Campbell W. Adams
Encyclopedia
Campbell W. Adams was an American civil engineer
, surveyor and politician from New York
. He was New York State Engineer and Surveyor
from 1894 to 1898.
From 1880 to 1885, he was City Surveyor of Utica. Afterwards he was Constructing Engineer for the Delaware and Hudson Canal Company, on the Albany and Susquehanna division, but a year later returned to Utica and served as Assistant City Surveyor during Mayor Kinney's administration. In 1887, he was employed as Resident Engineer for the Rome, Watertown and Ogdensburg Railroad
, supervising the construction of the branch from Rochester, New York
to Windsor Beach
on Lake Ontario
, of a viaduct at Harpursville
, and of a bridge over the Genesee River
. He was again appointed Assistant City Surveyor of Utica in 1888, and in 1891 was one of the engineering corps on the Adirondack and St. Lawrence Railroad
. In 1892 and 1893, he was again City Surveyor of Utica.
He was State Engineer and Surveyor from 1894 to 1898, elected in 1893
and 1895
on the Republican ticket. From 1901 to 1903, he was engaged in building a railway and harbor for the Dunderland Iron Co., Ltd., of London
, England
, on the west coast of Norway
, near the Arctic Circle
. Until 1905, he remained as Superintendent of this work, during which time the plant has been completed for mining, concentrating and briquetting about twenty-five hundred tons daily of iron ore for shipment to England. In December 1905, he was made General Manager of the entire works.
Civil engineer
A civil engineer is a person who practices civil engineering; the application of planning, designing, constructing, maintaining, and operating infrastructures while protecting the public and environmental health, as well as improving existing infrastructures that have been neglected.Originally, a...
, surveyor and politician from New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. He was New York State Engineer and Surveyor
New York State Engineer and Surveyor
The New York State Engineer and Surveyor was a state cabinet officer in the State of New York between 1848 and 1926. During the re-organization of the state government under Governor Al Smith, the office was abolished and its responsibilities transferred to the Department of Public Works which was...
from 1894 to 1898.
Life
He was educated at the Utica Academy. In 1872, he became an assistant to Wm. H. Christian, City Surveyor of Utica, and in the following year when Christian's term expired, they formed a partnership and carried on a general surveying business. In 1872 and 1874 Mr. Adams had charge of building the Savage Reservoir at the end of Pleasant Street, Utica, for the Utica Water Works. From 1875 to 1880, he was a traveling salesman for the firm of Adams Bros., rope manufacturers.From 1880 to 1885, he was City Surveyor of Utica. Afterwards he was Constructing Engineer for the Delaware and Hudson Canal Company, on the Albany and Susquehanna division, but a year later returned to Utica and served as Assistant City Surveyor during Mayor Kinney's administration. In 1887, he was employed as Resident Engineer for the Rome, Watertown and Ogdensburg Railroad
Rome, Watertown and Ogdensburg Railroad
The Rome, Watertown and Ogdensburg Railroad, commonly known as The Hojack Line, operated along the south shore of Lake Ontario, from Niagara Falls, New York to Oswego, New York. Different segments of the line were abandoned at different times...
, supervising the construction of the branch from Rochester, New York
Rochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
to Windsor Beach
Windsor, Ontario
Windsor is the southernmost city in Canada and is located in Southwestern Ontario at the western end of the heavily populated Quebec City – Windsor Corridor. It is within Essex County, Ontario, although administratively separated from the county government. Separated by the Detroit River, Windsor...
on Lake Ontario
Lake Ontario
Lake Ontario is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded on the north and southwest by the Canadian province of Ontario, and on the south by the American state of New York. Ontario, Canada's most populous province, was named for the lake. In the Wyandot language, ontarío means...
, of a viaduct at Harpursville
Colesville, New York
Colesville is a town in Broome County, New York, United States. The population was 5,441 at the 2000 census.The Town of Colesville is in the northeast part of the county and is northeast of Binghamton.- History :...
, and of a bridge over the Genesee River
Genesee River
The Genesee River is a North American river flowing northward through the Twin Tiers of Pennsylvania and New York. The river provided the original power for the Rochester area's 19th century mills and still provides hydroelectric power for downtown Rochester....
. He was again appointed Assistant City Surveyor of Utica in 1888, and in 1891 was one of the engineering corps on the Adirondack and St. Lawrence Railroad
Adirondack and St. Lawrence Railroad
The Adirondack and St. Lawrence Railroad operated between DeKalb Junction and Hermon in St. Lawrence County, New York over a four mile standard gauge railroad. The Adirondack&St. Lawrence was founded by the St. Lawrence Pyrites Company on April 19, 1906, and shortly thereafter the line was opened...
. In 1892 and 1893, he was again City Surveyor of Utica.
He was State Engineer and Surveyor from 1894 to 1898, elected in 1893
New York state election, 1893
The 1893 New York state election was held on November 7, 1893, to elect the Secretary of State, the State Comptroller, the Attorney General, the State Treasurer, the State Engineer and a judge of the New York Court of Appeals, as well as all members of the New York State Assembly and the New York...
and 1895
New York state election, 1895
The 1895 New York state election was held on November 5, 1895, to elect the Secretary of State, the State Comptroller, the Attorney General, the State Treasurer, the State Engineer and a judge of the New York Court of Appeals, as well as all members of the New York State Assembly and the New York...
on the Republican ticket. From 1901 to 1903, he was engaged in building a railway and harbor for the Dunderland Iron Co., Ltd., of London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, on the west coast of Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
, near the Arctic Circle
Arctic Circle
The Arctic Circle is one of the five major circles of latitude that mark maps of the Earth. For Epoch 2011, it is the parallel of latitude that runs north of the Equator....
. Until 1905, he remained as Superintendent of this work, during which time the plant has been completed for mining, concentrating and briquetting about twenty-five hundred tons daily of iron ore for shipment to England. In December 1905, he was made General Manager of the entire works.
Sources
- Political Graveyard: Index to Politicians: Adams, C to D
- Engineers' bios, at Rochester history
- CANDIDATES OF THES PARTIES Presentation of the candidates for state office, in NYT on November 5, 1893
- CAMPBELL W. ADAMS.; Former State Engineer and OneTime Edison Aide Dies. Obit in NYT on November 9, 1930 (subscription required)