JAMES DWIGHT BREWER.

JAMES DWIGHT BREWER—for 26 years Treasurer of the Springfield, Mass., Gas-Light Company-was born April 24th, 1819, at Thomsonville, Conn., where his parents were temporarily sojourning from their home in Springfield, and died on the evening of Sunday, February 7th, 1886. Mr. Brewer was one of the founders of the Springfield Gas-Light Company in 1847, and was elected its President in 1850, and continued to hold that office until 1860, when he declined a re-election to assume the more responsible position of its treasurer and financial business manager. He continued to hold the latter position until the annual meeting of the company, held January 25th, 1886, when he declined a re-election, and died suddenly the seventh of the following month.

Mr. Brewer early manifested an earnest interest in the welfare of this Association, and generally in company with his co-worker and our lamented friend, George Dwight, attended our meetings. Although he did not directly take an active part in our transactions, yet his advice and wise council was eagerly sought after by those more actively engaged in conducting the affairs of the Association.

Mr. Brewer lived to see the small and beautiful village of his boyhood days grow up to be a flourishing city, he himself taking an active part in establishing many of the business and manfacturing enterprises and charitable institutions established in his beloved city.

He was a leading citizen and a thorough Christian gentleman; a devout husband and a kind father. It has been well said of him: "Honesty and zeal marked his business doings; love and prudence were the sceptres that swayed his home circle." What more need be said of him?

HENRY H. FISH.

HENRY H. FISH was born in Herkimer village in October, 1813. At an early age he went to Utica and obtained employment as a clerk in the forwarding business. He was sent by his employers to work in Buffalo and Albany, but in 1843 he returned to Utica and engaged in the torwarding business for himself, being associated with Samuel Farwell, and the firm name being Farwell & Fish, all the shipping being done by canal. Later, Mr. Fish engaged in the same business with A. E. Culver, of Utica, and Mr. Foote, of Buffalo.

It was in connection with the Utica Gas-light Company, however, that Mr. Fish was best known.

This company was organized in 1851, Mr. Fish being one of the founders. From a period six months after its organization, down to the present time, Mr. Fish has been its treasurer and general manager. Under his management the company's plant has been developed from a very small beginning to the present large plant, having lines of pipe in about every important street in the city.

Mr. Fish was a self-educated and self-made man. Although in his earlier years he had but few educational advantages, he made the most of those he did have; in fact, he may be said to have been a student during his whole life. What he once learned he never forgot, and he was always able to apply his knowledge. He was a great reader and well versed in English literature. He wielded a facile pen, and the articles which he sometimes wrote for the public prints were marked by elegance of diction and scholary ability. Mr. Fish took a deep interest in the affairs of State and nation, studying closely the broader questions of the day, and being able to discuss them intelligently and interestingly. He was Republican in politics, and in 1855 was chosen Mayor of Utica, filling the position with honor. As a public speaker he possessed considerable ability, and his language at all times, even in ordinary conversations, was choice. Mr. Fish was a gentleman of the old school, refined, polished, dignified and courteous at all times. He commanded the respect and esteem of all whom he met, either in business or socially. Although advanced in years, his heart was young and his keen

ness and foresight were such that he kept constantly abreast of the times. He studied closely the improvements made in the business in which he was engaged and mastered their details. The company of which he was the leading spirit, made coal gas up to within about a dozen years ago, when it introduced the water gas process. When electric lighting was first introduced, he studied it closely, and before the means for lighting were tested by time and proved to be practicable, he introduced them here. The Central New York Electric Light and Power Company, of which he has been President since its organization was formed in 1881. Mr. Fish traveled extensively all over this country and profited by what he saw everywhere. He was public spirited and always took an active interest in what pertained to the welfare of the city or State. He dispensed charity with a liberal hand yet so quietly and unostentatiously that few if any besides the recipients were aware of it. The employes of the Gas Company were all greatly attached to him.

Mr. Fish was an active member of our Association joining us at our meeting of May 12, 1875, at Washington, D. C.

Mr. Fish suffered from a slight shock of paralysis some months ago, and since that time had been unable to attend to business. He partially recovered, but other complications setting in his life hung in the balance for several weeks. The end came April 1st,

1886.

JAMES H. WALKER, SR.

The subject of our sketch was born at Montrose, Scotland, in 1827, where after receiving a common school education, he worked in one of the iron factories for several years. In 1848, he came to Canada, where he helped in the erection of several gas works, during the next nine years.

In 1857, he was working at the Brooklyn (N. Y.) Gas Works under J. R. Brick, from there he went to Hartford, Conn., leaving the latter place, he next took charge of the gas works at Fort Wayne, (Ind). He resigned the superintendency of these works to form the concern now known as the Kerr Murray Manufacturing Company.

In 1869, we find Mr. Walker filling the post of Engineer and Superintendent of the Milwaukee Gas Company; here he remained until about 1878. It was during his stay at this place that he was afflicted with trouble with his eyes, for which he had to submit to medical treatment, which laid the foundation of the disease which finally terminated his career.

In 1881, he accepted the position of Supt. of the Citizen's Gas Company at Rochester, N. Y., where he remained for about four years.

In September 1886, he accepted the call to the superintendency of the Tonawanda (N. Y.), Gas Company, where he remained to the time of his death-March 1st, of the present year. The immediate cause of his taking off being paralysis, from which he had been a sufferer for years. His funeral, which took place at Rochester on March 4, was in charge of the Scottish Society of that place.

Mr. Walker was an active member of our association, having been admitted to membership at the second semi-annual meeting, held at Cleveland in May 1874. Since that date he has frequently submitted papers for our meetings, and has been an active participant in our discussions. In the years to come his absence from our meetings will be sincerely mourned by all the members of the association.