Graduating from that school in 1836 and sharing the first honors with a friend, nephew of the patroon, he was again favored by General Van Rensellacr, who as president of the canal board placed him in the engineer corps of the State canals, and so influenced and cared for his promotion that in three months he was elevated to a position,' that under ordinary circumstances, he would have j spent two years of hard work in reaching. Remaining on the State canals (that severe school of hydraulic engineering) for seven years, and there getting disciplined to industrious habits and love for work he left that service, entered on railway engineering and was actively employed in railway construction for some years. In 1850 he went to Chili, South America, to take a leading part in directing the construction of the first railway ever built south of the equator, remaining there for most of the next ten years. He directed the construction of several public works, among which were two railways for English companies of London, returning to the United States

HISTORY OF WESTCHESTER COUNTY.

in 1860. He has during a quarter of a century devoted most of his time to professional labors as consulting and advising engineer to government work in Cuba and Peru, and to other public works in the Argentine Republic, Mexico, Central America, Australia, New Zealand and Russia.

His zeal and energy have been devoted with much success to promoting American interests in foreign countries. In the early part of 1886 he was appointed on a commission with several English engineers to sit in London, and ^ determine some engineering questions of great importance in connection with extensive and costly bridges to be built in Australia, but was unable to accept the honor.