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At the meeting of the Board of Directors of the Institute on Jan. 26, 1917, the following actions were taken: Messrs. A. C. Clark, Lawrence Addicks and G. D. Van Arsdale were appointed Tellers to count ballots for Officers and Directors. Messrs. T. T. Read, V. S. Harper, and. E. J. Hall were appointed Tellers to count ballots on revised spelling. The Finance Committee's audit for the year 1916 was approved and ordered filed. The Report of the Finance Committee upon the method of raising this Institute's share of the deficit on the additions to the building was approved and accepted. Upon the recommendation of the Secretary, increases in the salaries of some of the employees were approved. The St. Louis Section received an appropriation of $200 for the year 1917. The Columbia Section received an appropriation of $150 for the year 1917. The Montana Section received an appropriation of $100 for the year 1917. The Colorado Section received an appropriation of $175 for the year 1917. The Utah Section received an appropriation of $125 for the year 1917. The Puget Sound Section received a set of Transactions in standard binding. The International Engineering Congress received a loan of $300 until the Congress can realize upon some of its assets.

Jan 3, 1917

PUGET SOUND SECTION SIMON H. ASH, Chairman, I. F. LAUCKS, Vice-Chairman, CHARLES SIMENSTAD, Sec.-Treas., 425 Lyon Building, Seattle, Wash. GLENVILLE A. COLLINS, JOHN N. POTT. The Puget Sound Section met at the Arctic Club, Oct. 28, 1916, for the annual meeting. Those present were: Chairman Glenville A. Collins, Vice-Chairman H. L. Manley, Sec.-Treas. Amos Slater, Chester F. Lee, R. P. Tarr, G. E. Rockefeller, Simon Ash, Geo. W. Evans, Joseph Daniels, I. F. Laucks, F. C. Greene, Darsie C. Bard, Marcel Daly, Milnor Roberts, F. A. Hill, Percy E. Wright, and as guest, Mr. Coates of British Columbia. After dinner had been served, Chairman Collins called the meeting to order. The reading of the minutes of the last meeting were suspended upon request of the Secretary. The Secretary read the report from the Committee on the Associated Engineering Societies of Seattle. Upon motion, duly seconded, the report was adopted and placed on file. Mr. Lee, Chairman of the Committee. on the Mining Men's Convention to be held this coming winter, gave his report orally, and upon motion the committee was continued. The report of the Secretary-Treasurer was read, received, and placed on file.

Jan 3, 1917

By J. F. Wolff

CARL ZAPFFE, Brainerd, Minn. (communication to the Secretary*).¬Unless one has actually directed explorations for iron ore, it is doubtful whether the importance of Mr. Wolff's paper, the value of the information contained, and the large amount of detail work involved in what is set forth can be fully appreciated. It is indeed rare to get such a com-

Jan 3, 1917

Report of President The important fact of the year 1916 is that on July 25 contracts were executed by which the American Society of Civil Engineers because an additional Founder Society and arranged to make its permanent home in our building. The contracts provide for the construction of three additional stories to the building, the American Society to pay the cost tip to $250,000, this being considered equivalent to what each other Founder Society had contributed, the American Society to participate in the original Carnegie gift and have an equal share in the property with each other Founder society. The construction of the addition to the building is under way, $62,525.04 having been expended thereon in 1916. It has been found that, clue to war conditions and the advanced price of materials, the cost of the addition will be $300,000. The founder societies have been requested to assume the extra $50,000, one quarter each. This work is in charge of a Building Committee consisting of H. H. Barnes, Jr., Chairman, E. G. Spilsbury, Charles Warren Hunt and Charles F. Rand. At the request of the Founder Societies, important alterations were made in the lecture halls on the fifth floor of the building to make the same suitable for social functions of the societies. The cost, $6,642.08, was advanced by the United Engineering Society but is to be paid eventually by the Founders. The Library of the civil Engineers is being merged with the Library of the United Engineering. Society and the other founder societies. At the present time the membership of the four founder societies is 29,000 and of associate societies 23,000, so that a total of 52,000 engineers now have their headquarters in our building. The value of the real estate now owned by this Society is $1,647,171.16. This sum will be increased at the end of 1917 by the amount of the cost of the addition to the building.

