A BRIEF 
 
 Concerning the 
 
 
 of 
 
 »aw°' s 
 
 
 o 
 
 a* 
 
 APPROPRIATIONS REQUESTED 
 
 On Behalf of the 
 
 College of Engineering 
 
 University of Illinois 
 
 1911 
 
V 
 
 \ 
 
 1 
 
 <L- 
 
 He? EAvb 
 
 I. THE STATE OF ILLINOIS. 
 
 The population of Illinois continues to increase at a rapid rate. 
 
 In 1840 it was. 
 In 1850 it was. 
 In 1860 it was. 
 In 1870 it was. 
 In 1880 it was. 
 In 1890 it was. 
 In 1900 it was. 
 In 1910 it was 
 
 476,183 
 
 851,470 
 
 1,711,951 
 
 .2,539,891 
 
 3,077,871 
 
 .3,826,351 
 
 .4,821,550 
 
 .5,638,591 
 
 Illinois ranks third in population among the states, the order 
 being, New York, 9,113,614; Pennsylvania, 7,665,111; and Illinois, 
 5,638,591. 
 
 There are thirteen states in the Union, the combined population 
 of which is less than that of Illinois. They are South Dakota, North 
 Dakota, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Montana, Utah, Vermont, New 
 Mexico, Idaho, Arizona, Delaware, Wyoming, and Nevada, including* 
 
 also, the District of Columbia. 
 
 The population of Illinois is nearly twice that of any of its im 
 
 mediate neighbors. 
 
 Thus: 
 
 
 ILLINOIS 
 
 5,638,591 
 
 Missouri 
 
 3,293,335 
 
 Michigan 
 
 2,810,173 
 
 Indiana 
 
 2,700,876 
 
 Wisconsin 
 
 2,330,860 
 
 Kentucky 
 
 2,289,905 
 
 Iowa 
 
 .2,224,771 
 
 The population of Cook County is greater than that of the whole 
 state of California or Wisconsin; it is, in fact, greater than that of 
 any one of at least thirty-eight different states in the Union. Again, 
 there are three counties of the State, besides Cook County, any one of 
 which has a population greater than that of the state of Nevada. They 
 are Peoria, St. Clair and Sangamon counties. 
 
 There are now twenty-two cities in the State, each having a popu- 
 lation in excess of 5,000. 
 
 II. ILLINOIS ENGINEERING INDUSTRIES. 
 
 Complete industrial statistics for 1910 are not yet available. The 
 Bureau of Statistics and Labor for 1905 shows the pursuits of the peo- 
 
 ple of Illinois to be grouped as follows: 
 
 Professional service (doctors, lawyers, preachers, etc.) 5 per cent. 
 
 Domestic and personal service 20 per cent. 
 
 Agriculture 26 per cent. 
 
 Engineering pursuits: 
 
 V 
 
Mining 
 
 Trade and transportation 
 Manufacturing 
 
 Total 1 100 per cent. 
 
 These values demonstrate the fact that Illinois is a great manu- 
 facturing state. Practically half of its population gains its support 
 from the mining, transportation and manufacturing industries. 
 
 A fact not generally understood is disclosed by the relative values 
 of the agricultural and manufactured products of the State. • The 
 Census Report for 1900 values the agricultural crops of Illinois for that 
 year at seventy-two millions, and the manufactured products at a little 
 more than two hundred and sixty millions; that is, the manufactured 
 products of Illinois are worth three and a half times as much as 
 those which she raises from the soil. 
 
 The progress of Illinois in the development of its manufacturing 
 interests has been rapid. In 1850, its rank, based on the value of its 
 manufactured products, was fifteenth. Since 1890, it has ranked third, 
 its output being exceeded only by that of New York and Pennsylvania. 
 The facts in detail are as follows: 
 
 Rank of Manufacturing States. 
 
 
 1850 
 
 1860 
 
 18.70 
 
 1880 
 
 1890 
 
 1900 
 
 New York 
 
 i 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 Massachusetts 
 
 2 
 
 3 
 
 3 
 
 3 
 
 4 
 
 4 
 
 Pennsylvania 
 
 3 
 
 2 
 
 2 
 
 2 
 
 2 
 
 2 
 
 Ohio . 
 
