared and relative efficiency calculated. This procedure sounds logical. Perhaps the greatest difficulty may lie in securing an ideal classifier acceptable to every one.

Jan 1, 1930

By AIME AIME

TWO days of solid discussion, with barely time out for meals, characterized the Tulsa meeting of the Petroleum Division. It was preeminently an earnest gathering devoted to technical matters. Sessions were held in the Crystal room of the Mayo Hotel with luncheon served each day in the back of the same room so that talk of methods, while slightly less formal, extended right through the lunch hour. Thursday evening the Committee did provide a little relaxation in an informal dinner at the Tulsa Club where, after a brief musical program and an amusing skit by the local Herman the Great, brief addresses in non-technical vein were made by President Farish and Vice-president Rice of the Humble Company, Henry L. Doherty of Cities Service, Secretary. Bain of the Institute, and others. The presence of leading executives of a number of the oil companies at the dinner and the sessions, and the cordial approval they expressed of the work of the Division were especially gratifying. The total registration was 215 with 100 at the dinner and 70-to 80 lunching together each day.

Jan 1, 1930

By EDWARAD A. SIVEDENBORMG

REPORTS have been made at different times on the progress of water encroachment in the Frontier sands in the Salt. Creek oil field, Natrona county, Wyoming. All previous reports have, -however, been largely based on the position of water in the sands as determined by various physical tests. Subsequent information has been secured through a preliminary investigation of the porosity, grain size and degree of saturation of the Frontier sands. Also, a closer differentiation has been made between the waters encountered incident to the production of oil by means of chemical analysis. In view of the more recent developments there has been a need of a water encroachment map of the first Wall Creek based on a field survey and additional information acquired since the water encroachment map of the sand of 1926, by J. S. Ross and E. W. Henderson, petroleum engineers of the U. S. Geological Survey. The present report is confined to a study of the first Wall Creek sand and was written in connection with the preparation of the map, showing water encroachment in this sand. The first Wall Creek sand was the discovery sand in the field, the first well having been drilled in 1908. Its thickness averages 120 ft. and, varies between 90 and 160 ft. The sand is in the Colorado group of the Upper Cretaceous series and is further considered as a part of the Frontier formation found in other parts of Wyoming.

Jan 1, 1930

By AIME AIME

DOUBT in anyone's mind that this is the age of metals, industrially speaking, could easily have been dispelled by attending the National Metal Congress in Chicago, Sept. 22 to 26. Iron, copper and aluminum; zinc, lead and nickel, often alloyed with each other or with some of a dozen minor metals, make the materials without which the modern world could not run. Science, pure and applied, is doing marvels in finding new mixtures, new alloys to meet new needs; in developing new means of rolling, fabricating, casting and welding metals cheaply-and effectively. These and related matters were the subject of 100 papers presented at 33 seperate sessions of the organizations that participated in the congress.

Jan 1, 1930

By Scott Turner

IT has been considered that the training of an engineer is too often vocational training; that it is a pity all engineers cannot have had a period of liberal training before taking up' pure engineering. Offhand, the so-called liberal courses should bring more ready adaptability to deal with the unexpected, to face with assurance situations which have had no parallel in one's experience, and to move without hesitation under conditions which were heretofore unknown to one, than the specialized course in mining engineering. We hear increasing talk as to the necessity of making the engineer articulate and bringing him into public life. The social implications, and responsibilities of engineering are pointed out, as of equal importance with the prodigious marvels of engineering ingenuity. You often read of this as the logical result of the in¬creasing consciousness of the engineer as to his rela¬tive position in our modern industrial civilization. , Some wag has noted that man is the noblest work of God, but that man is the only one who has said so. Perhaps engineers are the only claimants as to the necessity of their going in for public life and service; at any rate, some liberal educators' still maintain that a well-rounded general education is the better training.

Jan 1, 1930

By CLYDE M. EYE

THE Sub-province of Benguet is in the North Central part of the Island of Luzon. Baguio, the capital, is situated on a piateau 5000 ft. above sea level, and is the main health resort of the Philippines. It is rapidly becoming the favorite resort for the China Coast as well, and has many miles of beautiful, curving drives with nearly every pine-covered knoll surmounted by a summer home. The United States Army has a recreation post here, known as Camp John Hay, with a well-equipped hospital, and there is a Country Club with a good golf course adjacent. The weather during the winter months and until late spring is ideal. The business center consists mainly of Chinese and Japanese stores, several hotels, and a large public market, in which are displayed all of the vegetables of the temperate zone, which are flown near Baguio, and many tropical and other products brought up from below. This district is reached from the Coastal Plain either by the old Benguet road built in 1904 by the United States Government, or by the Naguilian road, built some years later. The former is now a toll road, with a line of stages operating over it to and from Des Mortes in connection with the government-owned rail- road. Auto travel from Manila is also along this road, the trip from Manila to Baguio requiring about seven hours, following up the great valley north of Manila for nearly 150 miles to the lower end of the Benguet road, and thence to Baguio, 25 miles. This is an interesting, scenic trip; the road is especially famous for the zig zags where it climbs out of the canyon of the Bued River to the plateau. In the September number of the National Geographic Magazine, a fine aerial picture of this road, as well as of other interesting points in various parts of the Philippines, appears. Freight for the district is taken in mainly over the Naguilian road connecting with the railroad at Bauang. This route follows the ridges of the mountain slope with broad vistas and views of the coast.

