124 BULLETIN OF THE ESSEX INSTITUTE. 



suffered the most serious bereavement it was possible to 

 sustain. Dr. Wheatland's withdrawal is the only occur- 

 rence in the past with which this disastrous event can be 

 compared. It seems fit that some expression should be 

 made, however inadequate, of our share in a grief that is 

 spontaneous, profound and universal. The light and life 

 that have gone out of this community leave an especial 

 shadow on the Essex Institute. I ask }'ou to consider 

 this resolve. 



Resolved: That the Essex Institute has no brighter 

 page in her history than that just closed by the distress- 

 ing loss of Thomas F. Hunt, and that the Board of 

 Directors be and they are hereby requested to prepare for 

 our records and to offer to the public, at a future day, 

 some due memorial of a career so high, so honorable, and 

 so distinguished. 



The President then asked those present if they would 

 indicate their approval of the resolution by a rising vote. 

 Every person in the large audience arose. 



Mr. Rantoul then introduced the speaker of the even- 

 ing, Prof. T. C. Mendenhall, a member of the Massachu- 

 setts Highway Commission, who told of the work being 

 done in Massachusetts and showed the various stages of 

 road building with lantern views. He traced the develop- 

 ment of roads from the narrow foot path when pack ani- 

 mals were used, and the wider path and rude bridges 

 when the two-wheeled cart was invented, to the better 

 roads required by the four-wheeled wagon carrying heavy 

 freight. He spoke of the turnpikes owned by corpora- 

 tions, when a fixed rate was charged for a given number 

 of miles. It is only a few years since the toll gate about 

 a mile from this city was abolished. With the introduc- 

 tion of railroads, turnpikes fell into disuse and until a 

 comparatively few years no effort was made to promote 



