olumns is nearly 50% greater than the minimum
of the concrete-steel columns.

If the two lowest tests in plain concrete and the two highest in
concrete-steel had not been made, the average would be in favor of the
plain concrete by nearly as much as Mr. Thompson's average now favors
the concrete-steel columns. Further, if these four tests be eliminated,
only three of the concrete-steel columns are higher than the plain
concrete. So much for the value of averages and the conclusions drawn
therefrom.

It is idle to draw any conclusions from such juggling of figures, except
that the addition of longitudinal steel rods is altogether
problematical. It may lessen the compressive strength of a concrete
column. Slender rods in such a column cannot be said to reinforce it,
for the reason that careful tests have been recorded in which columns of
concrete-steel were weaker than those of plain concrete.

In the averages of the Minneapolis tests Mr. Thompson has compared the
results on two plain concrete columns with the average of tests on an
indiscriminate lot of hooped and banded columns. This method of boosting
the average shows anything but "critical examination" on his part.

Mr. Thompson, on the subject of Mr. Withey's tests, compares plain
concrete of square cross-section with concrete-steel of octagonal
section. As stated before, this is not a proper comparison. In a fragile
material like concrete the corners spall off under a compressive load,
and the square section will not show up as well as an octagonal or round
one.

Mr. Thompson's contention, regarding the Minneapolis tests, that the
concrete outside of the hoops should not be considered, is ridiculous.
If longitudinal rods reinforce a concrete column, why is it necessary to
imagine that a large part of the concrete must be assumed to be
non-existent in order to make this reinforcement manifest? An imaginary
core could be assumed in a plain concrete column and any desired results
could be obtained. Furthermore, a properly hooped column does not enter
into this discussion, as the proposition is that slender longitudinal
rods do not reinforce a concrete column; if hoops are recognized, the
column does not come under this proposition.

Further, the proposition in the writer's fifteenth point does not say
that the steel takes no part of the compression of a column. Mr.
Thompson's laborious explanation of the fact that the steel receives a
share of the load is needl