198 ROCHESTER ACADEMY OF SCIENCE. [Jan. I4, 



May 6th : Edwin A. Fisher read a paper on the " Story of a 

 Canal Changed into a Railroad," being a carefully prepared and 

 valuable paper upon the Genesee Valley Canal which was displaced 

 by the present Western New York and Pennsylvania R. R. The 

 paper was most interesting and contained the record of much valuable 

 experience as to train resistance of curves and grades, and length of 

 life of wooden bridges and railroad ties, also practical methods of 

 increasing strength of wooden bridges to accord with increased weight 

 of rolling stock. The paper was illustrated with plans and diagrams 

 and by photographs taken by Mr. C. R. Neher. 



May 20th : Frank L. Dodgson read an instructive paper on 

 " Railway Signals," especially showing the development of the latest 

 improved interlocking systems. 



June 3rd : Informal meeting and discussion. 



July loth : About a dozen members of the Section made an 

 excursion to Syracuse and enjoyed a very beautiful day in examining 

 street improvements and the new distributing reservoir, with a drive to 

 Warner's and an inspection of the works of the Empire Portland 

 Cement Co. , also taking in on the way the Wm. A. Sweet Steel 

 Works. 



Since that date no meetings were held until January 6th, 1896, 

 when a meeting was held and devoted to conversation, more especially 

 upon electricity. 



A resolution was adopted asking the Academy to print in their 

 proceedings such papers as were prepared for this Section and 

 corrected for publication by their authors. 



Election of Officers. 

 The annual election of officers of the Society for the ensuing 

 year was held with the following result : 



President, Herman LeRoy Fairchild. 



First Vice-President, J. M. Davison, 



Second Vice-President, J. Eugene Whitney. 



Secretary, Arthur Latham Baker. 



Correspondiyig Secretary, Charles Wright Dodge. 



Treasurer, F. W. Warner. 



Librarian, Miss Florence Beckwith. 



^ .,, f Adelbert Cronise, ) ... o 

 Councillors, i , , , „ ^ \ until i8gg. 



(J. Y. McClintock, J 



The following paper was read : 