Jan 1, 1930

By Donald K. Weaver

THERE have been eight different oil zones identified and produced at Santa Fe Springs, of which three or four are in turn divided into two or three parts. These zones are, from top to bottom, the Foix, difference of opinion over this nomenclature, with reference to the different zones referred to as Clark, it has no particular bearing on the water problems. Each of these oil zones has had waters of varying salinity associated with it, either within or at the bottom of the 'zone. Table 1 is a tabulation of the zones, their maximum thicknesses, salinity and heads of various waters. Surface waters are fresh, and of high head, giving artesian flow in some instances.

Jan 1, 1930

By AIME AIME

AT the meeting on Engineering Education on Mon- A day afternoon E. A. Holbrook, of the University of Pittsburgh and chairman of the Committee, presided as chairman with W. B. Plank acting as vice- chairman. About sixty members of the educational fraternity were present. Dean Holbrook, after a few introductory remarks, introduced the first speaker of the afternoon, Charles Y. Clayton, who then presented his paper, "Why Do So Few Elect Metallurgy?" in which he stressed the fact that ,one of the things the study of metallurgy ,now needs is publicity and public education on what metallurgy is and 'does. Another thing he brought out is that the study of metallurgy has been looked on for many years merely as a branch of other departments. He gave tables showing past and present enrollment in the course of metallurgy in various schools.

Jan 1, 1930

By COREY C. BRAYTON

OUR first air travel began at Barranquilla on a trip to the platinum dredging-operations at Andagoya. The fare is based on a minimum weight of passenger, and I will have to admit that the minimum is too low. To make this trip by boat would have necessitated going back to the Canal, thence down to Buena Ventura, and up the San Juan river, which would have taken, counting delays, two or three weeks. The time by Scadta airplane was six hours. We stopped at Cartagena for a day to look over that historic city. The route from there lay along the north coast to the mouth of the Atrato river, then up this river, over the jungle, and over a divide some 300'ft. in elevation and down the San Juan river a few miles to Andagoya at the junction of the Condoto. The General

Jan 1, 1930

By AIME AIME

COAL preparation will be the main topic discussed at the first fall meeting of the Coal Division at Pittsburgh, Sept. 11, 12 and 13, though valuation, mergers, safety, stream pollution and other topics will not' be neglected. It is particularly appropriate that the great changes taking place in preparing coal for the market should be discussed at length where in the plants of the Pittsburgh Coal Co. and others the opportunity is afforded to see on a large scale just what is being accomplished. In wartime, the United States broke all records in coal production, but, as the late Franklin K. Lane pointed out, every fifth car shipped consisted of dirt. Obviously that constituted a big bur- den on industry and, in the remaking of the business which is now taking place both in the anthracite and bituminous fields, clean coal has properly enough be- come a watchward. Central coal-cleaning plants are being erected as a part answer to the puzzled inquiry of those familiar with metal mining as to why miners of coal have so long been content with what are relatively small units of production. Gradually big collieries comparable in tonnage output to the biggest copper mines are being built, and excellent examples are to be seen near Pittsburgh. Even the age-long tradition of the coal operator in favor of the single shift is

Jan 1, 1930

By HERRBERT HOOVER

I AM glad to join with my fellow-members in this celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of the founding of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. It would be a difficult task to measure the blessings brought by this association through the stimulation to invention, the improvement of methods, the adequate training of engineers and the advancement of knowledge in a large sense. During its span of life it has contributed a great part in the development of an art into a mighty profession upon whose capacity and fidelity rest so much of human progress. "I feel especially honored that the association should, through the beneficence of Mr. Lauer, have established a new distinction among engineers, and should have designated me as its first recipient. The purpose of this medal is to mark the public service of men who have gone outside their strictly professional work to interest themselves in civic and humanitarian affairs. And the engineers have something to contribute to public service. . "With the development of our great national tools -our engines, our railways, our automobiles, our airplanes, our steamships, our electric power and a score of other great implements, together with the supplies of material upon which they depend-the engineer has added vastly to the problems of government, for government must see that the control of these tools and these materials is not misused to limit liberty and freedom, that they advance and do not retard equality of opportunity among all our citizens.

Jan 1, 1930