 4 
 
 4 
 
 4 
 
 5 
 
 5 
 
 5 
 
 Connecticut 
 
 5 
 
 5 
 
 8 
 
 7 
 
 10 
 
 10 
 
 New Jersey 
 
 6 
 
 6 
 
 7 
 
 6 
 
 6 
 
 6 
 
 Maryland 
 
 7 
 
 12 
 
 14 
 
 13 
 
 14 
 
 13 
 
 Virginia 
 
 8 
 
 9 
 
 
 
 
 
 Maine 
 
 
 14 
 
 12 
 
 15 
 
 
 
 Missouri 
 
 10 
 
 11 
 
 5 
 
 8 
 
 7 
 
 7 
 
 New Hampshire 
 
 11 
 
 15 
 
 15 
 
 
 
 
 Rhode Island 
 
 12 
 
 13 
 
 10 
 
 14 
 
 15 
 
 14 
 
 Kentucky 
 
 13 
 
 
 
 
 16 
 
 
 Indiana 
 
 14 
 
 10 
 
 11 
 
 10 
 
 11 
 
 8 
 
 ILLINOIS 
 
 15 
 
 8 
 
 6 
 
 4 
 
 3 
 
 3 
 
 California 
 
 16 
 
 7 
 
 16 
 
 12 
 
 12 
 
 11 
 
 Michigan 
 
 
 16 
 
 9 
 
 9 
 
 8 
 
 9 
 
 Wisconsin 
 
 
 
 13 
 
 11 
 
 9 
 
 
 Minnesota 
 
 
 
 
 16 
 
 13 
 
 12 
 
 Kansas 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 15 
 
 Iowa 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 16 
 
 The growth of a state in population, wealth, and influence, after its 
 territory is once fully occupied, depends chiefly upon its success in the 
 development of its manufacturing industries. This is to be seen in the 
 
 2 
 
 .22 
 
 .25 49 
 
fact that among the older states of the Union, those have increased 
 most rapidly in population which have been most active in the promo- 
 tion of their manufacturing industries. For example, Massachusetts, 
 Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and West Virginia 
 increased in population from 1900 to 1910 from 20 to 35 per cent. The 
 population of Illinois increased during the same period but 17 per 
 cent. The stimulating influence of its manufacturing activities, how- 
 ever, has given Illinois a growth beyond that of some of its neighbors. 
 For example, the increase for Indiana was but 7 per cent, and for Mis- 
 souri but 6 per cent. Iowa, which has been content without manu- 
 facturing, has a smaller population today than ten years ago. 
 
 III. THE COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND THE STATE. 
 
 The College of Engineering and the Engineering Experiment Sta- 
 tion of the University of Illinois, are agencies established and main- 
 tained by the State for the training of young men in and for the promo- 
 tion of engineering research. < 
 
 The College offers instruction in architecture and in all of tho 
 more common departments of engineering. Its student population is 
 at present thirteen hundred; it has increased rapidly in the past, and 
 there is every indication that it will continue to increase in the future, 
 though perhaps at a diminishing rate. Its graduates are serving the 
 industries of the State in important capacities, and in many cases men 
 who have recently gone out are successfully occupying positions of re- 
 sponsibility, to which, prior to the advent of the college-trained engi- 
 neer, only men of long practical experience could attain. The En- 
 gineering Experiment Station has issued forty-five bulletins by which 
 the results of the technical investigations of the Station are transmit- 
 ted directly to the Illinois manufacturer and builder. 
 
 It is evident that the College of Engineering of Illinois should be 
 larger and better equipped than the engineering schools about it, be- 
 cause the State it serves is far larger than its neighboring states. In 
 the matter of buildings and equipment for engineering, Illinois has as 
 yet no advantage over some of its neighbors. 
 
 The College of Engineering of Illinois should give a response to 
 the industrial activity which characterizes the work of the people of 
 Illinois. No other state in its neighborhood has half its people en- 
 gaged in engineering pursuits, and hence not one is so much in need 
 of a school of engineering of equal grade. 
 
 Illinois manufactures two hundred and sixty million dollars’ worth 
 of material a year; it has a greater mileage of railways than any other 
 state; and it mines fifty million tons of coal a year. The extent of 
 these interests justify the development of the State College of En- 
 gineering to the highest possible standards of efficiency. 
 
