Samuel Harrison Tilghman, Lehigh Class of 1907, Bridge Design Portfolio

Collection

Identifier: SC MS0179

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

This collection of class exercises is bound into a folder of brown heavy paper 17 ¾” x 24” x 1 ¼”. The folder contains a total of 81pages, 16 of which are blueprints (indicate joint effort among classmates as blueprints are drawn and traced by other class members working together as if in a professional group) mostly for a detailed plan of a steel bridge designed for crossing the Monocacy Creek in Bethlehem, Pa, one topographical map of Delaware County terrain for a proposed trolley route and the remaining pages are devoted to various instructional exercises in topography, surveying and engineering depictions including the Lehigh campus and a South Mountain Railway. All the pages not blueprints are clearly marked S. Harrison Tilghman and have a date stamp from the C.E. Dept.

Dates

Creation: 1904 - 1907

Conditions Governing Access

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

Conditions Governing Use

Collection is open for research. Please inquire about copyright information.

Biographical / Historical

Born in Easton, MD September 6, 1885, Samuel Harrison Tilghman was better known as “Judge” at Lehigh which reflected his later career. He came to Lehigh from St. John’s College, Annapolis. While at Lehigh he was a member of the C. E. Society and Sigma Phi Fraternity. He was known to be a steady worker and well-liked by his classmates. In his career following Lehigh, he served in the Army during both World Wars retiring as a colonel. He was also a lawyer and civil engineer last affiliated with Carter & Co., New York. He died October 11, 1961 in Easton, MD.

Extent

81 Leaves ; 46 x 61 cm

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

This document is a collection of class assignments in bridge design and topographic drawing offered at the turn of the twentieth century in Lehigh University’s civil engineering curricula. The assignment included making drawings for a truss bridge design proposed for crossing the Monocacy Creek, plotting a plan for a proposed trolley line in Delaware County, the surveying calculations for a railroad on South Mountain, a survey of Lehigh’s campus at the time, a plot of land in Saucon Valley, as well as many perspective drawings. The time span is from 1904 to 1907.

Arrangement

The material is arranged from latest date 1907 to earliest date 1904 in six sections. Each section represents a semester of study. The earliest material representing the Freshman year is in the back. Subsequently each new year and term is added on top of the previous material. The Senior year material is inside the cover. The pages are not numbered in the usual consecutive manner.

Existence and Location of Originals

Lehigh University, Linderman Library, Special Collections

Related Materials

Engineering Record (1901) “Monocacy Creek Bridge Damaged 1901 by Flooding to Amount $10,000, Taxpayers Petition for New Structure,” v. 43, No. 12, March 23,1901.

Engineering Record (1901) “Monocacy Creek Bridge to be replaced by steel bridge,” April 27, p. 409.

Engineering Record (1901) “Commissioners of Northampton and Lehigh Award Contract for Construction of a Bridge Across Monocacy Creek,” June 1, p. 533.

Johnston, Edward E. (1906) “Design of a Thro. Pl. Gir. Bridge over Lehigh Canal Bethlehem, Pa.” Thesis (C.E.), Lehigh University, J73d.

Tilghman, S. Harrison (1907) “A comparison of Pratt trusses with plate girders for 130 foot spans,” Thesis (C.E.), Lehigh University, T572c.