Nation has conquered, peace reigns, and a tide of prosperity has followed, affecting our industry no less than others. In these recent months our nation has taken a long step forward in her mission of enlightening dark places of the earth. May we keep pace with her growth, and, by our continuing successes in fulfilment of our watchword "Let there be light," reflect every credit upon our Association, the companies we represent, and this grand republic, our country.

APPOINTMENT OF COMMITTEE ON PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS.

THE CHAIRMAN-You have listened to this very interesting address of our President. Assuming that, in the usual course, it will go to a committee for consideration and report, if there is no objection I will appoint as such committee, Messrs. C. H. Dunbar, H. Wilkemeyer, and J. J. Knight.

President Copley resumed the Chair, and announced the appointment of the following

SPECIAL COMMITTEES.

Committee of Arrangements for Current Meeting.-E. G. Cowdery, S. J. Glass and Fred Bredel, Milwaukee: A. B. Eaton, Chicago; C. H. Dickey, Baltimore, Md.; H. D. Harper, Chicago; Geo. D. Roper, Rockford, Ill.: H. L. Doherty, Madison, Wis.; Paul Doty, Grand Rapids, Mich.

Auditing Committee.-Irvin Butterworth, James Forbes, C. H. Evans.

Applications for Membership.-C. R. Faben, T. D. Miller, Eugene Printz.

Introduction of Visitors.-J. B. Howard, A. D. Cressler, F. R. Persons, Geo. D. Roper, John Dell.

Publication of Proceedings.-O. O. Thwing, Geo. Treadway Thompson, Wm. McDonald, Alten S. Miller.

Memorials.-T. C. Jones, James Ferrier, James W. Murdock. Place of Next Meeting.-James Somerville, H. D. Harper, H. W. Douglas, N. A. McClary, Geo. McLean.

Final Resolutions.-Donald McDonald, John Gimper, H. S. Whipple.

The President called for the

REPORT OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS,

which Secretary Dunbar read, as follows:

The annual meeting of the Board of Directors of the Western Gas Association was held at 2 P. M., Tuesday, June 13, 1899, and, in absence of the President, Mr. Geo. Treadway Thompson, was called to order by First Vice-President, Mr. I. C. Copley. The following members of the Board were present:

I. C. Copley, Aurora, Ill.; Wm. McDonald, Albany, N. Y.; Howard C. Slater, Milwaukee, Wis.: I. Butterworth, Columbus, Ohio; James Forbes, Chattanooga, Tenn.; Jas. T. Lynn, Detroit, Mich.; Thos. D. Miller, Dallas, Tex.; Jas. W. Dunbar, New Albany, Ind.

On motion of Mr. Thos. D. Miller, the following papers were accepted for presentation to the Association:

"Wrinkle Department," edited by Mr. E. H. Jenkins.

"The Causes Underlying the Formation of Naphthalene," by Mr. Paul Doty.

"Problems in New Business," by Mr. F. B. Wheeler.

"Distribution of Gas Under Higher Pressures," by Mr. F. H.

Shelton.

"Cyanides in the Gas and Waste Products at Columbus, Ohio," by Mr. E. E. Eysenbach.

"Isolated Generators for Bench Firing," by Messrs. F. Bredel and W. E. Steinwedell.

"Vitrified Clay Pipes Instead of Iron for Gas Mains," by Mr. Irvin Butterworth.

On motion of Mr. Miller, Mr. E. G. Cowdery was instructed to furnish the local press any information contained in the papers to be presented to the Association.

On motion of Mr. Lynn, seconded by Mr. Slater, it was unanimously carried that the Board recommend to the Association that Mr. Fred. Bredel be transferred from associate to active membership.

A communication was read from Mr. Alex. C. Humphreys, of the Trustees of the Educational Fund, American Gas Light Association, setting forth the objects aimed for, and the result so far obtained by the Trustees; also stating that the Western Association might possibly be glad to co-operate in the work.