Jan 3, 1917

Minute of the Board of Directors, Jan. 26, 1917 In the name of all the members of the American Institute of Mining Engineers, this Board extends to. Mr. Herbert C. Hoover, an honored Vice-President of the Institute, on the occasion of his present temporary return to his native land, the cordial welcome of his colleagues, and their congratulations upon the noble work splendidly done by the Commission for Relief in Belgium of which he is the head. It is understood that a leading purpose of Mr. Hoover's visit to America at this time is the collection of additional funds, to be administered by his Commission in the care of the destitute children of Belgium. To this enterprise endorsed by both the belligerent parties, as well as inspired by the purest and tenderest sentiments of humanity, contributions are solicited from engineers, especially through an organization known as the "Belgian Kiddies Limited," which this Board, heartily approving its object and method, recommends to the consideration of the members of the Institute. On motion duly seconded it was unanimously VOTED.-That this minute be spread upon the record of the Board, and published in the Bulletin, and that a copy thereof be transmitted to Mr. Hoover, and to the San Francisco Section of the Institute.

Jan 3, 1917

By E. Maltby Shipp

WALLACE MCKEEHAN, Douglas, Ariz. (communication to the Secretary*).-In going over this report, which I have done very carefully, I find that the summary as composed deals with the various problems almost entirely from the employer's standpoint and that practically no consideration is given to the employee's point of view. An experience of 3 ½ years as safety inspector, and almost 30 years as workman-and official, has convinced me that any plan for the betterment of working conditions which will achieve any degree of success must give the workmen their share of responsibility and allow them full participation. The company may finance and direct the movement, but its ultimate success depends upon the support given by the workmen. The cooperation of the men doing the actual work is so essential that all writers insist that this must he secured, but they do not agree as to how this can best be done.

Jan 3, 1917

By A. L. Field

A. W. FAHRENWALD, Socorro, 'N. M. (communication to the Secretary*).-When asked to discuss Mr. Feild's paper, I felt most highly complimented to have the privilege of commenting on such a worthy and needed piece of apparatus. In consideration of the importance of the viscosity of blast-furnace slags and the relation existing between the' melting point of a slag and its viscosity, the introduction of this apparatus should be a welcome means or assistant in the study of the physical properties of a slag. Up to the present time, it is A fact that this side of the practical working of the blast furnace has been sadly neglected by those investigating slags. It is easily seen that the fluidity of a slag is of as great importance as its melting point. It is not necessarily true that a slag having a low melting point will have a correspondingly low viscosity or be highly fluid. For example, a slag having a melting point of 1,100° C. may have to be superheated to, say,1,300° C., in order to have as high a fluidity as another slag whose melting point is, say, 1,250° C. The latter in this case would be the more economical. This point has been brought out very nicely by Mr. Feild. Before discussing this paper further, I think it will be well to outline some of the points, a discussion of which may be in order:

Jan 3, 1917

NEW MEMBERS The following list comprises the names of those persons who became members during the period Jan. 1, 1917 to Feb. 10, 1917. ALLEN, ROBERT SEXTON, Chief Chemist at Concentrator, Inspiration Cons. Copper Co. Globe, Ariz. ALTIO, KARL FREDRIK, Min. Engr., The Sissert Mining District Co., Ltd., Polefskoy Zavod, Perm Government, Russia. ARGALL, PHILIP HENRY, Mgr., Ozark Smelt. & Min. Co., Magdalena, New Mexico. BAILEY, MARC Supt., Wolverine & Arizona Min. Co., Bisbee, Ariz. BAKER, DAVID FRANKLIN, Asst. Supt. of Blast Furnaces, Alan Wood, Iron and Steel Co., Swedeland, Pa. BATES, BENNETT R, Min. Engr 1025 Peoples Gas Bldg., Chicago, Ill. BECK, HOWARD A Shift Foreman, Aurora Cons. Mines Co. Aurora, Nev. BELL, LEO RICHARD Casilla 270, La Paz, Bolivia, South America. BENJAMIN, FLOYD SHAW, District Mgr., Aetna Explosives Co., Inc., 800 Torrey Bldg., Duluth, Minn.

