AMERICAN SOCIETY OF CIVIL ENGINEERS.

INSTITUTED 1852.

PAPERS AND DISCUSSIONS.

This Society is not responsible, as a body, for the facts and opinions advanced in any of its publications.

RELATIVE PERMANENCE OF

STEEL AND MASONRY CONSTRUCTION.

An Informal Discussion at the Annual Convention, May 21st, 1902. *

Mr. O'Rourke.

SUBJECT FOR DISCUSSION.

"Is steel susceptible of being made as permanent a building material as masonry?"

By JOHN F. O'ROURKE, M. Am. Soc. C. E.

J. F. O'ROURKE, M. Am. Soc. C. E.-Perhaps the principal feature in relation to the durability of steel is the effect of water upon steel in structures. If steel or metal is exposed to the combined action of air and water a condition is brought about that soon produces rust, which is simply the decomposition of the metal. One of the most illuminating examples of the effect of water on metal, with and without air, was brought to the speaker's notice about three years ago. Willson, Adams & Co., lumber dealers on the Harlem River, had put in an artesian well, hoping to get water to take the place of the Croton supply. The water obtained was brackish, but much cooler than the Croton water in summer. It was not fit to drink, but, in order to take advantage of its temperature, they made a Ụ of §-in. pipe, carrying it down about 100 ft. into the well and putting a faucet on its return end. In this way they obtained a pleasant temperature for drinking water all the year round. This pipe was retained in place

*The discussion of this subject, on which no formal paper was presented, is continued from the August, 1902, Proceedings,

for, perhaps, ten years. had to be taken out.

At the end of that time it had rusted off and Mr. O'Rourke. The part of this pipe above the water was found to be absolutely rotten. The pipe which had been below the water was in perfect condition, and even retained the blue mill scale and tool marks. Upon this part of the pipe, however, there was a whitish coating, like thin whitewash, which could be rubbed off with the fingers. Whether this coating preserved the metal from oxidation, or whether it was the fact that metal does not become oxidized in water alone, are matters for future discussion. The fact is, the metal which had been below water did not show the least sign of decomposition of any kind.

A short distance below the yard of Willson, Adams & Co., the old bridge which crossed the Harlem River at Third Avenue had been supported on pneumatic piles--the speaker thinks they were among the first that were put down in this country. These piles were of cast iron, 6 to 8 ft. in diameter, with interior flanges and bolts to connect them. These bolts were put in in the usual way; and the piles, after being sunk to place, were filled with concrete. The joints were not water-tight; they never are; so everything was immersed, being below the river surface. After 35 or 40 years, when these piles were removed, at the time of building the present structure, the bolts in the flanges were found to be perfectly free from rust. Not only that, they were greasy; the oil on the bolts was there, apparently in the same condition as when put in years before.

The speaker has never known a case where steel or iron corroded when kept away from the influence of the air. He has no hesitation whatever in using steel in connection with structures where there is clean water, if the water remains at a constant level; no more than he has in using wood under similar conditions.

At the present day everybody wants structures built of what might be called high-power material. High power material, in the speaker's opinion, not only possesses high power, but high durability to the same extent, and it only requires care to keep it properly protected against rust. The speaker would use steel or iron under the same conditions that he would use wood.

The durability of pipes is greater when there are inorganic or mineral impurities in the water, than when the water contains organic impurities, as Mr. Darrach has intimated.

The speaker has known of cases, and there are cases on record in the Transactions of this Society, where piles which were constantly submerged have rotted, simply because they were exposed to the action of sewage; or, in other words, because they came in contact with organic impurities. Organic impurities act on steel or wood just as a salicylic acid bath would act on masonry. No one will contend that any material is indestructible when in contact with sub

Mr. O'Rourke. stances which will break it up. Organic impurities will destroy anything. They cause loss of materials and loss of life. Man cannot stand them, nor can iron. Inorganic impurities, or the clean chemical agents, under certain conditions, will act in a manner that can be foreseen, but with the many organic impurities, few of which are sufficiently known, there is too much uncertainty. When they exist, metal, however protected, should not be risked.

MEMOIRS OF DECEASED MEMBERS.

NOTE.-Memoirs will be reproduced in the Volumes of Transactions. Any information which will amplify the records as here printed, or correct any errors. should be forwarded to the Secretary prior to the final Publication.

