SOCIETIES
CHICAGO ARCHITECTURAL CLUB.
The Chicago Architectural Club at a meeting Monday, July 23, elected these officers: Second vice-president, Melville P. White; secretary, Walter G. Kohfeldt.
ST. LOUIS ARCHITECTURAL CLUB.
The St. Louis Architectural Club were the guests of the Hydraulic Press Brick Company at an outing on Saturday, August 4. The St. Louis plant of the company and numerous buildings were visited.
SO. CALIFORNIA CHAPTER A. I. A.
Members of the Southern California Chapter, American Institute of Architects, spent an enjoyable day at the beach Saturday, July 14. It was the second annual outing of the organization.
The dinner was presided over by Alfred F. Rosenheim, President of the Chapter. Speeches were made by W. L. B. Jenney, formerly of Chicago; Architects O. Morgan, John P. Krempel, T. D. Hudson, A. B. Benton, C. H. Brown, Fernand Parmentier; Superintendent of Buildings J. J. Backus, Andrew McNally, of the Pioneer Building Company, and others.
OHIO STATE ASSOCIATION OF BUILDING EX
CHANGES.
The State Association of Building Exchanges met in annual convention in Cincinnati, July 23. The following officers were elected: President, S. Rufus Jones, of Dayton; first vice-president, John J. Purington, of East Liverpool; second vicepresident, William R. Creer, of Cleveland; secretary, Charles J. King, of Massillon; treasurer, Leopold Kleybolte, of Cincinnati.
Youngstown was selected as the next place for the annual meeting.
PERSONAL MENTION
Rochester, N. Y. — The death of Oscar Knebel, one of Rochester’s most respected citizens and prominent architects, occurred July 26. Oscar Knebel was born in Neheim Province of Westphalia, Prussia, April 15, 1853. He came to this city in the sixties and attended the High School here subsequently studying architecture under his father, the late Christian Knebel. He succeeded his father in business after the former’s death. He was supervising architect of the Federal Building, designed the Rochester News Company Building and Holy Redeemer Church and built the Genesee Brewery.
Louisville, Ky. — Charles D. Meyer, architect, who died recently, left no will, and his estate will go to his heirs, according to the law of descent. Mrs, Annie M. Meyer, the widow, has executed bond as administratrix.
Green Bay, Wis. — Foeller, Benton & Schober is the title of a new architectural firm which has been formed by Henry A. Foeller, Perry T. Benton and Max W. Schober. The rooms 6, 7, and 8 in the Fox Block, used heretofore by Mr. Foeller, will be the headquarters of the new firm.
Washington, D. C. — Joseph C. Hornblower and James Rush Marshall, architects in business under the name of Hornblower & Marshall, have sued the George Washington University in the local courts to recover $1, 605. 64, said to be a balance due them for professional work. The plaintiffs explained to the court that they designed and attended to the construction of the Medical Schools of the University and designed and attended to the construction of certain additions to the hospital buildings of the University.
Wellesley, Mass. — At a special town meeting held in Wellesley, July 18, the claim of Peabody & Stearns, a Boston firm of architects, for a bill of $3, 129, which they declare is due them for their work on plans for the new high-school, was taken up. At the annual town meeting last March opinions were so divided on the question that nothing definite was done. The new school building has been a bone of contention for more than four years. Then it was thought that a new grammar-school was needed, and accordingly a committee was appointed with Richard Cunningham as chairman. This committee reached a decision that a high-school was needed and announced a competition for plans and specifications. A vote to accept the plans of Peabody & Stearns was passed. At this point the committee suspended operations and the proposed $80, 000 building sank into oblivion. Later the citizens revived the question and a new committee was appointed, with Selden L. Brown as chairman. The new organization promptly set aside all the work that had been done by the old committee, and announced that a new competition would be held for plans. At this point the architects whose plans had been accepted demanded remuneration. — Exchange.
Boston, Mass. — Mayor Fitzgerald has sent in the appointment of Mr. John A. Rooney, of Temple street, as Building Commissioner for the term ending April 30, 1907.
Washington, D. C. — Mr. James E. Hill, architect, is in Europe for the summer.
NOTES AND CLIPPINGS.
An Electric Safety Lamp. — A type of incandescent lamp designed to give as nearly absolute security against fires or explosions as possible has been devised by Dr. D. Tomassi of Paris, and is described by the Electrical Review. The idea is to extinguish the lamp automatically should the protecting globe be broken and to prevent the flying of incandescent particles if the lamp globe itself should be shattered. The method of doing this consists in surrounding the globe of the lamp itself by a second glass covering fitted so as jo be airtight. Within this second globe is a switch which normally stands open, but which, when subjected to air pressure, closes the circuit and allows the lamp to light. The lamp is lighted by forcing air into the outer globe, in this way closing the switch. If, then, the outer globe be shattered, the reduction in air pressure which takes place immediately will extinguish the lamp before the inner globe is broken. If, on the other hand, the inner globe breaks, the re
duction in pressure of the air in the outer globe, due to the collapse of the inner globe, will open the switch and put the lamp out. In case of an accident of this kind the outer globe will, of course, stop all flying particles and prevent any fire. It is thought that the lamp will have value in mines exposed to explosive gases, in powder magazines and in other places where there is danger of an explosion.