Jan 3, 1917

By H. Kobbè William

ARTHUR KNAPP, Ardmore, Pa. (communication to the Secretary*).¬On p. 2275 I find a quotation from Mr. Thompson regarding the fountains of the Baku field. I have seen a large number of these gushers or fountains. In every case where unusual amounts of sand were produced the wells caved in and shut off in a few clays and were an absolute loss Very often the formation had caved so far up as to allow the water to enter the oil strata, and not only was the well lost but the ground for many acres around the well was useless for drilling purposes because the disturbed ground had allowed the gas and oil to dissipate and the water to enter. On p. 2268, Mr. Thompson is again quoted regarding the Balakhany field. If the text is consulted further, it will be found that the oil at Balakhany is heavy only in contradistinction to the Bibi Eibat, field. The gravity of the oil at Balakhany is from 28 to 32. Also, it must be noted that the illustration is taken from the conditions in the older part of the field. This field was first chilled 40 years ago, and was a worn-out field 15 years ago. The wells which produce sand are wells in which the casings are practically gone and the formations are full of water. The sand must be bailed from these wells because the clays from the upper stratum have caved into the wells and are obstructing the passage of oil. On p. 2262 is the statement that the Russian wells cannot be pumped on account of the large amounts of free sand produced. They have never tried pumping in the Baku field to any extent. Wherever tried, it has proven a great success. If we take the author's theories as correct and wish to put them into practice, it would first be necessary to consider a few figures. Let us assume that we produce oil and sand together in the proportion in which they exist in the productive strata. It is not uncommon to have wells in the California field which are not gushers, but which, by pumping, produce 1,000 bbl. per clay the first 100 clays.

Jan 3, 1917

By Stephen Taber

JOHN C. BRANNER, Stanford University, Cal. (communication to the Secretary *).-Wideawake teachers of geology are constantly on the lookout for good illustrations of veins, especially where the processes of formation are either clearly shown or suggested. And I long ago found out that one who would learn nature's laws must despise nothing. It thus happened that in 1910, Dr. George J. Peirce of the depart-ment of botany at Stanford University called to my attention a cracked and broken yellow earthenware dish, 8 ½ in. across the top and 2 ½ in. deep, that, to the ordinary observer, seemed to be of no further use, and quite ready for the waste can. The striking thing about this dish was that the thin glaze over much of the outside surface and over the upper margin of the inside surface had been lifted in small scales, varying in. diameter from ½ cm. to 1 cm., and thrust outward and held there by some sort of white fibrous mineral. The process looked very much like one we are familiar with in the Southern States where. we often see in the winter pebbles and soil thrust out from a clay bank or lifted from a clay soil and held there supported by what is popularly known as needle-ice. Upon inquiry I learned the following facts in regard to the history of this particular dish: In the summer of 1910, it had been partly filled with a concentrated salt solution taken from one of the salterns of the Stauffer Chemical Co. at Redwood City, Cal. A qualitative analysis of the original brine showed: Present: iron, magnesium, sodium, potassium, chlorides, sulphates, nitrates (trace), bromides, carbonates, borates (trace), and considerable amounts of organic matter. Absent: calcium, lithium and iodides.

Jan 3, 1917

The John Fritz Medal for the year 1917 has been awarded to Professor Henry Marion Howe for his investigations in metallurgy, especially in the metallography of iron and steel. Record of the John Fritz Medal. The John Fritz Medal Board of Award has published a book giving a history of the Medal, the Rules of Award, biographical notices of the medallists illustrated with portraits, etc. This beautiful book, designed, engraved and printed by Bartlett Orr Press, New York, may be obtained by addressing the Secretary of John Fritz Medal Board of Award, Engineering Societies' Building, New York. Price $3 per copy.

