USA > Illinois > Cook County > Chicago > Historical review of Chicago and Cook county and selected biography, Volume II > Part 40
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At the death of his brother in 1893, Mr. Scherzer gave his atten- tion to the development of the bridge business, founded by the former, the very successful working of the first rolling lift bridges at Van Buren street and between Van Buren and Jackson (the Metropolitan L), which were placed in operation in 1895, making of it a success from the first. Albert H. Scherzer made a most exhaustive study of the entire subject, pursuing his investigations both in this country and abroad. Under his thorough and able management the original bridge was improved and developed to meet the most difficult condi- tions and requirements of traffic ; numerous bridges were constructed in Chicago, including the eight-track railroad bridge across the Drain- age and Ship Canal (the widest movable railroad bridge in the world) ; bridges were built in the east and the west; they were introduced into Great Britain, Russia, Holland and other European countries, and within the twelve years of the existence of the Scherzer Rolling Lift Bridge Company more than one hundred great bridges have been constructed across various navigable waterways of the United States, Europe, Asia, Africa, Mexico and South America. More than ninety per cent of the new bascule bridges constructed for railroad, electric railroad and highway traffic during the past ten years are of the Scherzer type, and include the largest, the longest and the widest
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movable bridges in the world. The first, built in Chicago for the Metropolitan Elevated railroad and across the Drainage and Ship Canal, have already been mentioned. Their successful working in- duced the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad Company to build a six-track rolling lift bridge at the entrance to the Great South Terminal Station, at Boston, Massachusetts. This is one of the widest movable bridges in the world. In 1903 a four-track bridge was completed for the same company at Bridgeport. Connecticut. and similar structures at other points in that state, as well as in Mas- sachusetts and Rhode Island; and they are also building six-track Scherzer Rolling Lift bridges across the Bronx river and Eastchester Bay, New York. All of these large bridges take. the place of swing structures, which have become obsolete in modernizing and electrify- ing the company's tracks. The Big Four Railroad Company has also constructed two Scherzer bridges at Cleveland, Ohio, and the New- burg & South Shore Railroad Company has also built one of that type there. The Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Company has also re- placed a number of bridges of the old type with Scherzer structures. Many other leading railroads in the United States have Scherzer bridges in course of construction, and New York, Boston, Buffalo. and other cities, east and west, are building them in the improvement of local transportation systems. The Southeastern & Chatham Rail- way Company, of England, has already built a bridge of the Scherzer type, and one has been completed for the Fishguard & Rosslare rail- ways at Waterford, Ireland. on the new fast mail route between Cork and London. In England other Scherzer bridges are being built for the Furness Railway Company and the Vickers Railway Company. The Scherzer type of bridge is being substituted for the trunnion bascule variety, and in Russia it is also taking the place of the swing bridge. At Buenos Ayres, Argentine Republic, two double-track Scherzer Rolling Lift bridges are being built for the Great Southern Railway: at Khartoum, Egypt, a similar bridge is being constructed for the Government Railways; at Rangoon. India, the Burmah Rail- ways are building one, while in Mexico the Tehuantepec Railroad is constructing two Scherzer Rolling Lift bridges. Thus, from all parts of the world come tidings of the acknowledgment, from governments
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and corporations, that the merits of the Scherzer type are superior to all others.
Mr. Scherzer has made a high record, not only as the head of the company, whose operations are world-wide, but as a contributor to the technical press on bridge engineering, and also to current literature on this subject, as well as on river improvements, ship canals and the improvement of waterways and harbors. He is also retained in consultation by many of the principal railroad companies and mu- nicipal corporations throughout the world who are engaged in the construction of large and difficult movable bridges.
In May, 1902, Mr. Scherzer was united in marriage with Donna Gunckel Adair, of Dayton, Ohio, and they reside at the Vir- ginia. Mr. Scherzer is a member of many scientific societies and of the Union League, Athletic, South Shore Country and Marquette and other clubs'.