 IV. LEGISLATIVE ASKINGS. 
 
 The general University bill (House Bill No. 168, Senate Bill No. 
 161) contains two items for the benefit of the College of Engineering 
 as follows: 
 
1. For Materials for Shop Practice, $6,000.00 per annum $12,000.00 
 
 This item has appeared in the University’s 
 appropriation bill for many years, and has always 
 passed without serious discussion. The amount 
 hitherto asked and appropriated has been 
 $10,000.00. The increase is desirable because of 
 the large number of students to be accommodated 
 and the necessity for some extension in the char- 
 acter of the work. 
 
 2. For the Maintenance and Extension of the Engineering 
 
 College and the Expenses of the Engineering Ex- 
 periment Station, $150,000.00 per annum $300,000.00 
 
 This is the usual item for maintenance which 
 without change in phraseology has passed several 
 different Legislatures. The amount appropriated 
 under it two years ago was $160,000.00. The rea- 
 sons underlying the request for an increase are 
 hereinafter set forth. 
 
 3. For an Additional Engineering Building $300,000.00 
 
 The reasons underlying this request are here- 
 inafter set forth. 
 
 The mining interests of the State have been instrumental in intro- 
 ducing a bill (House Bill No. 281, Senate Bill No. 196) requiring the 
 University to undertake certain specific work and providing appro- 
 priations for its support as follows: 
 
 4. For the Maintenance and Extension of the Department 
 
 of Mining Engineering, $15,000.00 per annum $30,000.00 
 
 For a Building for the Use of the Department of Mining 
 Engineering and for the Housing of the Labora- 
 tory to be Equipped by the United States Bureau 
 
 of Mines at Urbana ....$200,000.00 
 
 For Work of Investigation in Co operation with the State 
 Geological Survey and the United States Bureau 
 of Mines, with a View to Conserving the Lives of 
 the Mine Workers and the Mineral Resources of 
 
 the State, $5,000.00 per annum 10,000.00 
 
 Total $240,000.00 
 
 The reasons underlying the request of the mine operators and 
 mine workers for the passage of this bill are hereinafter set forth. 
 
 V. STATEMENTS IN EXPLANATION OF THE REQUESTS FOR 
 APPROPRIATIONS. 
 
 1. For the Maintenance and Extension of the Engineering College and 
 the Expenses of the Engineering Experiment Station. 
 
F©« the Information op 
 
 
 
 The amount appropriated under this item two years ago was $160,- 
 000.00. The amount now asked for is $300,000.00. The money re- 
 ceived under this item is to be expended for three principal purposes: 
 
 (a) THE MAINTENANCE OF THE COLLEGE OF ENGINEER- 
 ING. This item covers the cost of materials used in the various labor- 
 atories and offices of the College, the printing of catalog material, etc. 
 It supplies the College with all of those various materials which are 
 used up in the process of operation. It is not expected that the cost of 
 maintenance, as covered under this subdivision, will be materially 
 greater in the future than it has been in the past. 
 
 i 
 
 !► 
 
 \ 
 
 (b) THE MAINTENANCE OF THE WORK OF THE EN- 
 GINEERING EXPERIMENT STATION. Thus far the Station has 
 given its attention chiefly to problems affecting the economic utiliza- 
 tion of fuel, and efficiency in the use of building materials. Work in 
 these fields must be continued and new fields of investigation await 
 the attention of the Station. Thus far the Station has done little or 
 nothing in studying general questions affecting the utilization of elec- 
 trical energy, the performance of railway machinery, including steam 
 and electric locomotives, the development of power by the use of gas 
 producers and internal or combustion engines, and the scientific as- 
 pects of aviation. 
 
 As to the value of the work already accomplished by the Station, 
 a single illustration must suffice. A letter recently received from the 
 chief engineer of a great railway operating out of Chicago acknowl- 
 edges the indebtedness of his company to the Engineering Experiment 
 Station. He writes: 
 
 “I know from my own personal experience 
 that the research work of the University along 
 the lines of reinforced concrete construction has 
 been of incalculable value to this company, which 
 has spent many hundreds of thousands of dollars 
 for such construction during the past few years. 
 
 The data developed by the work at the University 
 have in large measure made it possible to employ 
 this more economical form of construction, not- 
 withstanding its newness, with full assurance that 
 the ultimate result would be entirely satisfactory.” 
 