Jan 3, 1917

By W. H. Emmons

THE exploration of deposits of the metals will never become an exact science. There will always be an element of uncertainty in prospecting and developing mines. In countries where the surface has been closely scrutinized, most of the deposits whose outcrops contain valuable metals have probably been discovered. Many metalliferous deposits, however, are normally so much altered at the surface that the true significance of their outcrops is likely to be obscured. If a deposit is not exposed, its presence may become known by some one of its characteristics that is different in kind or in degree from a similar feature of the associated rock. Thus, a deposit that is not exposed may be discovered because of its magnetic property. So few minerals are strongly magnetic that the value of magnetic surveys is limited, but the dip needle has nevertheless proved of great aid in locating magnetic belts, and these in some regions are associated with workable iron ores. The Cuyuna Iron Range of Minnesota, which does not exhibit any outcrop of iron ore, was discovered by drilling "areas of attraction" that are due to belts of magnetic rocks associated with the iron ores. In some regions the use of the clip needle is justified, even if it does no more than reveal the strike of the rocks, since a knowledge of the latter enables the driller to locate and point his holes to advantage. The measures of gravity by the use of the pendulum are so accurate, or the limit of error is so small, that one might detect the presence of a concealed tabular deposit approximately at the surface, 34 ft. (10.36 m.) thick, having a density double that of the surrounding rocks. However, not many deposits have a density twice that of ordinary rocks and a thickness as great as 34 ft.; if they lie a short distance below the surface the density or the thickness must be even greater. Consequently, there is not much hope of sufficiently developing the gravity method of detecting deposits of heavy ores to make it of practical value. If the limit of error could be reduced to about one-tenth the present factor, and if the rather tedious and painstaking methods of determining gravity that are now in use could be simplified, the method would promise some degree

Jan 3, 1917

(Under this heading will be published notes sent to the Secretary of the Institute by members or other persons introduced by members) Member, Graduate Colorado School of Mines. Four years' experience in West and Northwest. Two years with American Smelting and Refining Co. Wishes to join field party on geological work, mining or areal, where opportunity will be given to be of direct assistance to chief of party in solution of field problems. Age, 26. Unmarried. At liberty June 1. No. 342. Member, technical graduate, aged 30, with' 7 years' experience in concentrating and mining, desires a position of authority with reliable company. At present employed. No. 343. Member. Ambitious, energetic, tactful engineer, college graduate, married, aged 30, desires location with a large coal mining organization. Seven years with present employers -n middle west; has had broad experience in the past eight years on examination, development and construction; successful record in handling men. Position must carry responsible work and a future. Will go anywhere for proper opportunity. Exceptional references as to reliability, character and capacity for work. No. 344.

Jan 3, 1917

By R. T. Mishler

I WISH to express my keen appreciation of the article on the above subject by Coe and Clevenger.1 It has been doubly interesting to me, for the reason that the experience recorded and the principles evolved practically parallel the results of similar investigations made by myself and others at The Lucky Tiger Mine, El Tigre, Sonora, Mex. An outline of the work at El Tigre may aid in confirming the principles expressed by Coe and Clevenger. El Tigre has the unenviable distinction of possessing a slime with a much lower settling rate than any recorded in the article discussed. Under most favorable conditions the settling rate is about one-third that reported for the Liberty Bell mill, and one-tenth that reported for the Nipissing, Golden Cycle, and Presidio mills. This slow settling characteristic of Tigre ore has necessitated careful investigation of settling phenomena throughout the various evolutions of the plant. PREVIOUS SETTLING INVESTIGATION AT TIGRE During construction work at the mill, the Metallurgical Engineer in charge, D. L. H. Forbes, ran a series of experiments on settling. His tests proved that deep settling tanks were not ordinarily necessary. The use of tanks 2 or 3 ft. in depth was suggested.2 Later experiments demonstrated that the following principles of settling applied to Tigre pulp.3 1. In settling dilute pulp, settling rates are independent of pulp depth. 2. In settling thick pulp, settling rates are approximately proportional to pulp depth.4