The position attained by Benezette Williams as a hydraulic engi- neer is the result of a professional practice covering some of the
BENEZETTE
most important works of the country. He was
WILLIAMS. born in Logan county, Ohio, November 9, 1844, the SO11 of Asa and Edith (Cadwalader) Williams His parents were earnest members of the religious Society of Friends, or Quakers, many of their ancestors having become identified with the society before leaving England and Wales, more than two hun- dred and fifty years ago. Some of the ancestral lines, as Stanton. Coffin, Macy and others, were established in America before 1650; his mother's line (Cadwalader) before 1700, and the paternal line of Williams about sixty years later. The early ancestors landed first in New England, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and North Carolina, where the great-grandfather, Robert Williams, settled. At least half a dozen of the paternal forefathers named were among ten of the first settlers of the island of Nantucket, Massachusetts, and his pater- nal grandmother was of the famous Stanton family-an aunt of Edwin M. Stanton, Lincoln's historic secretary of war. Robert Stanton, the founder of the American branch, settled in Rhode Island about 1640, having been born in England in 1599.
Mr. Williams spent his life on a farm until his graduation from the University of Michigan in 1869, with the degrees of C. E. and M. E. His early inclination to the work of engineering led him to
Benzello Williams
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take the course which he selected at the University, and finally to make engineering his life work. He came to Chicago in the year of his graduation, and for a brief period was employed in the private office of E. S. Chesbrough, city engineer. Following a few months service in the Milwaukee city engineer's office, he became connected with the Milwaukee, Lake Shore & Western and the Chicago, Bur- lington & Quincy railroads, in the work of locating and constructing lines in Wisconsin and Illinois. In 1872 he accepted a position with the city of Chicago under City Engineer Chesbrough, continuing as assistant engineer, superintendent of sewerage and city engineer until the fall of 1878. While assistant engineer he had especial charge of the designing and construction of the Fullerton avenue conduit. For several years after 1878 he was engaged in private practice, during this period designing and superintending the hydraulic works for the town of Pullman, and was engaged in similar work for a large num- ber of cities, among which are Decatur (Illinois), La Crosse (Wis- consin), Saginaw (Michigan), Council Bluffs (Iowa) and Seattle (Washington). His professional labors in the last named city were among the most important of this period, consisting of the planning of a sewerage system and of a gravity water supply from Cedar river, which have since been constructed.
In Chicago Mr. Williams' career has a close connection with the earlier history of the drainage canal, as one of the engineers who planned and directed that gigantic enterprise through its important stages. The first definite move toward the building of the canal was the appointment by Mayor Harrison of a Drainage and Water Sup- ply Commission in 1886, that body consisting of Rudolph Hering, Samuel G. Artingstall and Mr. Williams. The commission made a report recommending a canal through the Desplaines valley leading to the Mississippi river. When Mr. Artingstall resigned as chief engineer of the sanitary district in January, 1892, Mr. Williams was made his successor and held the office for two years; during this period he located the main drainage channel and prepared the plans, specifications and contracts for the work, which were adopted, con- tracts let and the actual work of construction well advanced under his superintendency. Mr. Williams was especially qualified to pros- ecute this great work, having had many years' experience in the performance of important duties connected with the public works of
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Chicago. He has since continued in the active practice of engineering and contracting. His services have been in demand as a consulting engineer and as a member of various arbitration boards in the ap- praisal of water works proposed to be purchased by municipalities. One of the recent tributes to Mr. Williams' ability was his appoint- ment, in 1901, as a member of the water supply commission of St. Louis, which investigated and reported upon plans for the improve- ment of the water supply of that city. His high standing is also indicated by the fact that he has served as president of the Western Society of Engineers, of which he has long been an active member.
On September 27, 1871, Mr. Williams married Miss Lydia Jane Terrell, of Cleveland, and the children, with the dates of their birth, are: Carl Benezette, December 23, 1873; Edith Cadwalader, May 20, 1875; Hester Gilpin, October 20, 1883, and Ellen Terrell, Febru- ary 15, 1889.
