272 ROCHESTER ACADEMY OF SCIENCE 



EMIL KUICHLING 

 (Read before the Academy, December 9, 1918.) 



Rochester owes a heavy debt to Emil Kuichling for the devotion 

 of his high abilities and honest purpose to the engineering work 

 of the city, and the Academy of Science is honored by his connec- 

 tion. 



He was born at Kehl, Germany, January 20, 1848. His father, 

 Louis Kuichling, a graduate in medicine of Gottingen and Freiburg, 

 was sentenced to death for participation in the revolution of 1848, 

 but escaped to America and settled in Rochester. Emil studied 

 at private schools, and at the age of 14 was apprenticed to a mas- 

 ter builder. Later he was employed in the office of the City Sur- 

 veyor, and worked winters in the local office of the Erie Canal 

 engineer. In 1868 he graduated at the University of Rochester in 

 the Arts course, and in 1869 received the degree of Civil Engineer. 

 Then in two years he covered the three years course at the Poly- 

 technic School of Carlsruhe. Germany, obtaining another C. E. 

 degree in 1872. All his vacations were used in practical work or 

 in examination of engineering works in America or Europe. From 

 1873 to 1885 he was Assistant Engineer of the Rochester water- 

 works, and then was elected to the Executive Board of the city. 

 This latter position he resigned in 1887 in order to superintend 

 the construction of the East Side sewer. During trips to Europe 

 he studied the details of European sanitary engineering and was 

 recognized as a leading American authority in that branch of engi- 

 neering, and his services as an expert were in demand. In 1890 

 he became chief engineer of the Rochester waterworks, resigning 

 about 1900 to devote himself to his large private practice. He 

 had much to do with the planning of the new conduit from Hem- 

 lock Lake and with the sewage disposal system that removes the 

 sewage from the Genesee River. He was consulting engineer on 

 the State canal work; was called as an expert in many important, 

 litigations ; and was consulted by many cities in the United States 

 and Canada on matters of water supply and sewage disposal. He 

 was a member and officer of many engineering organizations and 



