MISSISSIPPI

Montgomery Cunningham Meigs (1847-1931), nicknamed 'Monty', civil engineer and inventor, was the son of the celebrated American army officer and engineer of the same name (1816-1892), Quartermaster-General of the United States army during and after the American civil war. While easily overshadowed by his illustrious father, Meigs was a fascinating figure in his own right, talented in a wide range of fields: manager of the canals and locks of the Old Des Moines Rapids Canal, designer of steamboats and other river craft, and Mississippi river pilot.

7pp., 8vo. With front cover of grey printed wraps. In good condition, on aged paper, with label and stamp of the Science & Art Department of the Educational Library, London on front cover. In tasteful modern grey paper wraps with white printed label on front. Epigram beneath title: 'I would have a deaf child read books in order to learn the language, instead of learning the language in order to read books.' Uncommon: no copy on COPAC and nine copies (all in American libraries, including three at Harvard) on OCLC WorldCat.

Reprinted from "Proceedings, Royal Military Institution," No. 6, Vol.XII. 19pp., tall 8vo, original blue wraps, slight;y chipped, and sunned at edges, worn at bottom of spine, mainly good.remnants of album page on back cover. Inscribed "With the Author's Compliments." From an album created by the engineer son of M.C. Meigs, engineer, sometime distinguished Quartermaster General for the Union Army. No copy on COPAC or WorldCat.

Reprinted from "Proceedings, Royal Military Institution," No. 11, Vol.XII. 4pp., with two folding plates, tall 8vo, original blue printed wraps, sunned at edges, mainly good, remnants of album page on back cover. Inscribed "With the Author's Compliments." From an album created by the engineer son of Montgomery C. Meigs, engineer, sometime distinguished Quartermaster General for the Union Army.

4to, 1 p. Twenty-six lines of text. Clear and complete. Very good, on aged paper. Minor traces of mount adhering to reverse. Vignette of riverboat beneath heading. Signed by Handly and five others, ending with 'Chauncey H. Castle, Of the Comstock-Castle Stove Co.' Begins 'The division of the Mississippi river between the mouths of the Des Moines and Illinois rivers having been in a notoriously unfavorable condition for the purpose of navigation for the past two years, it has been deemed advisable to call a River Convention'.