Bion Joseph Arnold, consulting engineer for the city of Chicago since 1902, to devise a subway, revise the street and elevated railway
BION J. systems, and in general charge of the experts ap-
ARNOLD. pointed to solve the congested transportation prob- lem of Chicago, is one of the foremost electrical engineers of the country. He is a native of Cazenovia, Michigan, born on the 14th of August, 1861, being a son of Joseph and Geral- dine (Reynolds) Arnold. His father was a western pioneer and a member of the first territorial legislature of Nebraska, and his more remote ancestors were leaders in the colonial and revolutionary periods of American history. It was the paternal ambition that the son should enter the field of the law as a passport to some broad and useful public career. But as the boy early evinced pronounced in- clinations and abilities of a mechanical and inventive nature, his parents wisely assisted him in every possible way to ensure him a training which was obviously in line with his temperament. Mr. Arnold's early education was obtained in the public schools of Ash- land, Nebraska, and about the time that he graduated therefrom he attained one of his youthful ambitions in mechanics by completing a miniature working steam locomotive, which, in view of his lack of technical education and non-technical surroundings, showed a re- markable understanding of mechanics and physics. The mechanism
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is still preserved, and naturally valued as an initial point in his bril- liant and substantial carcer.
Mr. Arnold's higher and technical education embraced courses in Hillsdale College, from which he obtained the degree of B. S. in 1884 and of M. S. in 1887 (honorary M. Ph. in 1889) ; a post- graduate course at Cornell University in 1888-9, specializing in both mechanical and electrical engineering ; and in 1897 he was honored with the regular degree of Electrical Engineer by the University of Nebraska. Years before, however, he had attained a national repu- tation as an electrical expert. In 1907 the Armour Institute of Tech- nology conferred upon him the honorary degree of Doctor of Science.
After leaving Hillsdale College Mr. Arnold's first position was as general agent for the Upton Manufacturing Company of Port Huron, Michigan, which he held from 1884 to 1886. Successively, he was draftsman for the Edward P. Allis Company, of Milwaukee, Wisconsin; chief designer of the Iowa Iron Works, Dubuque; me- chanical engineer of the Chicago, St. Paul & Kansas City Railway (1888-9), and consulting engineer for the General Electric Company. Since 1893, when he designed and built the famous Intramural railway of the World's Columbian Exposition, Mr. Arnold has been an inde- pendent consulting engineer and has been the main force in the devel- opment of one of the largest engineering companies in the country, with offices both in Chicago and New York. He was chief consulting engineer of the Chicago & Milwaukee Electric Railway, and, being å pronounced advocate of the merits of the storage battery, in its construction and subsequent operation he first successfully demon- strated the practicability and possibilities of the high tension trans- mission, rotary converter sub-station system for electric railways. So great was the saving in first cost and operation over the previous methods of construction that the system has come into general use, its highest type of development being represented in the complete electrical equipment of the New York terminal of the New York Central Railroad Company, involving an expenditure for electrical material of about $15,000.000, and a collateral expenditure of about $60,000,000. Mr. Arnold made the original investigation for the company, upon which this work was based, and was a member of the commission which devised the plans and had charge of the installa .. tion during its entire construction period.
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The virtual solution of the Chicago traction problem, which was consummated in the winter of 1907 and 1908, is largely due to Mr. Arnold's broad engineering experience and knowledge of the most modern development of railroading.
He carried on exhaustive experiments, at his own expense, in Lansing, Michigan, from 1900 to 1905, and there demonstrated the practicability of operating electric trains with alternating current motors from a high potential single phase alternating current con- ductor, which system has since been developed by different manufac- turing companies, and is rapidly becoming standard for the electrical equipment of steam railroads, being exemplified in its highest type in the installation of the St. Clair tunnel of the Grand Trunk Rail- way System between Port Huron, Michigan, and Sarnia, Ontario, devised and installed by Mr. Arnold, and the New York, New Haven & Hartford System in operation between New York City and Stam- ford, Connecticut.
