Cheshire Academy - Rolling Stone Yearbook (Cheshire, CT)

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It is a great pleasure to dedicate the 1940 ROLLING STONE to Mr. Louis W. Downes, distinguished alumnus of the Cheshire Academy. LOUIS W. DOWNES CLASS OE '84 Louis W. Downes, a member of the Board of Trustees of the Cheshire Academy, was graduated from the Academy in 1884 and entered Trinity College with the class of 1888. Four years later Trinity conferred upon him the degree of Bachelor of Science. For a year Mr. Downes attended the City of London Institute in England. In 1889 he returned to the United States and found employment with the Narragansett Electric Light Company as a meter inspector. In the short span of two years, Mr. Downes had been promoted to a responsible position in charge of all electrical equipment in the company's station. After a year in New York studying machine design, Mr. Downes returned to Providence to give all his time to experimentation, research, and invention. At this time he invented and perfected a method for insulating wire with an asbestos coating. In 1896 he was granted a patent for the so-called enclosed fuse for use in lighting and power circuits. This later came into almost universal use throughout the country. To manufacture these devices there was organized the D. '26 W. Fuse Company, of which Mr. Downes became vice-president and general manager. The fire underwriters soon standardized on this type of equip- ment, making its use compulsory. The small D. T5 W. Fuse Company expanded greatly and commenced to manufacture not only the fuses but also Mr. Downes' earlier invention of the asbestos-insulated wire, and later a widely varied line of electrical devices and materials. In 1912 the Franklin Institute of Philadelphia conferred upon him the John Scott Medal for his work in the Held of insulation. That same year his Alma Mater, Trinity, conferred upon him the degree of Doctor of Science. In 1918 Mr. Downes' firm became a part of the General Electric Company. with which company he remained for two years and then he retired. In July, 1937, Mr. Downes was elected a Trustee of the Academy, which is justly proud of so distinguished an alumnus. I-Ie generously consented to serve and he forms another link in the chain which binds the Cheshire of today to the Cheshire of Horton and Woodbury and Phillips. 8

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THE HON. RAYMOND ff. BALDWIN Governor of the Stale of Connecticut Ex-oflicio Mcmbcr of the Advisory Board 10