May 12, 1905.] 



SCIENCE. 



731 



for empirical methods iu progressive foun- 

 dries lias gradually grown from very small 

 beginnings until it has now reached a recog- 

 nized position of importance. This is true 

 not only in regard to the metallurgical 

 study of pig iron for eastings, but also in 

 methods of molding and other cognate 

 branches of the founder's art. The recent 

 great improvement in the design and con- 

 struction of molding-machines has led to 

 the gradual substitution of machine mold- 

 ing for hand labor in a large and rapidly 

 expanding degree. The scientific examina- 

 tion of molding sand and other materials 

 used in molding has led to important im- 

 provements and economies. In fact, the 

 influence of this newly awakened scientific 

 interest in foundry improvement is extend- 

 ing in all directions. The result is that the 

 manufacturer of machinery is enabled to 

 obtain castings from foundries conducted 

 on modern methods which are far better 

 adapted to the work for which they are 

 designed than heretofore, and he is, there- 

 fore, enabled to guarantee (juality and 

 strength with an assurance which he could 

 not formerly give. From these observa- 

 tions it may be inferred that, although the 

 field for cast iron has been invaded to a 

 great extent by east steel, the producers of 

 iron eastings have been spiirred on to im- 

 prove their product, and thus to keep in 

 line with the progress of the age, and to 

 show that in spite of this competition the 

 field is still open for their occupation. 



One of the most interesting papers of the 

 Philadelphia meeting was en 'Recent Ad- 

 vances in the Mechanical Science Involved 

 in the Coinage of ]Money,' by Edwin S. 

 Church, superintendent of machinery, 

 United States Mint, Philadelphia. It was 

 illustrated by lantern slides and described 

 in much detail the process of manufactur- 

 ing money from the power plant Avith its 

 large engines, through the various proc- 

 esses required in the coinage of money by 

 rolling, stamping, punching and milling, 



and the great pressures which are neces- 

 sary to efif'ect the results. Mr. Church 

 made the interesting statement that it was 

 impossible for the new United States Mint 

 at Philadelphia, with all its increased facil- 

 ities, to supply the demand for copper 

 cents during the two or three weeks imme- 

 diately preceding the Christmas holidays, 

 showing to what a large extent Christmas 

 is the children's festival, and how largely 

 it enters into the business of our country. 



The sectional committee of Section D de- 

 sires to express its cordial appreciation of 

 the kindly attention and services rendered 

 it by Professor Edgar Marburg and Pro- 

 fessor H. AV. Spangler, of the University 

 of Pennsylvania, and to the engineers of 

 Philadelphia who so kindly took part, 

 either on the program or in the excursions, 

 or permitted us to visit their works. 



It is to be regretted that a larger number 

 of the members of the association were not 

 in attendance, and especially when it is re- 

 membered that there has been a large in- 

 crease in the membership of both the asso- 

 ciation and the section within the past few 

 years. Papers alone, even by eminent men, 

 do not make a successful meeting. They 

 may form an attractive program, but one 

 of their chief objects is to elicit discussion, 

 without which any program, no matter how 

 good, is likely to fall flat. While there was 

 some discussion over some of the papers 

 presented at the Philadelphia meeting be- 

 fore Section D, neither the attendance of 

 members nor the discussions were as plenti- 

 ful as was desired. The sectional commit- 

 tee may procure and present a suitable 

 program, but unless the members attend 

 the sessions and take part in the discus- 

 sions, its work will be largely in vain. 

 It is to be hoped that the members of the 

 association will make a special effort, even 

 if it includes some sacriflee, to attend the 

 meeting at New Orleans next December. 



AVm. T. Magruder, 



Secretary. 