 (c) EXTENSION OF EQUIPMENT OF THE COLL 
 ENGINEERING. In the development of the College of Engineering 
 
 the effort thus far has been to find the men whose presence at the 
 University would give the College the strongest possible staff. Much 
 has been accomplished in this direction. It has also been the policy to 
 push as vigorously as possible the resources of the Engineering Ex- 
 periment Station, and large portions of the appropriation for mainte- 
 nance have been spent in promoting its activities. As a result of this 
 policy, very little has been spent for several years past in the exten- 
 sion or maintenance of equipment. The time has now come when 
 
 \ 
 
large investments must be made in several departments if the Col- 
 lege is to hold its own with its neighbors. 
 
 The Department of Electrical Engineering, now badly crowded 
 and insufficiently equipped, will, when relieved of the presence of the 
 University’s power plant, have an opportunity to expand. The process, 
 however, will require the reconstruction of that portion of the building 
 which is to be newly occupied, and other building changes and im- 
 provements. A large amount of new equipment is also needed. 
 
 The Mechanical Engineering Department is greatly in need of fa- 
 cilities for studying gas production and gas engine performance. Ma- 
 terial addition should also be made to the steam equipment of the 
 department. 
 
 The shop laboratories have had practically no additions of equip- 
 ment for many years. In the meantime cutting tools of high-speed 
 steels have been introduced and shop methods generally have been 
 revolutionized. As a consequence of progress in these directions, the 
 present equipment of the shop laboratories is very largely antiquated. 
 Expenditures are required for new heavy modern tools if we are to do 
 efficient work in these laboratories. 
 
 2. For an Additional Engineering Building. 
 
 The sum of $300,000.00 is asked for this building. The College of 
 Engineering, except for its Department of Physics, has had no appro- 
 priation for buildings since 1893. In the eighteen years which have 
 since passed, the attendance of students has quadrupled, its instruc- 
 tional staff has increased fourfold, the number and variety of research 
 problems which are undertaken have greatly multiplied, and the 
 work of instruction has extended to meet the legitimate demands re- 
 sulting from the progress of the arts. The College now enrolls 1,300 
 students. Room is urgently needed by many departments, especially 
 for use as drafting rooms, for materials testing, and for the accommo- 
 dation of transportation laboratories. All of these interests would be 
 served by the proposed new building. 
 
 ROOM FOR MATERIALS TESTING. The materials testing labor- 
 atory now occupies a portion of a comparatively small building. Oper- 
 ations supplemental thereto, such as the making of concrete beams and 
 columns for test, and such as are incident to the work of the cement 
 laboratory and of the roads materials laboratory, have already been 
 crowded out of the main laboratory and are carried on elsewhere. 
 Quarters which once were ample, have now become entirely inade 
 quate. The equipment is crowded to a point which makes its opera- 
 tion difficult. The number of students to be accommodated is greater 
 than can well be received, and the work of research, which naturally 
 awaits the attention of the laboratory, demands facilities that are not 
 now available. It is for these reasons that a request is now made for 
 new quarters and for additional equipment. The work in testing ma- 
 terials under the direction of Professor Talbot, constitutes one of the 
 more important lines of activity which have hitherto characterized the 
 work of the College. In the field of reinforced concrete, especially. 
 
no college laboratory in the country has made larger or more valuable 
 contributions to scientific knowledge. Reports of its work have been 
 published in bulletins of tho Engineering Experiment Station, many 
 of which have been reprinted in leading American and foreign en- 
 gineering journals, and extracts from these reports have appeared in 
 American, English and German text-books. 
 
 ROOM FOR A TRANSPORTATION LABORATORY. The Uni- 
 versity of Illinois, more than any other institution in the country, has 
 developed courses of instruction especially planned to prepare men for 
 service with railroad companies. As yet it has done little in contrib 
 uting to the sum of scientific information for the use of such com- 
 panies. Complete success in dealing with the transportation industry 
 requires that the work of instruction already undertaken by the Uni- 
 versity be accompanied by work of engineering research. The facili- 
 ties needed for research are necessary to the proper instruction of stu- 
 dents, and the results of research constitute important factors in the 
 establishment and maintenance of helpful relations between the Col- 
 lege and the great transportation companies of the State and country. 
 The field for such research is that which underlies the design, construc- 
 tion, maintenance, and efficiency of the structures and machines pe- 
 culiar to the railroad service. The transportation laboratory must 
 deal with the problems of the track and of track structures, as well as 
 with those of the locomotive and cars. 
 
