Threads and Thread Cutting. New York.

Derry-Collard Company. 25 cents.

An interesting booklet that makes an important shop calculation very simple. A careful description of United States Standard, square, buttress, and bastard threads is worked into the directions for calculating the gears to be used in thread cutting. Multiple threads, toolposts, catching threads, and gages are among the points taken up. The last section of the book discusses the cutting of threads on a milling machine and the making of chasers. The entire booklet is valuable, especially to the apprentice. This is number four of a series of practical papers published by the Derry-Collard Company. The others are: Turning and Boring Tapers, the Drafting of Cams, and Commutator Construction. Price 25 cents each.

Notes on Electric Railway Economics and Preliminary Engineering. By W. C. Gottshall, Chief Engineer of the New York & Port Huron Company,

Is well worthy of reading by all who are interested in interurban high-speed electric railway projects.

Gas Engine Design. With an Introduction on Compressed Air. By E. J. Stoddard. Published by Parker & Burton, Is an excellent little handbook, well illustrated, and bearing marks of careful research.

GOOD BOOKS.

BLACKALL. Air-Brake Catechism. Practical work relating to the Westinghouse Air Brake. Norman W. Henley Co.; $2.00. DURAND. Practical Marine Engineering. Thoroughly up-to-date. Contains excellent explanations and descriptions of machinery found aboard ships-boilers, engines, auxiliaries, propellers, etc. Marine Engineering; $5.00.

FOSTER. Electrical Engineer's Pocketbook. Not a textbook, but a handbook of useful tables and data. D. Van Nostrand Co.; $5.00.

GRIMSHAW. Steam Engine Catechism.
Answers practical questions on Stationary En-
gineering. Norman W. Henley Co.; $2.00.
GRIMSHAW. Locomotive Catechism.
Tells how to run a locomotive. Norman W.
Henley Co.; $2.00.

HINNEN. Continuous-Current Dynamos.
A practical treatise for designers, manufac-

turers, and users. Profusely illustrated. D. Van Nostrand Co.; $4.00.

HISCOX. Compressed Air in All Its Applications.

Shows different types of compressors as well as tools driven by compressed air. Norman W. Henley Co.; $5.00.

HISCOX. Gas, Gasoline, and Oil Engines. Describes and illustrates all classes of engines, their construction, manufacture, operation, and care. Norman W. Henley Co.; $2.50. HISCOX. Horseless Vehicles, Automobiles, and Motor Cycles.

The theory, construction, care, and operation of all classes of automobiles are given. Norman W. Henley Co.; $3.00.

HOOPER and WELLS. Electrical Problems for Engineering Students. Common electrical Engineering problems are clearly explained. As valuable to the practical engineer as to the student. Ginn & Co.; $1.25. LYNDON. Storage Battery Engineering. A new book on the physical theory of storage batteries. A complete compendium of this branch of Electrical Engineering. McGraw Publishing Co.; $3.00.

MARKHAM. American Steel Worker.

A recent publication containing the results of many years' experience in handling steel. Interesting chapters on annealing, hardening, tempering, etc. Derry-Collard Co.; $2.50. MERRIMAN AND JACOBY. Roofs and Bridges.

In 4 volumes. A treatise on stress, graphic statics, bridge design, and bridges. For civil engineers, architects, and draftsmen. John Wiley & Sons. Each volume, $2.50.

MILLER. American Telephone Practice. An excellent treatise on the theory and practical construction of the telephone, including the circuits, apparatus, and exchanges. Ameriican Electrician Company; $3.00.

OUDIN. Standard Polyphase Apparatus and Systems.

A good practical treatise on alternating-current machines and their operation. All mathematics omitted. D. Van Nostrand Co.; $3.00. PARSELL and WEED. Gas Engine Construction. A practical treatise describing in every detail the building of a gas engine. Norman W. Henley Co.; $2.50.

