Iron Alloys

In nature pure iron is scarce. In industry it is practically useless. But alloys of iron when they are hard, flexible, rust and corrosion-resisting are vastly important to modern civilization. To discover new and better alloys, to manufacture the known and useful ones is a paramount concern of such great companies as Central Alloy Steel Corp., Ludlum Steel Company, Krupp. But their research and manufacture are for their particular business. Man may enjoy the benefits thereof but the company of course profits by the company's knowledge. Last week, however, the Engineering Foundation initiated a fiveyear, non profit-making research program into alloys of iron. Its purpose: to provide a reservoir of scientific knowledge for all researchers, technologists, engineers, mill and foundry superintendents interested in the alloys.

Chairman of the Engineering Foundation is Henry Hobart Porter who is also president of the American Water Works & Electric Co., Inc. When 2,300,000 people in 195 communities in 16 states turn on their tap water, when 1,900,000 people in 1,275 communities in Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, Pennsylvania and Ohio ride on trolley car or bus, these people are using water power or electricity provided by Mr. Porter's company. Stock holders in Mr. Porter's company know that its outstanding common stock value has risen $196,000,000 this year, that the total stock market value of those shares was worth last week $295,892,503, that these greatly increasing profits are due largely to the company's electrical subsidiaries and their prospects. Friends of Mr. Porter know that he was born in the largest house in Washington Square, Manhattan, that his golf is poor, his marksmanship good, that he likes to fish, loves to travel. Members of the Engineering Foundation know that he was elected to its chairmanship not because he looms as a potent public utility tycoon but because he is an able mining engineer. In 1894 with Edwin Nash Sanderson, he formed the highly successful consulting engineering firm of Sanderson & Porter, today consulting engineers for American Water Works & Electric Co. Probably unconscious of the virtual homonym, Water Works Engineer Porter chose as head of the foundation's research committee George Booker Waterhouse, M. I. T. professor of metallurgy.