Jan 3, 1917

By Max Roesler

W. L. CUMINGS,* Bethlehem, Pa. (communication to the Secretary+). -In this discussion of Mr. Roesler's paper, I shall follow Kemp in using the term "granite" to refer to the acid rock called syenite by Kimball. Diorite, as I understand it, is the dark basic rock invariably closely associated with the orebodies. The types of rock of intermediate composition, mainly intrusives, are not under discussion. It is difficult for me to conceive that this granite is the ore-bearing agent, for the following reasons: 1. No isolated orebodies in the granite are known. It would seem that if this rock is the mineralizer, some small bodies, or at least patches and small masses of ore so situated would exist. 2. In 1909 the writer conducted explorations on the Pequena and Grande claims about 1 mile north of West Mine No. 5. This work was done after a very careful magnetic survey had shown a large and uniform area of attraction. As exploration progressed, it became evident that in this case the magnetic attraction was due to disseminated magnetite. Much ore of 40 per cent. Fe was found, but very little commercial ore was shown up. This ore was entirely in the diorite and no granite outcrops are near. The occurrence could easily have been described as "ore formation but very little ore." I cannot conceive how a remote granite intrusion could impregnate a diorite mountain with 40 per cent. of Fe, and prefer to believe that this 40 per cent. of iron was in its real home, rather than in a sort of dioritic "boarding house" after having been evicted by granitic parents. 3. The Ocaña mine, which has produced nearly 500,000 tons, shows no evidence that the granite is the mineralizer. This is admitted by Mr. Roesler on p. 1827. 4. I believe it will not be disputed that all the iron-ore deposits extending along the south coast for 60 or 70 miles are of a similar origin. Evidence available at other points might properly be referred to in discussing the article under review. At the La Plata mines, about 60 miles west of Santiago, the writer has also made explorations. No granite is in evidence. At one point in the bed of a creek is a small body of magnetite about 10 ft. long, entirely surrounded by a hard fresh diorite. To me

Jan 3, 1917

Feb. 5, 1917. To the President, Executive Mansion, Washington, D. C. We, the presidents of the national societies of Civil, Mining, Mechanical and Electrical Engineers and of the United Engineering Society, with a membership of thirty thousand, cordially unite in supporting Congress and the Administration in its stand for freedom and safety on the seas, and we are confident that we represent the membership of the four societies in offering to assist toward the organization of engineers for service to our Country in case of war. GEORGE H. PEGRAM, President of the American Society of Civil Engineers. L. D. RICKETTS, President of the American Institute of Mining Engineers. IRA N. HOLLIS, President of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. H. W. BUCK, President of the American Institute of Electrical Engineers. CHARLES F. RAND, President of the United Engineering Society.

Jan 3, 1917

By Henry Fay

LAWRENCE ADDICKS, New York, N. Y., (communication to the Secretary *).-There are two points regarding gun erosion on which I want to say a few words: The first is about the analogy to hardening of wire by drawing and the second the possible role played by thermal conductivity of the metal. The ductile metals do not necessarily become brittle when cold-worked as it is possible to draw copper from 3. in. in diameter soft rod down to the finest hair wire without annealing. This results, as stated in the paper, informing a hardened core with a very hard skin. The electrical conductivity is depressed some 3 per cent. and the tensile strength nearly tripled. A soft copper wire 0.08 in. in diameter and 6 in. long may be twisted 150 or more turns before the wire will snap under torsion. A hard-drawn wire will break after perhaps a dozen twists, the skin breaking down at one spot. Just wiping the wire with a cloth clamp with dilute nitric acid has a remarkable effect in increasing the number of twists without appreciably lowering the tensile strength, showing the skin to be very thin. On the other hand, pickling the rod, from which the wire is to be drawn, in dilute nitric acid also greatly increases the number of twists which can be applied to the resulting wire. This indicates that the copper oxide scale produced when the wire bar is rolled hot is more or less rolled into the rod and may have much to do with the skin effect. We also know that if the conditions of drawing are not correct, the heat of deformation in the die may produce quite an annealing effect. The application of this analogy to what occurs in a gun to produce the effects noted offers some difficulty. The second point is that as the temperature of the surface of the gun bore has undoubtedly a great deal to do with the amount of erosion, one natural remedy would be to conduct the heat away fast enough to keep this temperature within desired limits. This brings up the question of the thermal conductivity of the metal of which the gun is made. We know that the conductivity of pure metals is greatly altered by alloying and that the alloy is usually, though not always, lower in conductivity than the metal before alloying. This is interesting when it is considered that the high-nickel and manganese-steel alloys show greater erosion as stated. Would it not be instructive to study the question from the point of view of heat conducted away from the eroded surface?