PEABODY and MILLER. Steam Boilers. One of the best books on boilers. Well arranged and up-to-date. John Wiley & Sons; $4.00.

SHELDON and MASON. Alternating-Current Machines.

Includes chapters on alternators, transformers, motors, rotary converters, power transmission, tests, etc. D. Van Nostrand Co.; $2.50.

USHER. The Modern Machinist.

A practical work, including chapters on measuring instruments, vise work, chasing, the

at

Brownell Company, Dayton, Ohio. ENGINE CATALOGUE, automatic engines for direct connection. A very tractive catalogue, well illustrated by excellent half-tones. The two colors add to the pleasing appearance, as do also the cover and the title page. BOILER CATALOGUE, horizontal tubular boiler, fire-box boiler, portable outfits, and combined heater and purifier. The tables are well arranged, and the entire catalogue an example of fine press work on coated paper. The two catalogues aggregate 110 pages 6 by 9 inches, paper

covers.

Bradford Machine Tool Company, Cincinnati, O.

Illustrated catalogue of lathes containing finely executed half-tone engravings, showing such features as spindle and bearings, apron, improved taper turning attachment, chucks, driving and feed. arrangements; printed on heavy, coated

paper.

Wickes Brothers, Saginaw, Michigan. 184 pages,

cloth.

Large illustrated catalogue describing Wickes vertical and horizontal watertube boilers. As is common in

such advertising literature, the boiler is shown in various stages of construction. A few pages on points to be observed in selecting a boiler precede the description. Although much of the matter relating to fuels, water, properties of steam, pipe coverings, etc., may be found in the best textbooks on engineering, yet the material has been compiled with care. 184 pages, cloth.

Fulton Iron Works, St. Louis, Missouri. Builders of Fulton-Corliss steam engines.

Catalogue outlining the principles and advantages of Corliss engines; illustrations and descriptions of FultonCorliss engines, both simple and compound. An excellent half-tone illustration, half in elevation and half in section, shows the construction of the Corliss valves. Eight pages are devoted to an illustrated explanation of the adjustment of Corliss valve gear with single and double eccentrics. The several tables show the sizes and horse-powers. 634 by 10 inches, 64 pages, paper.

Arbendroth & Root Company, New York City. Catalogue describing the Root watertube boiler. A unique feature is the 10 pages showing the removing and replacing of a tube in 48 minutes. 6 by 9 inches, 64 pages, paper.

Charles River Iron Works, Cambridge, Mass. Catalogue describing multi-tubular boilers, Manning boilers, small vertical boilers, locomotive type, internal flue boilers, steel stacks, tanks, steel-riveted pipes, etc. A complete, interesting catalogue containing tables, shop views, and boiler specifications, 61⁄2 by 10 inches, 96 pages, paper.

Hoshor-Platt Co., 120 Liberty St., New York. Catalogue entitled "Industrial Railways." Among the products of this company may be mentioned coal-handling machinery, hoisting engines, cable and gravity railways, steam shovels, steam and electric locomotives for industrial railways, cars, coal tubs, etc. These and other laborsaving devices are described in the 96page catalogue. The catalogue is well printed on coated paper, 71⁄2 by 10% inches, paper.

MAGAZINES.

The Engineer. The January 1st number of The Engineer may well be called a pump number, since a considerable portion is devoted to this subject. The article on pumps is well worth preserving, as it contains much information of value to the practical engineer or student. The descriptions are illustrated by over 100 cuts, and the numerous tables cannot fail to simplify the pump calculations. The general principles of pumping machinery are taken up in the first pages -suction, lifts, and sizes of valves, air and vacuum chambers, Cushing valve and ports, sizes of pipes and cylinders.

On account of the numerous constructive details employed in the steam end of single-cylinder pumps, about 20 makes are carefully described and illustrated. While it would be impossible to take up the varieties in detail, the essential features of the pumps described cover the ground thoroughly. The value of these descriptions is greatly increased by the numerous well-chosen illustrations. Of the power-driven pumps, the Riedler is perhaps the most unique. Return and centrifugal pumps are also described. Machinery.

