The Mechanical Laboratory

A couple of week's si nee, i brief dcseription was given in the Coüihkr of fie ncw Mechunical Luboratory building, anc what if would contain, but a more minute descílption would not bc out of place a! lliis time. The foundation walls are now laid, being constructed out of' stone froiu tlie Monroe quarry, mostly. The idea o using this stonc was suggested by Regen Shearer, who thougbt that a more ti ni foundation could be thua secured. The trouble in using the boulders to be fouiu here is that their irregular ihape will no adniit ot' the eonstriiction of ai lirm a wull m will the quarried stone. Tlie machinery that must go into this building will be very trying npon tlie foundatioi walls, and as for that matter, the entile walls of the building. The lower course of stonc Ís 3 ft. '.i In. in thlcknew, and upon this rises the stom wall 2 tt. thick, to the top of the grade Uien a courae of cut stone encircles the entiie wnll on which rests tlie basemen windows. The basement will bc ten fee high to the eeiüng- or to the ander id of the lst story floor, rather, as there wil be no ceiüng. The OUTWARD Ari'EAUANCE will bc very pretty for a building wlth ik broken surfaces. The structure is 40x80 ft. in size, with no projections. The fron is the end toward the north, and the elevatiou discloses quite a handsome view The entrance is in the center, and is surmounted by a heavy aren of eut stone, witli the words "mechanicul laboratory' cut in a eircle over the large, oaken doors Directly over the doors is a large doublt window and higher still is a semi-eircular window givlogllght to the patteru loft This window is siirmoiiuted by a pcdiment lending grace to the outlines. The east side view is robbed of some o its severe ttiffiieu by pilastera between t'ie Windows, and some ornanieiitation in Che way of a course of rock faced 8tom eucircling the building on a line with the window capi of the seccond Hoor- ant under the upper tier of windows are several cour.-üs of ornamented brlck. Tlie cornice is of appropriate design and made of galvanized iron. The root is what is tei med hip shape, covered wlth ¦late, wil h dormen on the sides to give liglit to the lost. In the center is a ventllatlng turret, {fiving a linished appeuruiice to tlie strueture. As to the Interna! arrangements. THE BASEMENT entrance will beon a level with the grade, but adescent of four steps will be had te reitch the floor. Here will be placed the testing machine- used by Prof. Greene in bis dcpariment- where the strength and resistance of materials is taught. It will be termed the experimental laboratory, and aside from the testing machine mentioned will be stationed the experimental steam engines, gas engines, and hot air engines, hydraulic machinery, water wheels, and pumps. Here will be carried on all experimenta In hydraulics; also tlie testing of all sorts of gearing. On the west side is an entrance constructt-d for the purpose of adniitting large timbers and heavy machinery for te8ting puiposes. In the northeast corner of tlie basement a computing oiüce will be litted up, where data of all experimenta will be kept. ON THE KIK8T FLOOU above the basement, reached by a livefoot stairway. will be placed the irouworking machinery. Benches, lathes, plañen, shaping machines, drill preuea and milliug machine. It will accominodate about fifteen students, each to have a separate bench and vice, with a set of drawen to keep the work they muy bo engaged apon. It is lioped to eventual ly have n lathe representing each prominent athe ni.inufactory iii the country. [And it mitrlit not be out of place to suggest rhrht here that it would bf a good advertising scheme for each inanufneturer to send One of his lathes as a gift to this rupidly fcrowtng dcpurtinent of the University]. The inilling machine wtll Uu umi! in manufacture many of the small mplements uscd in the shop. On the northeast corner of this floor will bc titted up a drawing or dranghting room 10x20 ft. in size, with a small office adjoining to the south. THE SECONl) FLOOH. TliU is oue large, plaiu room, devoted to wood-working machinery, including pattern making. Benches will be provided for about twenty students. There will be in this room a wood plaining machine, sticker, two circalar saws, band saws and jig saws, together with about six vood-turning machines. The THIRD FI.OOK. This is a good sized attic merely, and will be utilized as a pattern and lumber loft. ITS OBJBCT8. It is proper in this connection to state bnefly the object of this department, whieh in the course of a few years- tour, if -e mistake not- has come to be such a success. One great secret, perhaps, of its rapid Kjpularity and growtli, is accounted for in-having at its head a practical, progiessive. persevering gentleman, who being detailcd by the U. S. Governmeut t%;ive instnictions in civil engineering, has given such remarkable satisfaction that the rcgents have made him a full professor. Auother reasou uudoubtedly is the fact that it is practical. The theories are taught in the class-room, liere they are testcel and proven practical or impractical. Here the student familiarizea himsclf with the things that he will meet with in lifc, after lt-aving the University A student is required first to make a drnwing of whatever he wishes to construct, then make a pattern, uiold and cast the same in the foundry, and finally to til up the coinpleted machine in the shop. Thus he learns to form bis ideas luto designs that can be executed practical ly in the work shop. This department is valuable to students in many ways which we have 110 time or space to enumérate or expialu. lts rapid growth has proven its uecessity, and uhen the new building is completad, givIng some of the improved FacUltle 10 much néeded, it will show forth greater strength and power. It is to be hoped that the next legislature will be able to investígate the merits of this department of instruction and gnat ald accoidiug thereto.and thatourfriends at the agricultural college will by that time learn that its existence in no way interleres with their tnechauical department, and cease to use their Influence against.it as they have done in the past. AT PRESENT, the old building will be used In connectiou with the new, although entiiely disconnected except by an archway to be constructed. KOR THE FUTIKK, hopesareenteitained. A ulan luis .towii in the mimi's eye of Prof. M. E Cooly to construct the balance of this buildiii", thiH provlding more room whicli wiTl s'jon becniue DBCMBary and addlllV a fouDdry luid mine Uboratory roow Had the 126,000 uked lor last winter been granted, tlie round pl-in of the feuiiUliut would have been sinncthing like tilia; West. KiMiruhy. etc., Une sUiry. T 7sT =3 . l 3 (3 o u H -o 5 .! S o s á ¦E 3 i "í 7 i " I ii. Mi.ismi puo Xjojs pi poiosjj Jtaiaq aiou 8airilU Eatt. Tlius making n complete hik] li.inilsome Rtructure, and tor one we hope Prof. Cooley wlll see hls air castle n castle in eality.