In the same connection, a letter was read from Mr. Alfred E. Forstall, Secretary American Gas Light Association, giving a memorandum in relation to the work by the Practical Class. After

considerable discussion, regarding the merit of the work being accomplished, it was voted, on motion of Mr. McDonald, seconded by Mr. Slater, that the Board of Directors recommend the appropriation of $100 for five years to aid the Trustees of the Educational Fund in their work.

On motion of Mr. Lynn, seconded by Mr. Forbes, the Board of Directors resolved that the Association be requested to appoint a committee for the purpose of aiding the Spokane Gas Company in prosecuting their suit against the Street Railway Company for destruction of pipe by electrolysis, and for the purpose of publishing and distributing the proceedings, and the decision respecting the

case.

The President having appointed the Special Committees on "Auditing," "Applications for Membership" and "Introduction of Visitors," the Board voted to recommend that the Committee on "Publication of Proceedings" be continued in their work.

Secretary-Treasurer Dunbar submitted the following report:

There being no other business, the Board adjourned.

J. W. DUNBAR, Secretary.

The report of the Board of Directors was received and ordered placed on file. At the suggestion of the President its recommendations were discussed separately, and thus acted upon. The recommendation to transfer Mr. Fred Bredel from associate to active membership was adopted. The proposition to subscribe $100 per annum for five years to the Educational Fund of the American Gas Light Association brought out the following discussion :

MR. JENKINS-I move the adoption of that part of the report. THE PRESIDENT-Is there any discussion upon the matter?

MR. H. C. SLATER-I will mention in this connection that at present only members of the American Association can recommend members to the Practical Class. Members of the Western Association cannot endorse a young man to become a member of that Class at present unless he is also a member of the American Association. In case we make a contribution to the fund, I suppose we shall then have the right to recommend members for the Class?

THE SECRETARY-Our receipts are now averaging about $400 per year more than the expenses. The publication of our proceedings (which will soon be due) will cost about $700 for the three years, or $600 for 600 volumes, and we now have enough money ahead to go back with the publication a further three years. I have no doubt that the increased income from the numbers who are joining us will so add to our net revenue that there will be no difficulty in the Western Association being able to pay $100 per year for five years to the Trustees of the Fund for the Practical Class. I do not think the payment will in any way interfere with our work as we have mapped it out.

MR. T. D. MILLER-I understand the communication from the American Gas Light Association indicates that the members of this Association will, by virtue of such membership, be eligible to recommend members to that Class, but that the action of the American Association will be necessary to carry that recommendation into effect. I would, therefore, like to amend the motion by providing that we make this subscription on the condition that members of the Western Association become eligible to recommend members for that Class.

MR. JENKINS-I hardly think that is necessary, because the moment this Association subscribes to that fund we are then one of the company, the same as any other company in the United States, and anyone of us--not necessarily members of the American Association-can recommend anybody else for that class. I make that statement because I happen to be a member of the Board of the American Association, and know it is thoroughly understood by them in that way. It will not be necessary to put in that proviso, for I assure you that it will be the case.

The discussion was closed, and the ballot resulted in favor of making the subscription. The next recommendation was in the matter of aiding the Spokane (Wash.) Gas Light Company in its suit against the local electric railroad company, etc. The debate on this proposition was:

MR. HOWARD-Are any other companies as deeply interested as Spokane in that regard?

THE PRESIDENT-The sentiment of the Board of Directors was that this should be done without expense to the Association itself, and that a committee should be appointed who would have the authority of the Association to render such assistance as it might deem advisable and proper. It would seem well to extend that assistance to other companies.

MR. HOWARD-As I have in mind another company that may commence such a suit, I wanted to know whether those companies that had already commenced suits would come in under that same order of things.

On motion of Mr. Runner, the President was directed to name a committee to carry out the recommendation of the Board. On motion of Mr. Montgomery, the recommendation of the Board that the Committee on Publication of Proceedings be directed to continue their work was adopted.