The fifth number of "Machine Shop Equipment" is in the January issue of Machinery (Engineering Edition). The equipment of the iron foundry is introduced by a brief but interesting historical sketch, showing that the first castings made in this country were products of Lynn, Mass. Locations of the various machines, such as motors, blowers, air compressors, etc., are shown near the cupolas. To any one about to equip such a shop, or in charge of one, this article should prove useful. The magazine contains several interesting articles, among which are those on the Reid process for obtaining electricity from fuel; raising water from deep wells by compressed air; marine products; and the Newcomin engine at the Ashton-Vaile Iron Works. The date of installation of the Newcomin engine is not known, but the castings for it were made about 1760; but as the engine was working regularly in 1895, it is now about 135 years old.

article on Tool Making by Mr. Markham, whose article on the Milling Machine appears elsewhere in this magazine. Mr. Markham is an authority on this subject, and has, in addition to these articles, prepared three Instruction Papers on Tool Making for the American School of Correspondence.

Cassier's Magazine.

Perhaps the best article in the February issue of Cassier's is that by Mr. McFarland on "The Commercial Side of Engineering." Interesting illustrations are drawn from the Ferris Wheel, the engines in the naval vessels at the time of the Civil War, The Great Eastern, etc. As to what is best in a power plant, a railroad, or a steamship line, depends upon many factors, among the important ones being the local conditions, the first cost as related to interest on investment, coal consumption, labor, etc. Mr. McFarland shows that the plant most economical in steam consumption is not always the cheapest to use, as the interest on an expensive first cost may much more than offset a slight increase in cost of fuel.

Other interesting articles in this number are "Multi-cylinder Engines" (Part II), "Hydraulic Power Applications," and "Superheated Steam for Steam Engines."

In "The Problems for the Engineering School" Mr. Stanwood considers the schools under the three heads of engineering-invention, construction and production. The criticism that instructors are recruited from graduates who have had no practical experience, is just; and we can join with the author when he says that perhaps some day some one of great wealth will enable technical schools to have the services of a committee of prominent engineers, selected from the councils of the engineering societies.

Power.

The best articles in Power for February are found among the short contributions on practical subjects, such as "CrossBituminous ley's Gas Producer for "A Remarkable High-Speed Coal;" "A Remarkable Four-Valve

Engine;" "High-Power Steam Turbines," etc.

G

ENTLEMEN:

Many incidents have occurred. since I have been in this city to make me feel at home; but, somehow, I think that the most emphatic were the noises I heard when I entered this hall. Such noises are very familiar to me, living in a university town, and I never get tired of hearing them. I am a great stickler for higher education, the best that can be acquired. I do not believe that anything appeals so strongly to me as the opportunities now being offered in our country for our young men to get a practical industrial education.

I have said that I believe I would rather my boy would grow up to be competent to plan and build a bridge like Brooklyn Bridge, than to see him in any place of honor that his fellow citizens could bestow upon him. There is to me something admirable in these things; perhaps because they are incomprehensible to me. I never could understand how they could be done; but when I come to

an institution like this, and see the eager faces of those who have come to master the technical problems, I think I have a glimmering idea of how it is accomplished. What a wide door stands open for the young men of today in this great industrial and commercial advancement. I hate to hear a man talk with reference to the chances for young men, and say that the times are past when a man can get on in life. They are not gone. There is always room, and always will be room on top, and those who fit themselves for the places will always find them.

It is a very old story, I suppose, for you to be told how important it is to take advantage of all opportunities for study that are set before you, and the regret and remorse you will suffer if you neglect them. Nevertheless it is true. Young men, my concluding words are these: Let me emphasize the importance of accepting the splendid opportunities for study which this institution affords, for it means far more than you imagine in your future.