MR. SOMERVILLE-The matter of mechanical draft, although perhaps not pertinent to the subject, which has been mentioned, always appeared to me to contain great possibilities, but as far as I know it has never been experimented upon. It is a subject which has never been before the Association, and yet the cost of experimenting would be very little. It would require a small engine (which could be used for something else if this did not prove a success), and an exhausting drum. I understand that it requires very little fuel to produce this mechanical draft. I believe that much of our inferior fuel could be utilized with that kind of a draft. If any of our members are in a position to experiment with an isolated bench in that direction, I wish they would do so, for I am sure we would be very interested at some future meeting of the Association in hearing the result of the experiment. I throw out the suggestion. I am not in a position to do it myself.

MR. GIMPER-The mechanical introduction of air by a secondary draft I may say is an old thing. Over 20 years ago I was in Washington, D. C., to investigate something in that iine devised by the late Mr. Geo. A. McIlhenny, who was then managing the gas works there. Later on the plan was abandoned, natural draft chimneys having been found more successful. I have used regenerative benches for over 20 years and have almost forgotten the old fashion. Notwithstanding all the discussion I have heard on the subject I am satisfied I adopted about the best thing, and am using it. The full-depth regenerative bench, in my opinion, is the right system to follow.

MR. H. C. SLATER-We have had the American under-feed stoker in two of our places. It is the same stoker, running two benches. In the first place we put it in an old bench, where it was too far out; but if it did not do any good it did not do any harm. There was no trouble in getting the heat up. The greatest difficulty we had with it was that very large blocks formed in the furnace of hard coal. I used too much slack coal, the proportion being one-third slack coal and two-thirds breeze. I think if a larger proportion of breeze were used there would have been less trouble. We have now a new bench, which was only charged in the last two or three days, and have not yet got the results from that, but I hope to get some figures about its working before the meeting adjourns. Mr. Doty spoke about the character of the flame. I really do not see why the flame should be different in using the stoker than in ordinary bench firing. The fire is pretty much the same, although we gasify the coal there, carbonize it, and the gas goes up through the coke on top; in our case the stoker itself, or the fuel, is in the middle position of the old grate

one.

and the fuel gas goes up in there and then turns over on each side. On each side we have a coke fire, and on top we also have We have a gas fire next the stoker to carbonize the under side. So far, I have put all the draft through the stoker, sloping in towards the center. I think, however, that later on I shall introduce a primary air supply under each side, the same as we use it in the ordinary coke fire. We admit enough air through the stoker itself to prevent the blocks getting heated, and drive the gas out where we want it. I think the stoker used by Mr. Mitchell is a little different from ours, and I would like to hear from him about it.

MR. MITCHELL-At the suggestion of Mr. Doherty, about a year ago we studied long, at St. Joseph, Mo., on the question of introducing our coal into the furnace in a regular manner by means of a mechanical stoker, and finally devised a plan of charging the furnace by means of a screw, and under the screw we have a hopper. We have been using the machine for about two months, and find that by using slack coal we can get as good results as we did with the best lump coal. That screw is run at about 22 revolutions per minute, and the coal is forced into the furnace over its top. As the coal goes into the furnace it immediately begins to coke, and as it cokes the screw keeps on shoving it in, until there is formed a great big chunk of coke, 12 or 15 inches in diameter, right at the end of the pipe where it goes in, and then the stoker pushes the piece of coke off and breaks it with his bar. It requires very little labor and is done very quickly. By that means we are able to save considerable in fuel and almost all the labor, except in clinkering. Of course, the slack fuel has to be thrown into the hopper. About 2,200 pounds of slack fuel are used in the 24 hours, at a cost of $1.60 per ton. I may say I am well pleased with it, and think we shall put it in the new retort house that we contemplate building next season.

On motion of Mr. Dunbar, the thanks of the Association were voted to Mr. Slater for his paper.

SOME FRATERNAL CONGRATULATIONS AND

REMEMBRANCES.

The President here formally invited the visitors to take part in the proceedings and to make themselves thoroughly at home. In response to this invitation, Mr. George B. Neal, of Charlestown, Mass., spoke as follows:

I am very much obliged, Mr. President, for the cordial invitation you have given visiting gas men to take part in this conven

tion. I wish to say that on last Saturday I attended a meeting of the Guild of Gas Managers, in Boston; and, on motion of Mr. Walter R. Addicks, I was charged with the pleasant duty of conveying to this Association the cordial greeting of the Guild and the hope that this meeting may be a pleasant and a profitable one. I wish also to express my personal pleasure at being present at this meeting. I have never before had the privilege of attending a meeting of the Western Gas Association. I am glad to be here. I see about me the familiar faces of so many friends whom I have met at the conventions of the American, the New England, and the Ohio Associations, that I am almost led to believe that this Western Association includes the membership of all the others. I feel at home with you, and am delighted to be here. I wrote you, Mr. President, stating that I expected to come. I did so because I wanted an invitation, and I did get a very kind one from you.

THE PRESIDENT-I am sure I voice the sentiment of every member of the Association in saying we are glad to welcome Mr. Neal to our meeting. And we are very glad to know that he was authorized to bring and express the congratulations and good wishes of the Guild of Gas Managers. I would say in reply that when any of the members of the Guild wish to observe wisdom (or other things) and to have a good time, the Western Gas Association meeting is the place to come to. They will always be welcome, and the doors will always be wide open.

