of attention, and have never been able to obtain any reliable information, gained by observation or inquiry, that goes to show in them any advantage over coal gas, either as to cost of production, quality of gas, or in any other particular.

It is perhaps true that in localities where the cost of material is favorable, water or oil gas can be made and put into the holder at less expense than coal gas; but in those cases the difference is but a few cents per thousand cubic feet, and when the other conditions are considered you will always find the advantage to be with coal gas.

There are about 1,080 gas light companies in the United States and Canada; and of this number 153 are set down, in a recent published list, as water gas plants. The total number includes small and isolated plants erected for lighting factories, mills, summer residences, and hotels, as well as those erected as auxiliaries to established coal gas works, and exclusive plants for lighting towns, cities and districts.

During the past twenty or more years the projectors of various water gas schemes have been indefatigable in their exertions to induce the established companies to adopt their processes, and either by force or through threats of competition, demands for large sums of money, or by purchase, they have only succeeded in establishing this small number of plants.

When a man or company of men projects and establishes an enterprise that is for the accommodation and benefit of the public, they are to be commended and encouraged in such an undertaking. But I will defy the projectors of any water gas scheme to prove that, in a single instance, their operations have been for the public good, or for the benefit of the gas consumer. Therefore it is not surprising that so few of the gas companies of the country have been induced to take hold of these schemes; and, in fact, the only wonder is that the numbers mentioned above have allowed themselves to be inveigled or forced into it.

The projectors of the various patent processes who have no interest save getting the largest possible amount of money out of their enterprise, say that the coal gas men are conservative and prejudiced against their processes.

We are conservative in our own interest, and to guard against imposition; and when we see these schemes brought forward, and

one after another of them utterly fails to show any advantage over the results we are already obtaining from coal, we are forced to be conservative. And when these men come to us and demand a bonus of many thousands of dollars for their patents, which are of no use to us, we are bound to resist them to the bitter end.

It must be conceded that the coal gas men, with their years of experience, are well able to judge of the merits of these various processes, and whether they can be used to advantage in their works. They gladly welcome any improvement in apparatus or material that will reduce the cost of manufacturing gas, so as to lessen the expense of that product to their consumers. It is a matter of business interest for us to do this, and we are laboring to that end. Many improvements in the art of manufacturing coal gas have been made during the past years, and like or greater advances will continue to be made in years to come.

A much mooted question of to-day is the establishing of State Gas Commissions, for the regulation of gas companies, their protection against raiders, and also in the interests of public policy as well. Such a commission has already been established in the State of Massachussetts, and, although perhaps not as complete as might be, yet it is, I believe, working out very beneficial results. in that State.

Several of the local associations of gas men have taken action looking to an investigation of this subject. Among other matters of record on this question I would commend to your especial notice the majority and minority reports of the Special Committee of the Western Gas Association, appointed to consider and report upon the advisability of urging the appointment of State Gas Commissions upon the attention of the Legislatures of the several States represented in that Association. The reports, presenting both sides of the question, are very complete, and, together with the discussion that followed their reading, are of interest. will find them published in the issues of the AMERICAN GAS LIGHT JOURNAL dated July 2d and 16th, 1886. The Western, as well as other kindred Associations except our own, is local in its organization and membership. The American Association being an international as well as an interstate organization, since its membership list includes the names of many members of the various

You

kindred bodies, besides those who are not members of any local Associations, also bears witness to the fellowship of our Canadian brethren, it is therefore eminently proper that any action toward the establishing of State Gas Commissions should emanate from this Association. I recommend the subject to your careful consideration.

We have reason to congratulate ourselves upon the progress our Association has made and the great good it has accomplished during the fourteen years of its existence. At the first or preliminary meeting, held in the City of New York, on April 16th, 1873, there were present 36 representatives from 24 different gas light companies, located in 14 different States. Representatives were there from Massachusetts in the East, California in the West, Michigan on the North, and Georgia and Florida in the South. That representation proved to those present that the desire and need for such an Association was not confined to any one locality. At that meeting it was resolved to perfect the organization and invite all of the gas light companies of the country to join in the enterprise.