He has acted as consulting engineer for many of the leading steam railway companies of the country, as well as for many city and state governments, and for some time past has been acting as consulting engineer for the Public Service Commission of the First District of the State of New York, having submitted a number of exhaustive reports analyzing the physical and financial condition of the subway, and pointing out recommendations for its improvement. He is now acting as director of valuations for the same Commission in valuing all of the traction properties of the city of New York and environs, with a view of ascertaining a basis, in the same manner as he did for the city of Chicago, for the settlement of the controversy now existing between the railway companies and the Commission, over the · proper capitalization of the companies. His Chicago work affected companies capitalized at something over $100,000,000, and the New York work involves several times this amount.
Mr. Arnold is not only widely known for his constructive and executive abilities as an engineer, but besides being a pioneer in the fields already mentioned is the inventor of combined direct connected machines for electric power plants, a magnetic clutch, storage battery improvement, and other systems and devices for electric railways. He is a leading member of the American Institute of Electrical Engi- neers, of which he served as president in 1903-4, being one of its
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Chatr. Gindele
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five representatives to attend the International Electrical Congress at Paris in 1900. He was first vice-president and chairman of the executive committee of the International Electrical Congress held at St. Louis in 1904; was also vice-president of the United Engineering Society of New York, which has charge of the fund of $1,500,000 donated by Andrew Carnegie for the construction of a union building to be occupied by the American Institute of Electrical Engineers, American Society of Mechanical Engineers, and the American Insti- tute of Mining Engineers ; is also a trustee of the Western Society of Engineers, and a member of all the organizations mentioned, as well as of the American Society of Civil Engineers, the American Society for the Promotion of Engineering Education and the American Asso- ciation for the Advancement of Science. Further, he is identified with the Union League, the Industrial, Engineers', South Shore, Mid- Day and Aeronautique clubs of Chicago, and the Transportation and Engineers' clubs of New York.
On January 14, 1886, Mr. Arnold was united in marriage to Miss Stella Berry, of Reading, Michigan, who died at Colorado Springs in 1907. The children born to them are as follows: Maude Lucille, Stanley Berry and Robert Melville. The family residence is at 4713 Kimbark avenue.
There is no city in the world where the services of skilled engi- neers and experienced general contractors are in more active demand
CHARLES W. than in Chicago, where, owing to its rapid and mar-
GINDELE. velous growth and development, municipal improve-
ments and vast private enterprises are conducted upon the most extensive scale. A leading and prominent representa- tive devoted to this department of industrial activity is Charles Wil- liam Gindele, president of the Charles W. Gindele Company, occupy- ing spacious and eligibly situated premises at 3333 LaSalle street, from which point he arranges and directs his operations, which are national in their scope.
The inception of this business dates back to 1857, when it was es- tablished by J. G. Gindele, father of Mr. Gindele, who, in the early history of Chicago, carried through to successful completion a greater number of municipal improvements than any other man identified with the contracting interests of Chicago. He was not only a promi- nent contractor, but was thoroughly identified with the material
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growth and development of the city, and during the years from 1861 to 1867, he was a member, as well as president, of the board of public works, of this city, and from 1867 until December, 1869, was president of the Illinois-Michigan Canal board, and from 1869 until January, 1872, when his death occurred, he was county clerk of Cook county. Among the enduring monuments to his engineering skill may be mentioned the Washington and LaSalle streets tunnels, as well as the first lake tunnel for water supply for the city, of which he was a promoter. And in Mr. Gindele's office at the present time there hangs the original copy of the vote of thanks passed by the city council, January 6, 1868, which he received for the thorough and conscientious manner in which he engineered important undertak- ings for the city. In 1868 his son, Charles W., was taken in as a member of the firm of J. G. Gindele and Sons, this being the begin- ning of the business in which he has achieved not only most substan- tial success, but marked distinction.
In May, 1894, he took possession of the present premises, which he erected and arranged especially for this purpose, and which cover an area of 100XI40 feet, upon which are numerous buildings utilized as offices, drafting department, shops and warehouses, comprising the most complete establishment of its kind in the west, and possess- ing every facility and convenience, being located on the lines of six different railroads. Here he employs a competent corps of drafts- men and assistants, while an army of experienced workmen are given employment on the contracts which are always in hand. In addition to numerous important contracts, in the way of private enterprises and for railroad corporations, both in Chicago, and throughout all sec- tions of the country, Mr. Gindele has executed many important com- missions in his line for the United States government, and is at pres- ent engaged upon the United States courthouse, customs house and postoffice buildings at Omaha, Nebraska, Boone, Iowa, and Kalama- zoo, Michigan. Of his numerous contracts should be mentioned the extensive glucose plants of the Warren Sugar Refinery Company, at Waukegan, Illinois; the Western Glucose Company, Roby, Indiana, and the Clinton Sugar Refinery Co., Clinton, Iowa.