IRA ALEXANDER SHALER, M. Am. Soc. C. E.*

DIED JUNE 29TH, 1902.

Ira Alexander Shaler was born in Ridgefield, New Jersey, on September 19th, 1862. He was the son of General Alexander Shaler, who served in the Army of the Potomac with distinction. His mother, before marriage, was Miss Mary McMurray, of New York City. Major Shaler was a direct descendant, in the eighth generation, of Captain Thomas Shaler, who came to America from Stratford on Avon, England, in 1662, and, with twenty-seven other emigrants, founded the town of Hadden, in Connecticut, where most of his descendants lie buried.

At the age of eight young Shaler was sent to a private school in New York. Three years later he entered the Public Grammar School No. 55, from which he was graduated in 1878. For the next two years he studied at the College of the City of New York, and in all these schools his record was excellent.

On September 16th, 1880, he entered Cornell University as a sophomore, taking for the first year the general course of Science and Letters. Feeling, however, that this led to no particular profession, and desiring to work for some specific purpose, he decided to take the course of Civil Engineering. He was graduated, with the degree B. C. E., in 1884. Two years later he received his M. C. E. from Cornell University.

Soon after graduation he entered the Engineer Corps of the Aqueduct Commissioners of the City of New York, being first engaged in the office of the Chief Engineer, and, later, in the field, on the construction of the New Croton Aqueduct. As Assistant Engineer he had charge of a section of the Aqueduct Tunnel on Manhattan Island, of the 135th-Street Gate House, and of the pipe line from 135th to 125th Streets.

His tastes, however, were more in the line of contracting than of engineering, and, therefore, he left the service of the Aqueduct Commissioners in 1889 to engage in contracting. Among the works executed by him, either alone or in partnership with others, were the Cornell Hydraulic Laboratory; the Titicus Dam, forming a reservoir

Memoir prepared by Edward Wegmann, M. Am. Soc. C. E.

for New York City; the United States fortifications on Gull Island; the Cold Spring (N. Y.) Dam; the water-works for Gloversville, New York, and the changing of the Madison Avenue car tracks to a conduit electric system.

At the beginning of the Spanish War, Major Shaler offered his services to the Governor of New York to raise an engineer regiment to serve during the war, but, learning that the Governor had no authority to furnish such a regiment, he accepted an invitation from Colonel Eugene Griffin to assist him in organizing the First Regiment, U. S. Volunteer Engineers, and was appointed Captain of Company F. He accompanied this Regiment to Puerto Rico, and returned with it as Major of the Second Battalion.

In January, 1899, Major Shaler was married to Miss Mary Duncan Leverich. After spending a year abroad with his wife, he returned to New York to engage again in contracting, and obtained a sub-contract for Section 4 of the New York Rapid Transit Road. This section, which is entirely in tunnel, extends under Fourth Avenue from 34th to 42d Streets. On this work Major Shaler met with a series of almost unparalleled misfortunes. On January 27th, 1902, his supply of dynamite exploded, killing five persons and doing great damage to the Murray Hill Hotel and other buildings. While Major Shaler was exonerated from all blame in this matter, he was responsible for the damage done. This explosion ruined him, financially.

On February 22d occurred the conflagration of the 71st Regiment Armory at 34th Street and Fourth Avenue, which burned a part of Major Shaler's plant and tools. On March 21st some ledges of rock slid into the tunnel, causing such damage to four houses opposite that they had to be purchased by the contractor to avoid suits for damages. This series of disasters culminated on June 17th, when Major Shaler was inspecting his tunnel with Chief Engineer William Barclay Parsons and Deputy Chief Engineer George S. Rice. A mass of rock became detached from the roof and struck Major Shaler on the back of his head and shoulders, causing injuries of which he died on June 29th, 1902.

Major Shaler had a force of character that inspired with confidence all who came in contact with him. His mind was well balanced. In prosperity, as in adversity, he remained the same. He had a cheerful disposition, was very energetic, a disciplinarian, and yet so just that he was liked by those who worked under him. By nature cautious, he would discard defective machinery long before it was worn out. He was very conscientious, and followed what he conceived to be his duty even though it involved a loss. At the outbreak of the Spanish War, though engaged to be married, nothing could deter him from performing what he conceived to be his duty, viz., to offer his services tohis country.