Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute - Transit Yearbook (Troy, NY)

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During his residence in Troy. he served three terms as Commander of john A. Griswold Post No. 328, G. A. R., resigning that position in the spring of 1888, when he changed his place of residence. In April of that year he removed to Chicago and established the since world-wide known firm of Robert WV. Hunt 81 Co., Inspect- ing and Consulting Engineers, with headquarters at Chicago, and having offices in Pittsburg. New York, St. Louis, San Francisco, London, Montreal, City of Mexico, and Buenos Ayres. In 1883 Mr. I-Iunt was President of the American .Institute of Mining Engineers, and was again elected to that position in 1906. I'Ie is Past-.President of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, and of the West-- crn Society of Engineers. I-Ie is a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers, The Institution of Civil Engineers, the American Railway Engineering and Maintenance of INay Association, and the American Society for Testing Materials. I-le was a member of the Executive Committee of the Advisory Board in relation to Structural Materials and Mineral Resources appointed by President Roosevelt, and, following the dissolution of that body, has been retained as Consulting Engineer to the Technologie Branch of the U. S. Geological Survey. He is a Trustee of the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, N. Y., and a member of the Boards of various industrial companies. He has contributed liberally to the papers and discussions of the several technical socie- ties of which he is a member, and has frequently lectured before the Franklin Institute of Philadelphia, and the Graduating Class of the Rensselaer Institute, Sibley College, Cornell University, and the University of VVis- cousin. Mr. I-Iunt is a member of the Chicago Club, Engineers Club of Chicago, Saddle and Cycle Club, South Shore Country Club, Illinois Athletic Club, Chicago Golf Club, Duquesne Club of Pittsburgh, Engineers Club of New York, Glen View Club, and Mexico City Country Club. 9

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mustered in the U. S. service as a Sargeant, having tossed up with a friend as to which should take a Lieuten- ant's commission. Following this service, Mr. Hunt returned to Johnstown, and on Mav Ist, 1865, was sent by the Cambria Company to represent them at the experimental pneumatic fliessemerj Steel Plant at Wyandotte, Michigan. VVhile VVinslow, Griswold 81 Holley had built an experimental plant at Troy, N. Y., under an arrangement with Bessemer, an association of other iron and steel companies had built another plant at Wyari- dotte under the patents of VVm. Kelly and Robert Mushet. Mr. Hunt assumed charge of this in July, 1865, and remained for about a year, when he returned to Johnstown, the Cambria Company intending to erect a Besse- mer plant at once. This was not commenced for several years, but, in the meantime, he took charge of the roll- ing of steel rails by the Company in their Johnstown mill. from ingots produced in the Pennsylvania Steel Co.'s W'orks, Steelton, Pa., that Company's rail mill not being completed. These were the first commercial steel rails rolled in America, all previous ones having been experimental, and not to apply on orders. Mr. Hunt assisted George Fritz, Chief Engineer of the Cambria Co., in designing and erecting a Bessemer plant for that Company, and assumed charge of its operation upon its completion in July, 1871. In September, 1873, Mr. Hunt left Cambria and entered the employ of John A. Griswold S Co., Troy, N. Y., taking charge of their steel plant. Later, upon the consolidation of that Company with Messrs. Corning Sz Co., of the same place, he became the General Superintendent of the new organization known as the Albany K Rens- selaer Steel 8z Iron Co., and later of their successor, the Troy Iron 8: Steel Co. During those years he almost completely re-built the various works of the Company, and also erected a large blast furnace plant of the most complete character. Mr. Hunt has taken out several letters patent on steel and iron metallurgical processes and machinery, both individually, and in conjunction with John E. Fry, Wm. R. Jones, Dr. August Wenclel, and Max. M. Suppes. The Hunt-Jones-Suppes rail mill feed tables are used under licenses by the majority of the rail mills in the United States. In 1866 he married Eleanor Clark, daughter of George Clark, Esq., of Ecorse, Michigan. B

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