MR. DOTY-I notice we have with us the President of the New England Association of Gas Engineers, Mr. Walter R. Addicks. We would be very glad to hear from him.

THE PRESIDENT-Mr. Addicks is also a member of the Western Gas Association, not merely a guest.

MR. ADDICKS-I am very proud to belong to the Association, although I have not often had the pleasure of meeting with you. On two occasions only have I attended the meetings-once when Mr. Baxter was President, at the Pittsburg session, and once at Cleveland. As the President of the New England Association, I desire to say that we wish this Association every success. We know that the Western Association always has good papers that are full of vigor and strength, and we enjoy reading the accounts of your meetings when unable to attend them in person. also to say that we are very proud to have Mr. Neal represent the Guild of Gas Managers. I will say also that the Guild deputized me to act with Mr. Neal in delivering the message.

THE PRESIDENT-We certainly get all kinds of expressions. We have telegrams and letters from quite a number of people

who express their regret at not being present; and perhaps now is as good a time to read them as any.

The Secretary here read many letters and telegrams regretting that cogent reasons prevented the senders from personal attendance at the meeting. Noteworthy in the list were letters from ex-Secretary A. W. Littleton, dated Paris, France, the 29th ult., and from ex-President Geo. Treadway Thompson.

ROLL CALL.

Roll call disclosed the presence of the following members:

Honorary.

Slater, A. B., Providence, R. I. White, W. H., New York City. Harbison, J. P., Hartford, Conn. Leach, H. B., Taunton, Mass. Howard, J. B., Galena, Ill.

Active.

Addicks, W. R., Boston, Mass. Cressler, A. D., Fort Wayne,
Andres, J. F., Belleville, Ill.
Andrews, C. W., Hamilton, O.
Averill, G. M., Cedar Rapids,
Iowa.

Gerould, C. L., Galesburg, Ill.
Gimper, J., Galveston, Tex.
Glass, S. J., Milwaukee, Wis.
Goodnow, G. F., Waukegan, Ill.
Green, J., St. Louis, Mo.
Highlands, S. M., Clinton, Ia.

Page, C. H., Jr., Philadelphia,
Pa.

Palmer, L. T., Leavenworth,
Kan.

Paullin, W. C., Colorado.
Springs, Colo.

Jenkins, E. H., San Antonio, Perkins, B. W., South Bend,

Texas.

Keller, C. M., Columbus, Ind.
Kellogg, L. L., Sioux City, Ia.
Kincaid, H. E., Jackson, Tenn.
Knight, J. J., Kalamazoo, Mich.
Landon, H. McK., Indianapolis,
Ind.

Ind.

Powell, W. E., Logansport, Ind.
Pratt, E. G., Des Moines, Ia.
Ramsdell, G. G., Philadelphia,
Pa.

Ross, A., St. Louis, Mo.
Runner, Z. T. F., Freeport, Ill.
Russell, J. T., Jr., Selma, Ala.
Salter, J., Florence, Ala.
Shelton, F. H., Philadelphia, Pa.
Slater, H. C., Milwaukee, Wis.
Somerville, J., Indianapolis, Ind.
Steinwedell, W., Quincy, Ill.
Steinwedell, W. E., Belleville,
Ill.

Spencer, F. S., Monmouth, Ill.
Sweetman, M. M., Kansas City,
Mo.

Little, F. W., Peoria, Ill.
Lynn, J. R., Portsmouth, O.
Lynn, J. T., Detroit, Mich.
Malone, M. E., Madison, Wis.
Mayers, J. A., Columbus, O.
McClary, N. A., Chicago, Ill.
McDonald, D., Louisville, Ky.
McDonald, W., Albany, N. Y.
McLean, G., Dubuque, Ia.
Miller, T. D., Dallas, Tex.
Miller, A. S., New York City.
Morrell, E. E., Oak Park, Ill.
Mitchell, K. M., St. Joseph, Mo.
Montgomery, J., Sedalia, Mo.
Morgans, W. H., Pontiac, Mich.
Murdock, G. T., Elkhart, Ind.
Murdock, J. W., Ottawa, Ill.
Murdock, S. T., Lafayette, Ind.
Nutting, C. H., Chicopee, Mass. Whysall, G. H., Springfield, O.
Odiorne, W. H., Springfield, Ill. Witherby, E. E., Lockport, N. Y.
Olds, H. L., Lincoln, Ill.

O'Malley, P., Aurora, Ill.

Tayler, G. A., Warren, O.
Tippey, B. O., Detroit, Mich.
Thwing, O. O., St. Louis, Mo.
Turner, T., Charleston, S. C.
Wallace, W., Lafayette, Ind.
Walker, E. M., Hyde Park,
Mass

Williamson, J., Chicago, Ill.
Woods, G. E., New York City.

Associate.

Bayles, Jas. C., East Orange, Carpenter, H. A., Allegheny,

N. J.

Bingham, S. H., Chicago, Ill.
Callenbach, J. A., Milwaukee,
Wis.

Pa.

Clark, G. M., Chicago, Ill.
Claybourne, C. W., Chicago, 1.
Collins, D. J., Philadelphia, Pa.