Measures for Progress: A History of the National Bureau of Standards

58 FOUNDING THE NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS (1901-10)
1 metre or less," nor was the Office "prepared to make comparison of ther-
mometers at temperatures lower than zero or higher than 50 degrees Centi-
grade." 16 Nevertheless, Fischer that year was to verify a number of
thermometers, flasks, weights, and polariscopic apparatus used by the customs
service in levying duties on imported sugar, adjust and verify the set of
standards used in the State of Maine, and work on three sets of standards
for States not yet supplied. He also prepared a set of metric standards for
Puerto Rico, and graduated and verified 100-foot and 30-meter bench stand.
ards for the city surveyor of Boston, to be used in reverifying tapes and chains
submitted to him.'7
In the intervals free from pressing routine work, Dr. Wolff had set
up a number of Clark standard cells for measuring standards of electro.
motive force and verifying direct.current voltmeters and millivoitmeters, had
acquired equipment for testing resistance standards, and was at work on
alternating-current testing apparatus, preparatory to answering some of the
problems recently raised by long-distance transmission of power. But as
Dr. Wolff said, "No claim to originality is made for what has been accom-
plished." The Office was still "obliged, as heretofore, to send to the national
standardizing laboratories of Germany and England for verification [of] the
large class of alternating current measuring instruments, condensers, and
photometric standards." 18
On June 30, 1900, the Office reported that in the past year it had com-
pared 65 thermometers and 69 surveyors' tapes, had graduated and verified
772 sugar flasks, replied to 75 requests for information, and with routine
weights, measures, and balance tests, had answered a total of 1,037 "calls" on
it. Its appropriations amounted to $9,410.00, of which $8,237.44 was for
salaries and $944.18 for contingent expenses.19
The law establishing the National Bureau of Standards, passed in
March 1901, did not become effective until July 1, but within a week of its
passage Stratton received his appointment as Director of the new Bureau
from President McKinley.'0 During the interim 4 months he was to find a
site for the new laboratory, plan its equipment, find the additional personnel
"Annual Report, Coast and Geodetic Survey, 1899, p. 49.
1Z Annual Report, Secretary of the Treasury, 1900, p. lxviii.
IS Annual Report, Coast and Geodetic Survey, 1900, p. 68; Annual Report, Secretary
of the Treasury, 1900, p. lxviii. Also, Wolff, "The facilities afforded by the Office of
Standard Weights and Measures for verification of electrical standards and electrical
measuring apparatus," Sci. Am. Suppi. 49, 20304 (1900).
" Annual Report, Coast and Geodetic Survey, 1900, pp. 58—59, 69. Appropriations
for 1899 had been $5,690 for salaries and $2,475 for expenses.
22 The Presidents and executive secretaries under whom Bureau directors have served
appear in app. D.