Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1872 [PAGE 154]

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150

EVENING- SESSION.

The Committee met, according to adjournment. The following bills, payable from the State appropriations, were then drawn, and vouchers for the same drawn and signed:

E. F. Gehlman, for University main building, labor and material S. W. Shattuck, sundry bills for main University building Johnston Bros., Mechanical shop, fire brick and clay for boiler Northern Manufacturing Co., for Machine shop, pipes and valves Jones & Laughlin, for Mechanical shop, shafts, couplings, hangers, pulleys $6,214 00 20 06 36 50 19 92 226 58

On motion, Messrs. J. H. Pickrell and J. M. Pearson were appointed a committee to select and purchase such machinery as may be necessary for steaming and cutting feed on stock farm. The Eegent, Dr. J. M. Gregory, then read the following report:

In addition to the usual business of the monthly meeting, there are several items which will demand your attention. First. The Mechanical building is now finished, and the steam engine, manufactured by the students, is being set up. Work benches have been provided in both the Machine and Wood-working shops, and the time seems favorable for the inauguration of some more definite plan for the arrangement of these shops. Their chief design, it must be remembered, is to afford such illustrations of shop practice as will give to the students of Mechanical Engineering a better comprehension of the theories, and a mastery of the practical application of their studies. But to keep the shops in operation for these purposes there must be tools, materials, and useful work to be done. To supply these will cost a large and constant expenditure, which should be met by the value of the articles manufactured. The Machine shop, which has had much of the personal attention of Prof. Robinson, and of a skillful foreman, has found an abundant demand for its work, in the manufacture of apparatus for the University, and of various pieces of machinery, patterns, models, etc., for other parties. I t has fully paid expenses. The Wood-working shop has been chiefly employed in providing and repairing buildings, fences walks, furniture and fittings for the several dex>artments of the University. I t is believed to have fully paid its way till the present time. I t has been, for the last six months, under the supervision of a skillful student, a former proprietor of a shop. The smallness of our shops has hitherto forbidden the admission of many students who have desired employment in them. The spacious extent of the new shops will enable us to give employment to much larger numbers, and will involve, of course, much larger risks and expenditures. The Machine shop may still remain under the personal supervision of Prof. Robinson and his foreman ; but there is an immediate need of a competent foreman, who will give all his personal attention to the Wood-working shops the whole time, the present foreman being engaged in his studies, and unable to give the necessary amount of time to superintend properly the enlarged operations now contemplated. I t is recommended that a man of the necessary skill be employed as foreman, under the same general conditions as those adopted in the employment of the foreman on the Stock farm, viz : the payment of a maximum salary, without contingency, and of a maximum salary, conditioned on the net income of the shop. Some inquiry has been made for a suitable candidate, and the name of one who is believed to be well fitted to this place will be laid before you. I have also to report for examination and approval the book purchase made during last summer and autumn. By a vote taken last March the Eegent was authorized to expend the library fund for books, apparatus, etc. Lists of books wanted for the several departments of science and art were prepared by the members of the Faculty in charge, and measures taken to procure them. To obtain the American books, I visited Chicago and New York in person, and made purchases as in the accompanying bills. After consultation, it was judged best that Prof. Baker should go to England and look up and purchase the large number of English books that were found on the lists. I accordingly secured the services of Prof. Baker, and his report and bills accompanying will exhibit the work done by him. Some of his orders are not yet filled, and others remain to await the binding of some of the books. Some weeks must probably elapse before the last bills will be received and the business fully closed up. I also, under the discretion you gave me, agreed with Prof. Stuart to go to Germany and make some purchases for the Chemical and Mining departments. Prof. Stuart's report, which I here-