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Show UK. IIAKI.KS I'. STKIXMKTZ An Apr - iuiion by II. 15. Waters. Rarely doe Nature grant, a Super-Man Super-Man to aid a needy world. With the IJtisiiiB of Dr. O.irle.-: i'. Steinmetz on October 2D. 1'j2:!, the' world lo-t a truo Super-Man. Horn in Germany in ISlia, a lifelong life-long cripple, of frail physique, a dwarf in s'ature, hut endowed with niarvcloiif mentality, ambition and the will to work. Steinmetz first achieved ach-ieved notoriety during student days through BchohiKtic writing end activity. acti-vity. This quickly forced him to flee his native land In his extremity he found refuge with us which resulted re-sulted in our incalculable gain. This frail young man reached New York without friends, influence, wealth or knowledge of onr language, lan-guage, surely a gloomy prospect. After Af-ter a s'ruggle, he ?ecured humble employment with a small concert', manufacturing electrical equipment during the period of the infancy of the electrical industry. Our present means of applying electricity are so numerous, highly perfected, and so commonplace, that only with difficulty diffi-culty can we realize the magnitude of the task of their contriving. Young Steinmetz plunged eagerly into in-to the problems of electrical development develop-ment and soon stood out as the dopi-innnt dopi-innnt man of the industry in solving its comnlex and seemingly insurmountable insur-mountable technical dimculiie?. Thereafter by common consent he ranked as the world's leading elec trical expert. This conspicuous ability soon won and retained for Steinmetz during the remainder of his life, the position posi-tion of chief engineer for the world's greatest electrical manufacturer. So fortunotely for the march of civilization civili-zation this "genius was supported by unlimited funds and assistance, which he untiringly applied in intensive in-tensive creative achievement. As electricity extended rapidly in application ap-plication nnd became a vital part of our economic structure, the demand for enormous generating units, transmission of great blocks of power pow-er over long distances at excessive voltages, nnd the construction of monster motors, brought the industry indus-try face to face with technical complexities com-plexities of design and arrangement that were staggering. How to subject sub-ject man's service the hunderds of thousands of horsepower of a single great system, and to restrain it from destroying the agencies by which it was created, was one of the most ; difficult of these undertakings. The master mind of Steinmetz shone with greatest brilliance in reaching the solution of these problems Steinmetz was a complete master of the higher mathematics and had a gift denied most men. that of ability abil-ity to think clearly in terms of the most abstruse and complex equations, equa-tions, toward results of highly practical prac-tical and beneficial nature. To follow fol-low ?his flights of mathematics taxes tax-es the most proficient. However, he had also the rare gift of clearly picturing pic-turing in simple terms free from mathematical complexities the laws and conditions under which the new fpoch making force becomes the universal uni-versal servant. As a lecturer before students, he was renowned for the simplicity and clearness of his picturing pic-turing the intricate phenomena of electrical science. Confinement to any single line or subject would not answer for such abili y nnd energy as Steinmetz possessed. pos-sessed. Despite the exactions of an active commercial career, he fou'id time to act as professor of electrical engineering of Vnion college and to add extensively to the store of social political and religious thought. His aim was to be of most service to his fellow men. His views regarding the trend and destiny of the present type of civilization were founded upon deep study and clear cut analytical reasoning, from which our statesmen states-men may well profit. In personality, Steinmetz was genial, gen-ial, optimistic, simple and unasum-ing. unasum-ing. His friendship was eagerly sought sou-ght by men of all classes. A lifelong life-long bachelor, he adopted a? his son one of his y.?ung asistsn's and close friends. His work, studies writings and numerous charitable undertakings undertak-ings absorbed his attention. He was ardent as" a church mat; and in the shouldering civic responsibilities. He considered ordinary forms of diversion diver-sion as horcsom. His latter summers sum-mers wore s-'nt a his co'tage in the' Ai'.iron.r.'is in contnnny with a few cheen ' ssi.up.nts and friends. In a' small canoe built especially to meet! his physical requirements, he paddled pad-dled about the lake, intent upon his computations and s'udiea. always . with writing pad at hand, preservim.' . his conclusion'-". R'-;iiark:.M'; honors v-rr- heap-' upon this. ni'..!est little man of jr-nl-us. The engineering f.-at'-rnity li'f him to the hlglies' officers in the tn-at a soriaMon; univ'-rsiti s (' ', thi-msMvi'.i ltonor in conferring up-" Mm their degrees; his fellow ci'i-z.-ns with pride placed him in civi' ;ffice; charitable Institutions eiger-iy eiger-iy sought his counsel; his eommen was a matter of international news: his Immediate associates regarded him with deep respect, admiration, and affection, which perhaps after all Is the greatest honor man may attain The world suffers an Immeasur-! Immeasur-! able los through the passing ' Steinmetz at the age of fifty-eight vears, while at the height of his intellectual in-tellectual powers. His prolific writ ings and the fruits of many rich j years of endeavor stand as a perpet tial monument to the honor and renown, re-nown, of this great scientist inventor and humanitarian. New courage and determination to serve are inspired by the example of useful living set by Steinmetz. The world mourns a great man gone. aa : |