88 Cincinnati Society of Natural History. 
the passage of a bill for the company. Southern influence was too strong 
for him, and the bill failed. 
He was mainly instrumental in building the Cincinnati and Miami- 
town, now the Cincinnati and Harrison pike, and macadam- 
ized it by means of steam machinery. He also, we believe, was the 
first to point out that it was possible, by means of gravel alone, to 
make nearly as good a road as could be made with broken stone. 
The Western Academy of Natural Sciences was founded in 1835. 
Mr, Graham was present at the first called meeting, held at the hall 
of the Medical society, April 25th of that year. He was one of the 
committee appointed to prepare a constitution and by-laws, and he 
was one of those named in the act of incorporation of the academy, 
Feb. 22, 1836. Afterwards he was, for a number of years, President, 
in which position he took an active part in all its affairs.* After the 
formal suspension of the meetings of the academy, and the deposit of 
its effects in the present Cincinnati Society of Natural History, Mr. 
Graham was, with several other members of the old organization, 
elected a life member of the present association. He found time, dur- 
ing the many occupations of a busy life, to make collections of shells, 
fossils, and plants. ‘These were subsequently destroyed by a fire in a 
warehouse where they were stored. Up to the time of his death he 
was constantly on the alert for objects of interest to add to his cabinet. 
Cincinnati is acknowledged to be the first city in the United States 
where steam fire engines were used. When it was announced that the 
city had such engines, all the other large places in the country ridiculed 
the idea. It was insisted that nothing better than the old fashioned fire 
engines could be had. Atthat time this city possessed a volunteer Fire 
Department of 3,000 members: and they were governed by laws of their 
own, and had everything much as they desired. Mr. Graham’s early 
connection with the Water Works, and his active participation in the 
Fire Department, as chairman of the committee on Finance in the City 
Council, caused him to suggest the employment of steam fire en- 
* Mr. Graham was the last survivor, but one (Wm. D. Gallagher being now the only one 
living), who participated in forming the Academy. 
Believing it may be of interest to many we append a list of names of those taking part in 
the organization of the Western Academy of Natural Sciences at Cincinnati, at the first 
meeting, in the order, and as we find them recorded: R. Buchanan, Dr. Whitman, J. Hall, 
W.D. Gallagher, Dr. Shotwell, Dr. Colby, Dr. Drake, G. Graham, Dr. Wood, Dr. McDowall, 
Dr. Gross, Dr. Marshall, Dr. Riddell, J. H. Perkins, Mr. Clark, Dr. Mason, Mr. Hells, J.S. 
Armstrong, P. Symmes, Dr. Locke, —— Flagg. R. Buchanan acted as Chairman, andJ. H. 
Perkins, as Secretary. 