He constructed the battleship "Illinois," which attracted thousands of visitors at the World's Fair, and the Calumet Club House, one of the finest structures of its kind in the United States. He commands
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facilities of the most complete character, enabling him to execute promptly and efficiently all commissions entrusted to his care, and bears a high reputation for the fidelity with which he guards all con- fided interests.
Mr. Gindele was born in Schweinfurth, Bavaria, April 19, 1847. coming to Chicago with his father in 1852, where he has since held a prominent position in business and social circles. He was a son of John George and Louisa ( Hirschheimer) Gindele. He received his education in the public schools. He is a member of the Builders' and Traders' Exchange, of which organization he was president during the World's Fair year, 1893, being re-elected to that office in Janu- ary, 1899. He has been honored by the Masons' and Builders' Asso- ciation, having been elected to the presidency for two terms, and he was also a member of the joint arbitration committee who settled the great lockout strike in 1887, and is one of the delegates at large of the Building Contractors' Council which carried through successfully the fight against the Building Trades Council in the great building labor strike of 1900, the result of which was a death blow to the said Building Trades Council, and in all of which Mr. Gindele took a prominent and active part.
He is a director of the National Association of Builders, repre- senting the Builders' and Traders' Exchange of Chicago, and he has also been highly honored as a delegate to most of the conventions held by the National Association of Builders. He is a member of the Builders' Club, of which organization he has been president and treasurer, and he is also a member of the Carpenters' and Builders' Association, in connection with which he has held the chairmanship of the most important committees. He is in every way an able rep- resentative of the important interests in which he is successfully en- gaged, his wide experience, together with thoroughly practical and technical knowledge having enabled him to fully maintain for his establishment the high reputation and the prominent position it has held for the last half of a century.
. During the war Mr. Gindele served as corporal in Company G. Eighth Illinois Cavalry. He was a member of the Tax Commission board appointed by Mayor Swift in 1896 to re-value property lying in the district bounded by the river, Twelfth street and Lake Michi- gan. He is president of the Central Printing and Engraving Com-
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pany. His membership in societies and clubs includes the following : Royal Arcanum, Hamilton Club, Builders' Club, South Shore Coun- try Club, Building Contractors' Council, Builders and Traders' Ex- change, Chicago Masons' and Contractors' Association, Carpenters' and Builders' Association, German Hospital Association, U. S. Grant Post No. 28, G. A. R.
Mr. Gindele married March 26, 1880, Lucy Elliott Ash, now de- ceased. Their only son, John George, is also deceased.
Robert Woolston Hunt, founder and senior member of Robert W. Hunt & Company, widely known consulting engineers who are also engaged in the inspecting and testing of steel
ROBERT W. HUNT. rails, structural material for bridges and buildings, etc., is one of the leading metallurgical engineers of the United States. He is a native of Fallsington, Bucks county, Pennsylvania, born on the 9th of December, 1838, and son of Dr. Robert A. and Martha L. (Woolston) Hunt. Educated in the public schools of Covington, Kentucky, he early commenced his career in a rolling mill at Pottsville, Pennsylvania, mastering such processes as puddling, heating and rolling. At the same time he pursued the study of analytical chemistry, later taking a course in the laboratory of Booth, Garrett and Reece at Philadelphia, and in 1860 was ap- pointed chemist of the Cambria Iron Company, Johnstown, Pennsyl- vania, for whom he opened the first analytical laboratory to be estab- lished in connection with iron or steel works in America. While thus employed he joined the Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, serv- ing in the Civil war as private, sergeant, captain (in command of Camp Curtin (Harrisburg), and mustering officer for the state of Pennsylvania.
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