From this small beginning we have grown to our present membership of nearly 300. Yet these 300 members only represent about 200 of over 1,000 gas light companies in the United States and the provinces. How is it that 80 per cent. of the gas light companies of the country have not yet seen fit to cause their representatives to join our Association ? Is it from the fact that these delinquent companies, having read our proceedings as officially published in the AMERICAN GAS LIGHT JOURNAL, believe that they thus secure to themselves the full benefits of our Association without the trouble of attending our meetings? Or is it on account of the expense incurred for membership and traveling expenses-as is actually the case with one of the brightest members of our Association, who occupies the responsible position of Treasurer of his company, as well as Superintendent of the works? He writes: "I am in doubt about going to Philadelphia, for our board of directors decline to pay the expense; and they pay me so small a salary that I cannot afford to go on at my own expense." Or perhaps it is that among these 800 companies outside of our Association there are some who are so fully educated in the gas business that they have nothing to

learn and nothing to impart to their fellows. I know of a few such, and they have my pity.

I would say to the boards of directors of all the gas light companies who have not sent their representatives to join our Association, and also to those who are already members, but who feel disinclined to incur the expense of sending their representatives to our meetings, you cannot better invest a small amount of money—an investment that will bring surer or larger returns— than to invest in this direction.

In

The benefits derived from this Association are not confined alone to the regular proceedings as they are found published in the AMERICAN GAS LIGHT JOURNAL, but are largely derived from the social intercourse of the members with each other. these private conversations, points are brought out, information is gained, obstructions and perplexities are removed that are not and cannot be reached by the regular order of our proceedings.

It may be claimed by these delinquent companies that there are local Associations to which they send their representatives. This is true; but, as a rule, they, as well as our own Association, meet but once a year and at different seasons of the year, and I am thoroughly convinced it would be greatly to the advantage of the gas light companies of the country if their managers could hold local meetings for consultation every month in the year—as in done by the Guild of Gas Managers of New England and the Society of Gas Lighting of New York-and then come together at the annual meeting of the American Gas Light Association, where we could have the benefit of the combined wisdom of the gas men of the whole country, fortified and strengthened with the knowledge gained at the local meetings.

The great advances made during the past few years in manufacturing gas, in improving its quality, and in reducing the price at which it is now sold to consumers, are largely to be attributed to the friendly rivalries which have grown out of the holding of these meetings, and the occasion of social comparison between the members, one with another, which our sessions afford. Every gas light company in the country, however large or small, can receive benefits from these Associations if their managers will avail themselves of their opportunities.

And now a word to the members.

There seems to be a lack of interest, or perhaps rather a sort of diffidence among the members in the matter of preparing papers for and joining in the discussings at our annual meetings. In the early days of the Association members volunteered to write and present papers, but now the disinclination to do so is such as to cause our Secretary a great amount of labor in writing and personal interview in order to secure "papers to be read." Owing to his indefatigable industry and persistent effort we have had no lack of papers up to the present time; but in order to relieve the Secretary from an unpleasant and laborious duty I would recommend that, either by a resolution or an amendment to our by-laws, the executive committee be empowered to annually select from the members a certain number whose duty it shall be to write and present papers for our consideration at the next following annual meeting. It is most desirable that every member shall at all times feel at liberty to express himself or relate his experience in matters under discussion. There lives no manager of a gas works, however small, but who in his experience has learned something of importance that is of value to his fellow gas man. And it is this knowledge gained by experience that we want brought out at our meetings. Some of the most valuable knowledge I have ever gained has been obtained from the manager of quite a small works; and the size of the works over which a man has charge should not be thought of in connection with his presenting a paper or taking part in our discussions. Let us all take a part in this good work, and all will be the gainers thereby.

At our last annual meeting it was "Resolved, that this Association hold an exhibition of gas appliances at the city of Philadelphia in October next," and a committee was appointed to carry into effect the intent of that resolution, as well as to arrange for subsequent action thereon. A committee to arrange for the present meeting was also appointed at that time, and thus two committees were created. When it was found that it would be necessary for these two committees to frequently confer together, in order that their action should harmonize I decided that they should act as one committee. The efforts to arrange for an exhibition having failed (for reasons that will be given you by those who had the matter in charge), this joint