The Hotel Belmont Wireless Station. — The new Hotel Belmont at Forty-second street and Park avenue, New York, which recently opened its doors to the public, will be the first hotel in the world to have a wireless station. The great height of the Belmont, more than 300 feet above street level, its comparative isolation as regards high buildings, and its steel construction make the location excellent for wireless operations. A staff is to be erected on the top of the building to be 150 feet in height. This will make it the highest station in the world. — Exchange.
St. Mark’s Campanile. — After about two years’ work on the foundations, the new Campanile of St. Mark, at Venice, is now about five feet above ground. The repairs to the adjoining library of Sansovino are nearly complete and the scaffold is being removed. Repairs are being executed on the opposite side of the Piazza, arches and vaulting being shored up, while the whole is being thoroughly overhauled. — Builders’ Journal.
King Edward’s Whistlers. — A London dispatch states that J. Pierpont Morgan was the purchaser of the Whistler etchings lately sold by King Edward.
Marble in Australia. — Consul O. H. Baker, writing from Sydney, says that the marble deposits in New South Wales are the “finest in the world. ” He tells of the various quarries, some of which are easily worked, without any use of mechanical appliances, giving large-sized blocks of good quality. He asserts that the deposits of variegated marble in New South Wales are among the finest in the world, and if properly worked and developed should give the means of livelihood to thousands of workers in quarrying, carting, working the material, etc., not only for local consumption but for exportation, as is now being done with American marbles, which are keenly competing throughout the Commonwealth with the Italian. Unfortunately for the industry, he says, the quarries are now being worked by bodies of men who have not the funds available to open these quarries and keep on hand a sufficient number of blocks of marble to meet a sudden demand, or the properties belong to men who are too extensively occupied in other directions to allow of their devoting any time to developing this industry, which, if properly worked, would give a better return than many a gold mine. The men are working without the necessary appliances, and they have too much unsuitable machinery, without the expert knowledge of the needs and requirements of the market, and great ignorance as to the purposes to which marble can be applied.
CHICAGO ARCHITECTURAL CLUB.
The Chicago Architectural Club at a meeting Monday, July 23, elected these officers: Second vice-president, Melville P. White; secretary, Walter G. Kohfeldt.
ST. LOUIS ARCHITECTURAL CLUB.
The St. Louis Architectural Club were the guests of the Hydraulic Press Brick Company at an outing on Saturday, August 4. The St. Louis plant of the company and numerous buildings were visited.
SO. CALIFORNIA CHAPTER A. I. A.
Members of the Southern California Chapter, American Institute of Architects, spent an enjoyable day at the beach Saturday, July 14. It was the second annual outing of the organization.
The dinner was presided over by Alfred F. Rosenheim, President of the Chapter. Speeches were made by W. L. B. Jenney, formerly of Chicago; Architects O. Morgan, John P. Krempel, T. D. Hudson, A. B. Benton, C. H. Brown, Fernand Parmentier; Superintendent of Buildings J. J. Backus, Andrew McNally, of the Pioneer Building Company, and others.
OHIO STATE ASSOCIATION OF BUILDING EX
CHANGES.
The State Association of Building Exchanges met in annual convention in Cincinnati, July 23. The following officers were elected: President, S. Rufus Jones, of Dayton; first vice-president, John J. Purington, of East Liverpool; second vicepresident, William R. Creer, of Cleveland; secretary, Charles J. King, of Massillon; treasurer, Leopold Kleybolte, of Cincinnati.
Youngstown was selected as the next place for the annual meeting.
PERSONAL MENTION
Rochester, N. Y. — The death of Oscar Knebel, one of Rochester’s most respected citizens and prominent architects, occurred July 26. Oscar Knebel was born in Neheim Province of Westphalia, Prussia, April 15, 1853. He came to this city in the sixties and attended the High School here subsequently studying architecture under his father, the late Christian Knebel. He succeeded his father in business after the former’s death. He was supervising architect of the Federal Building, designed the Rochester News Company Building and Holy Redeemer Church and built the Genesee Brewery.
Louisville, Ky. — Charles D. Meyer, architect, who died recently, left no will, and his estate will go to his heirs, according to the law of descent. Mrs, Annie M. Meyer, the widow, has executed bond as administratrix.
Green Bay, Wis. — Foeller, Benton & Schober is the title of a new architectural firm which has been formed by Henry A. Foeller, Perry T. Benton and Max W. Schober. The rooms 6, 7, and 8 in the Fox Block, used heretofore by Mr. Foeller, will be the headquarters of the new firm.
