No. 133.] 77 



The above will be left to the decision of competent judges to 

 be appointed by a committee of the American Institute. 



The subject was subsequently referred by the Institute to the 

 Board of Managers; by whom unwearied pains were taken Ho 

 obtain the services of competent gentlemen to serve as Judges, 

 which eventually resulted in the appointment of those who have 

 signed the following 



REPORT. 



To John A. BuntiDg, Esq., 



Chairmaji of Board of Managers. 



The undersigned, a committee appointed by the American In- 

 stitute, in conformity with the foregoing conditions, for the distri-' 

 bution of premiums offered by F. M. Ray, Esq., for thebestmethod 

 of preventing accidents and promoting safety and comfort on 

 railroads, report : 



That during the continuance of the fair of the American In- 

 stitute, held in this city in October last, they critically examined 

 the great number of inventions offered for competition, and se- 

 lected from each class, such as, in their judgment, were entitled 

 to the greatest consideration. A final selection and decision was, 

 however, postponed, with the hope of obtaining the aid of actual 

 experiment on some of the untried inventions. Since then the 

 private occupations of the members of the committee have been 

 such, that it has been a matter of great difficulty to get a suffi- 

 cient number together to make a report, and it has consequently 

 been delayed, very much beyond the wishes of all concerned. 



In regard to the two first premiums offered of "$1,500 for the 

 best invention for preventing loss of life from collisions and from 

 the breaking of axies and wheels," and "$800 for the best method 

 of excluding dust from cars when in motion," we regret to say, 

 that although there were many very ingenious and highly cred- 

 itable inventions offered, yet from doubts of their utility in actual 

 service, and in the absence of sufficient actual experiment to es 

 tablish their merits, we do not ftel prepared to recommend any 



