PROCEEDINGS OF THE REGENTS. 123 



president, Hooker Electrochemical Co., Niagara Falls, N. Y. ; Ben- 

 jamin B. Lawrence, mining engineer, of New York; George F. Kunz, 

 of Tiffany & Co., New York; Frederick A. Goetze, dean, engineering 

 department, Columbia University, New York ; William Barclay Par- 

 sons, engineer, of New York ; Hennen Jennings, mining engineer, of 

 Washington. 



The development of a patent on a commercial basis is a very diffi- 

 cult proposition, and it was only through the active cooperation of 

 Dr. Goetze, chairman of the executive committee, and other gentle- 

 men on the board, in connection with the engineers of the corpora- 

 tion, that success has been attained. 



On a capital of $10,100, subscribed by the directors, and the fees 

 received for engineer services, work was carried on for 18 months. 

 In July last there was but $1,200 in the treasury and many monthly 

 expenses to be met. This was the low-water mark, as payments then 

 began to come in in the form of royalties and payments for the per- 

 manent use of the patent, so that on December 1 there was $65,000 in 

 the treasury besides $100,000 in approved notes. 



At a recent meeting of the board of directors it was decided that 

 no grants for general research would be made until after the invested 

 funds of the corporation were $100,000 with cash in bank for ex- 

 penses. 



In addition to the Cottrell patents, the corporation is now consid- 

 ering the acceptance of certain rights in connection with a patent for 

 a reinforced concrete railroad tie that is quite promising. There are 

 also several other patents that have been brought to the attention of 

 the engineers, but owing to the necessity of concentrating all effort 

 upon the commercial development of the Cottrell patents, it was not 

 deemed best to undertake other investigations. Now that the finan- 

 cial conditions are improved, some money and energy will be ex- 

 pended in looking up the concrete tie and other promising patents. 

 Owing to the wide experience of the members of the board and their 

 standing in the business community, it has been possible to do work 

 in connection Avith the Eesearch Corporation that would have re- 

 quired the expenditure of large sums if undertaken by an ordinary 

 business organization or private individual. 



CLEARING or FOG BY ELECTRICAL PRECIPITATION. 



Science has established the fact that all dust and fog particles in 

 the open atmosphere are electrified and subject to dispersion or 

 precipitation. It is apparent, therefore, that a source of very high 

 direct voltage with facilities for control and application, may be of 

 inestimable value in certain quarters and seasons for clearing fog 

 from a street, from along a passenger railway, from around the land- 