Washington, D. C. — Joseph C. Hornblower and James Rush Marshall, architects in business under the name of Hornblower & Marshall, have sued the George Washington University in the local courts to recover $1, 605. 64, said to be a balance due them for professional work. The plaintiffs explained to the court that they designed and attended to the construction of the Medical Schools of the University and designed and attended to the construction of certain additions to the hospital buildings of the University.
Wellesley, Mass. — At a special town meeting held in Wellesley, July 18, the claim of Peabody & Stearns, a Boston firm of architects, for a bill of $3, 129, which they declare is due them for their work on plans for the new high-school, was taken up. At the annual town meeting last March opinions were so divided on the question that nothing definite was done. The new school building has been a bone of contention for more than four years. Then it was thought that a new grammar-school was needed, and accordingly a committee was appointed with Richard Cunningham as chairman. This committee reached a decision that a high-school was needed and announced a competition for plans and specifications. A vote to accept the plans of Peabody & Stearns was passed. At this point the committee suspended operations and the proposed $80, 000 building sank into oblivion. Later the citizens revived the question and a new committee was appointed, with Selden L. Brown as chairman. The new organization promptly set aside all the work that had been done by the old committee, and announced that a new competition would be held for plans. At this point the architects whose plans had been accepted demanded remuneration. — Exchange.
Boston, Mass. — Mayor Fitzgerald has sent in the appointment of Mr. John A. Rooney, of Temple street, as Building Commissioner for the term ending April 30, 1907.
Washington, D. C. — Mr. James E. Hill, architect, is in Europe for the summer.
NOTES AND CLIPPINGS.
An Electric Safety Lamp. — A type of incandescent lamp designed to give as nearly absolute security against fires or explosions as possible has been devised by Dr. D. Tomassi of Paris, and is described by the Electrical Review. The idea is to extinguish the lamp automatically should the protecting globe be broken and to prevent the flying of incandescent particles if the lamp globe itself should be shattered. The method of doing this consists in surrounding the globe of the lamp itself by a second glass covering fitted so as jo be airtight. Within this second globe is a switch which normally stands open, but which, when subjected to air pressure, closes the circuit and allows the lamp to light. The lamp is lighted by forcing air into the outer globe, in this way closing the switch. If, then, the outer globe be shattered, the reduction in air pressure which takes place immediately will extinguish the lamp before the inner globe is broken. If, on the other hand, the inner globe breaks, the re
duction in pressure of the air in the outer globe, due to the collapse of the inner globe, will open the switch and put the lamp out. In case of an accident of this kind the outer globe will, of course, stop all flying particles and prevent any fire. It is thought that the lamp will have value in mines exposed to explosive gases, in powder magazines and in other places where there is danger of an explosion.
The Hotel Belmont Wireless Station. — The new Hotel Belmont at Forty-second street and Park avenue, New York, which recently opened its doors to the public, will be the first hotel in the world to have a wireless station. The great height of the Belmont, more than 300 feet above street level, its comparative isolation as regards high buildings, and its steel construction make the location excellent for wireless operations. A staff is to be erected on the top of the building to be 150 feet in height. This will make it the highest station in the world. — Exchange.
St. Mark’s Campanile. — After about two years’ work on the foundations, the new Campanile of St. Mark, at Venice, is now about five feet above ground. The repairs to the adjoining library of Sansovino are nearly complete and the scaffold is being removed. Repairs are being executed on the opposite side of the Piazza, arches and vaulting being shored up, while the whole is being thoroughly overhauled. — Builders’ Journal.
King Edward’s Whistlers. — A London dispatch states that J. Pierpont Morgan was the purchaser of the Whistler etchings lately sold by King Edward.
Marble in Australia. — Consul O. H. Baker, writing from Sydney, says that the marble deposits in New South Wales are the “finest in the world. ” He tells of the various quarries, some of which are easily worked, without any use of mechanical appliances, giving large-sized blocks of good quality. He asserts that the deposits of variegated marble in New South Wales are among the finest in the world, and if properly worked and developed should give the means of livelihood to thousands of workers in quarrying, carting, working the material, etc., not only for local consumption but for exportation, as is now being done with American marbles, which are keenly competing throughout the Commonwealth with the Italian. Unfortunately for the industry, he says, the quarries are now being worked by bodies of men who have not the funds available to open these quarries and keep on hand a sufficient number of blocks of marble to meet a sudden demand, or the properties belong to men who are too extensively occupied in other directions to allow of their devoting any time to developing this industry, which, if properly worked, would give a better return than many a gold mine. The men are working without the necessary appliances, and they have too much unsuitable machinery, without the expert knowledge of the needs and requirements of the market, and great ignorance as to the purposes to which marble can be applied.