 A quarter of all the people in Illinois draw their support directly 
 from the railroads. These people and many others are vitally inter- 
 ested in any movement which is designed to improve railroad service. 
 The elaboration of courses and the advancement of researches by the 
 University, which will become possible through the possession of an 
 adequate building, will constitute such a movement. It will be the 
 purpose to make the proposed transportation laboratory a university 
 home for all departments of railway work, — for the specialized courses 
 in the various phases of railroad administration and for the laboratory 
 courses. The character of the building should be such as will fittingly 
 represent one of the State's greatest industries. It must appear among 
 the buildings of the campus with the same significance that the rail- 
 roads themselves possess among the several industries of the State. 
 Moreover, those who are responsible for the management of railroads 
 are now calling, more urgently than ever before, for well-trained young 
 men to enter the railroad service, in order that men may be at hand 
 who can in due time be developed into future managers. It is only 
 through the possession of such a building as has been outlined that 
 the University of Illinois can do its full part in supplying its share of 
 such young men. 
 
 On the morning of November 9, 1910, a party of thirty one railway 
 officials, the executive representatives of fifteen great railways center- 
 ing in Chicago, came to the University of Illinois for the purpose of 
 inspecting its College of Engineering. These gentlemen inspected with 
 care the work which the University is doing in preparing men for 
 
railway service, and in promoting researches underlying their activi- 
 ties. In conference, after due consideration, they adopted the follow- 
 ing resolutions. The expectation of these men would largely he met 
 if the building asked for is secured. 
 
 “RESOLVED, That it is the sense of this 
 meeting that the railways of the State of Illinois 
 co-operate with the President and Trustees of the 
 University of Illinois in their efforts to secure 
 from the State Legislature at its next session an 
 appropriation for suitable transportation and en- 
 gineering buildings, to be erected for the purpose 
 of furthering and promoting the work now being 
 conducted for the study and development of the 
 business of transportation and the education of 
 men to enter the service of the railroad industry.” 
 
 3. For the Maintenance and Extension of the Department of Mining 
 Engineering at the University of Illinois, and for the Erection 
 of a Building at the University and for Work of Investigation. 
 
 The reasons underlying this request are well set forth in the reso- 
 lutions passed at the annual convention of the United Mine Workers 
 which was held in Springfield on February 24, 1911. They are as 
 follows: 
 
 “WHEREAS, According to statistical report of 
 the United States Geo'ogical Survey, the mineral 
 output of the State of Illinois has reached $150,000,- 
 000 per vear, of which the coal product represents 
 $50,000,000; and, 
 
 “WHEREAS, The dangers and difficulties of 
 coal mining are constantly increasing and new 
 problems arising that require careful investigation 
 and study; and, 
 
 “WHEREAS, There are in the State of Illinois 
 over 70,000 miners, we believe that every possible 
 means should be adopted to improve the conditions 
 under which the mines are being operated and to 
 lessen the dangers incident to mining; and, 
 
 “WHEREAS, The Legislature of Illinois at the 
 26th Biennial Session authorized the establishment 
 of a department of mining engineering at the Uni- 
 versity of Illinois, which department, in the short 
 time it has been established, has shown that it de- 
 sires to cc-operate with all the mining interests of 
 the State looking to the betterment of conditions 
 for conserving life, and the natural resources of the 
 State; and, 
 
 “THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, That the 
 United Mine Workers of the Twelfth District in 
 
annual convention assembled believe that the con- 
 ditions for giving mining instruction at the Uni- 
 versity of Illinois should be improved by increas- 
 ing the appropriation for maintenance and by pro- 
 viding a suitable building for the department of 
 mining and the State Geological Survey as provided 
 for in Senate Bill 192, so that the State of Illinois 
 may offer facilities at least equal to those offered 
 by surrounding States; 
 
 “BE IT RESOLVED, That the United Mine 
 Workers of America approve the establishment of 
 mining institutes so that mining instruction may 
 be made general throughout the state. 
 
 “RESOLVED, That a copy of these resolutions be 
 sent to the Governor of the State, President of the 
 Senate, Speaker of the House of Representativs, as 
 a communication to the General Assembly of Illinois, 
 and each local is authorized to use its influence with 
 its representatives in the General Assembly to se- 
 cure the passage of acts carrying into effect the 
 conditions herein noted.