The Encyclopedia Americana (1920)/Gerhard, William Paul

GERHARD, William Paul, American sanitary engineer: b. Hamburg, Germany, 30 July 1854. He was educated in Alexandria, Egypt, and later on in Germany; was graduated at Technical University of Karlsruhe, Baden, and served as volunteer in Prussian Railroad Regiment, 1875-76, Berlin. He came to the United States in 1877, and received honorary degree of doctor of civil engineering from Technical University of Darmstadt, 1911. He worked under Colonel Flad and under Captain James B. Eads in Saint Louis, 1877-80; became chief assistant engineer to Col. George E. Waring, Jr. at Newport, 1881-83, and has since practised his profession in New York. He was editor of Building, an architectural journal, 1885-86; served as consulting sanitary engineer on staff of New York State architects. Was United States delegate to First International Conference on Public Baths at The Hague, 1910. Member of technical societies and author of numerous American works on sanitation, house drainage, water supply, fire protection, gas lighting. Has also published three German works.