1896.] REPORT OF ENGINEERING SECTION. I97, 



William F. Jordan read a very interesting paper on " Stone 

 Masonry," illustrating upon the blackboard the methods employed 

 to determine the stability of retaining walls and for proportioning 

 same, and also describing experience on the Buffalo, Rochester and 

 Pittsburg R. R. in repairing defective masonry piers by filling with 

 cement grout. The paper was discussed by Messrs. Cartwright, 

 Skinner, Brotsch, Kuichling, Fisher, Thompson, Munger, Story, 

 Raymond and McClintock, 



April 14th : Mr. Kuichling spoke of the death of Mr. John 

 Bisgood, Engineer of the Western Division of the Erie Canal and a 

 member of the Section, and on motion of Robert Cartwright the 

 following resolutions were adopted : 



' ' Resolved, That by the death of John Bisgood we are deprived 

 of an esteemed associate member, who was a good citizen, a sympa- 

 thetic friend, a warm hearted comrade, a considerate chief, an 

 entertaining companion, an experienced civil engineer and an honest 

 man, and it is fitting for us to note upon our records this tribute of 

 respect, together with an outline of his life. 



' ' Resolved, That a copy of these resolutions be sent to the family 

 of our deceased member and associate, and be published in the daily 

 papers of this city, and entered upon the records of the Rochester 

 Academy of Science." 



John Bisgood was born in Ireland 72 years ago. He came to 

 this country when 18 years old, locating at Albany, and securing a 

 position as draughtsman in the ofifice of the state engineer. From 

 then to the time of his death he was employed upon the state 

 canals, excepting the years when he was in the army. 



Mr. Bisgood did his duty as a patriotic citizen by serving with 

 distinction during the Civil War as a member of Company A, Third 

 New York Cavalry, and was present at all the engagements in which 

 his regiment took part. 



His ability as an engineer was recognized by gradual promotion, 

 and for the past five years he has been division engineer of the New 

 York state canals. 



Gaylord Thompson read a paper describing the Otis Elevating 

 Cable Railway up the eastern slope of the Catskill Mountains, 7,000 

 feet long with a rise of 1,630 feet and maximum grade of 34 per cent. 

 The paper was especially instructive in showing how the inclination of 

 slope could be so varied that the pull of the down cars would vary as 

 the weight of the counterweighting cable and car diminish. Remarks 

 were made by Messrs. Kuichling, Cartwright and Jordan. 



