Location of Pipes in the Lehigh University Park

Collection

Identifier: SC MS 0200

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

This little book measures 10.5 cm x 17 cm x 1 cm, is bound in tan calf leather over paper board. Printed in black ink on the outside cover is Transit Book within a double bar. Added information on the cover is Pipes Lehigh University. So. Bethlehem. Penna. in handwriting. Inside the cover is printed on a single sheet: Tables for reducing Perches to Feet and a Table of Decimal parts of a Foot. The cover and first two pages are separated from the binding. The engineering graph pages consist of unnumbered pale blue graph lines with some red lines. Notes in red ink are handwritten – some are quite informative. For example: a “N.B. The locations of all pipes were obtained from Mr. Buck and may or may not be exact.” The pages contain maps of building locations in relation to location of water and gas pipes on the campus of 1885. Among the pages were included two 7.5 cm x 12.5 cm cards: Compliments of A. V. Bodine (ME’15, Alumnus Trustee) Fighting for the Team a printed card, and in pencil HGP “If this record book is of no use to you, file it in the waste basket. H.G.Payrow.” Payrow was a professor in sanitary engineering at Lehigh at least until 1947.

Dates

Creation: June-July 1885

Creator

James Hollis Wells (Civil Engineering Class of 1885) (Person)

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

Collection housed remotely. Users need to contact 24 hours in advance.

Biographical / Historical

Robert W. Numbers (BS 1950) early in his career was superintendent of Building and Grounds at Lehigh University. He possibly acquired this Transit Book of civil engineering calculations from Professor Harry Gordon Payrow, a sanitary engineering professor at Lehigh at least until 1947. Included in the little book is a penciled note signed – H.G. Payrow – “If this record book is of no use to you, file it in the waste basket.” Apparently Mr. Numbers retained it throughout his career. He retired from his career as chief engineer at St. Luke’s Hospital, Bethlehem, PA. The creator of these calculations, James Hollis Wells, no doubt made the calculations as a student requirement for the 1885 civil engineering curriculum in Surveying. Mr. Wells indicated in a note that he drew the map and made the survey in four weeks. He died in 1926.

Extent

1 volume; 17 x 11 cm

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

An historical engineering viewpoint of the campus facilities of 1885 with small location maps of buildings, streets, water and gas pipes drawn by survey measurements.

Arrangement

The notebook divided into two sections: Water pipes and Gas pipes. Each section contains data and map showing the location of the building.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Acquired from Robert W. Numbers (Lehigh Class of 1950) in January 2011

Accruals

No additions anticipated.

Related Materials

Buildings and Grounds. SC LVF B932

Campus and Buildings. SC LVF C196

Separated Materials

Cataloged in Bosey Reiter biographical file: Card titled “Fighting for the Team” and attributed to “from Bosey Reiter – The Grand Old Man of Athletics at Lehigh, 1911-1941” Compliments of AV Bodine, Bridgeport, Conn.