HARRIS W.A.

HARRIS W.A. 02.03. 1835 Woodstock CT/USA 29.10. 1896 Providence RI/USA William Andrew Harris came with his parents to Providence RI while being a child, and in 1840 they moved to North Adams MA. At age 11 he returned to Providence, where he since resided. In 1855, he engaged in the employ of the Providence Forge and Nut Company, later the Providence Tool Company, as draughtsman. The following year he accepted a similar position with the Corliss Steam Engine Co., founded by George H. Corliss (1817-1888). Here he remained eight years. From 1864, he manufactured the Corliss engine on his own account, paying the inventor Corliss a stipulated royalty. He occupied at first an old building carrying the business there four years. In 1869 he exhibited one of his 'Corliss Engines' at the American Institute in New York City. The 'New York Tribune' gave it the name 'Harris-Corliss Engine'. Since 1870, the date when the patent on the Corliss engine expired, Harris manufactured it, with his own and other patented improvements, under the name originally given it by the 'Tribune'. Harris started his later extensive works west of the Union Railroad station in 1868. The buildings consisted of a machine shop, blacksmith shop, iron foundry, brass foundry, pattern shop, and pattern storehouse. A large force of skilled workmen was employed in the establishment, the most amicable relations existing between the employer and the employees, 'strikes' being an unheard of thing. A large part of the machinery and tools were invented and made especially for these works, the product of which consisted of stationary engines varying from 20 to 2,000 HP. The establishment was capable of turning out half a million dollars' worth of merchandise annually, which was shipped in addition to the USA also to Cuba, Mexico, and Spain. Harris made his works an industrial training school of the best, covering a period of 3 years as an apprenticeship. During this time the young person was taught to execute the complex work, so that he became a master of a good trade. These workmen have thus been instructed under direct supervision of his superintendent and foremen, thereby securing skilled mechanics. Each young person thoroughly understood what was expected of him, and upon compliance therewith merits and receiving the approbation of the proprietor. Anonymous (1896). William A. Harris. Power 16(9): 23. Anonymous (1896). William A. Harris. Engineering Record 34: 399. Harris, W.A. (1869). Harris, builder of the Corliss Steam Engine. Hammond&Angell: Providence. https://www.newsm.org/steam-engines/william_a_harris.html P

HARROD 19.02. 1837 New Orleans LA/USA 07.09. 1912 New Orleans LA /USA Benjamin Morgan Harrod graduated with the BA degree from Harvard University, Cambridge MA, in 1856. He then studied engineering and architecture at New Orleans LA, becoming draftsman in the US Engineering Office in charge of constructions of lighthouses on the Gulf Coast from Mississippi to the Rio Grande Rivers. He began in 1859 practice in New Orleans, but in 1861 was enlisted as private in the Confederate Army. After Civil War service, he resumed professional activities at New Orleans until 1877. He was then appointed chief State engineer of Louisiana, designing the system of levees to protect the alluvial regions of the State from overflow until 1880. He was from 1879 to 1904 engineering member of the Mississippi River Commission, thereby surveying the Mississippi River and its tributaries, and improving the main streams from the junction of the Ohio River. He also was from 1888 to 1892 chief city engineer of New Orleans, including advisory engineer for the drainage, sewerage, and water works systems of the city. From 1897 to 1902 he was in charge of the design and construction of the drainage system. Harrod was appointed as one of the first US delegates to the Permanent Intl. Association of Navigation Congresses PIANC in 1903, but he was unable to attend the congress. He also was appointed member of the Panama Canal Commission by President Roosevelt from 1904 to 1907 to determine the type of canal. He was from 1906 again consulting engineer at New Orleans until his death. Harrod was a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers ASCE, director from 1892 to 1894, vice-president from 1895 to 1896, and ASCE President in 1897. He was awarded the LL.D. degree from Tulane University, New Orleans LA, acted as vicepresident of the Association of Harvard Engineers, and was member of the Louisiana Engineering Society. He also supported the conservation of natural resources through his work in the Audubon Society, and maintained a notable collection of art. Anonymous (1912). Benjamin Morgan Harrod. Engineering News 68(12): 554. P FitzSimons, N., ed. (1992). Benjamin M. Harrod. A biographical dictionary of American civil engineers 2: 47. ASCE: New York. Harrod, B.M. (1903). The levee theory on the Mississippi River. Trans. ASCE 51: 331-344. Shaw, A., ed. (1905). Mr. Benjamin M. Harrod. The American Monthly Review of Reviews 31: 519. P https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benjamin_Morgan_Harrod