Jan 3, 1917

One session of the annual meeting of the American Society of Civil Engineers-the first since this society became a Founder society with representation on the Board of the United Engineering Society-was held on Jan. 17, 1917, in the Engineering Societies' Building. Mr. Charles F. Rand, Past-President of this Institute, and President of the United Engineering Society, welcomed the new Founder society in the following words: "As one who has looked forward very earnestly to this clay, and who has made a modest effort in favor of the new arrangements, it is a peculiar satisfaction to be the representative of the Trustees of the United Engineering Society and to welcome you on the occasion of your first meeting in this building in which you now own' a quarter interest. "'As this is your annual meeting, I cannot take your time for extended remarks, yet it seems proper that I should call attention to a few facts respecting the United Engineering Society, with which you are now identified. "The United Engineering Society exists for the purpose of holding the legal title to certain of the property of the societies of Civil, Mining, Mechanical and Electrical Engineers and to act for them in certain matters. "The value of its property, including real estate, the Library and the Reserve and Endowment funds, exceeds two million dollars, all free and clear. "The total membership of the four Founder societies is 29,000 and the membership of associate societies is 23,000, making a grand total of 52,000 engineers who now have headquarters in this building.

Jan 3, 1917

By Edwin Chance

DURING the past 10 years, the safe and efficient lighting of the coal mines of this country has received an ever-increasing amount of attention. Several States have passed laws attempting to regulate the type of lamp to be used and the nature of the fuel to be burned, and the mining departments of coal-mining States have generally shown a keen and intelligent interest in this subject. The passage of the recent Employers' Liability Act in Pennsylvania has made it necessary for many coal-mining companies to take out liability insurance, and the companies underwriting such insurance have made it desirable for the insured to permit the use of, none but illuminants of established worth. While these conditions have not obtained for a sufficient length of time to permit the statement that the illumination of coal mines by portable lamps has been standardized, still, considerable progress has been made and the direction of future practice in this branch of coal-mining technology is very evident. Under these conditions it seemed that a review of the methods now used in coal-mine illumination, together, with a brief consideration of the principles underlying these methods, might be of some interest. Miners' lamps may be divided into three classes: The open light, the electric cap lamp and the flame safety lamp. It will be desirable to consider each of these classes separately, as each has properties peculiar to itself and one class is hardly comparable with another. In this country, without question, the open light is the most generally used of all miners' lamps. This fact is explained by the relative freedom of a large proportion of our mines from gaseous conditions, and by the admirable systems of ventilation installed in those that show a tendency toward such conditions. In the metal relines, the miner's candle has had and still has considerable vogue. Because of the small amount of ventilation usually supplied in metal mines, the freedom of the candle from any tendency to produce noxious gases or offensive odors, and the small amount of air it consumes, are. valuable assets, while, because

Jan 2, 1917

By S. Norton

IN the West, capitalists have expended many millions of dollars developing the low-grade porphyry ores of copper. Half a dozen of these great enterprises have proved to be wonderful commercial successes. They have demanded improved crushing and concentrating machinery and consequently it has been .developed. Many improved methods, cheap power, superior business organization, all these have contributed to this success, but the main feature is the handling of the material in enormous quantities, on a manufacturing scale. The mining chance of "striking it rich" has been eliminated by the manufacturing certainty, of handling large quantities of material of known valise, which while of relatively low grade, is available in large tonnages, assuring a supply for .many years' run of the mill. Then the returns on the money invested are sure. The concentration of low-grade magnetic iron ores, separating the magnetite crystals from the gangue by the use of magnets, is a field of work in which the lessons taught by the development of the porphyry coppers can be studied to advantage. Large-scale operations, and the liberal expenditure of enough money at the start to insure the most economical operations, are the means of securing the desired results. The problem is to utilize millions of tons, and we may safely say billions of tons, of now worthless iron-bearing rock and to, produce from it 10,000,000 to 20,000,000 tons per year of high-grade ore carrying 60 per cent. iron or, higher;. to take the lean material as found in nature, varying widely in iron content, and bring it up to a uniform standard of shipping ore. At present these ores are mined carrying from 25 to 50 per cent. iron, and the shipping product is brought up to 60 or 65 per cent. Fe. If future economies of operation make it possible to extend this process so that 15 per cent. iron in the crude ore can be treated as a commercial success, the additional tonnage available will be enormous. A 15 per cent. Fe crude ore raised to 60 per cent. Fe concentrate with 5 per cent.

Jan 2, 1917