Address on the scientific life and labors of William C. Redfield, A.M., first president of the American Association for the Advancement of Science : delivered before the Association at their Annual Meeting in Montreal, August 14, 1857 / by Denison Olmsted.

  • Denison Olmsted
Date:
1857
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Address on the scientific life and labors of William C. Redfield, A.M., first president of the American Association for the Advancement of Science : delivered before the Association at their Annual Meeting in Montreal, August 14, 1857 / by Denison Olmsted. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

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    In 1832, Mr. Eedfield, in company with Mr. Morgan, civil engineer, reconnoitered the series of interior valleys through which the Harlem railroad now runs, with a view to the estab- lishment of the New York and Albany railroad. He was instru- mental in obtaining the charter of that road, and published a pamphlet entitled Facts and Suggestions relating to the New York and Albany Eailroad. About the same period, in con- nection with James Brewster, Esq. of New Haven, he explored the route of a railroad leading from New Haven to Hartford, which afterwards resulted in the construction of the Hartford and New Haven railroad. As early as 1829, he addressed a memorial to the Common Council of the City of New York, ask- ing permission to lay an experimental railroad in Canal street. The project of a railroad through one of the public streets of New York was at that time considered as chimerical, but time has developed the wisdom of the plan, and illustrated the saga- city and forecast that first devised it. When the project of the Hudson Eiver Eailroad was started, he entered into it with his characteristic enthusiasm, and was a member of the board of directors, which brought that road to its final completion. In the progress of the work he was deep]y interested, frequently visiting all parts of the line, and at differ- ent periods examining on foot the entire road between New York and Albany. His associates of the board acknowledged themselves indebted to him for many valuable suggestions re- lating to its construction.* But we turn from these noble enterprises in which the philoso- pher and the engineer were happily united in the same individual, to the consideration of the great subject which, from this time, formed the leading object of his life, namely, to perfect his theory of storms. Nor do we turn away from great practical subjects to such as are merely speculative. The lives and property which * From the outset Mr. Redfield maintained that the low rate of fares at first adopted -would prove inadequate to sustain the road, and published in the papers of that day a series of articles to show that the road could noi be supported at a less rate than two cents per mile. These views met with much opposition at the time, not only from residents on the line of the road, but from members of the board of directors. But the result has proved the soundness of his judgment on that point.