MR. HENRY CARTWRIGHT-I move that a committee of five be appointed by the Chair, to nominate a list of candidates for the offices named in the Constitution, the committee to report as soon as possible. The motion was carried, and the following named gentlemen were named by the President Mr. Henry Cartwright, Mr. A. C. Wood, of Syracuse, Capt. White of Brooklyn, Mr. Coggshall of Pittsburg, and General Hickenlooper, of Cincinnati. General Hickenlooper, upon request, was excused on account of his time being so fully occupied with other matters, and the President appointed in his place Mr. Littlehales, of Canada. MR. DENNISTON-I noticed from the report of the Secretary that one or more deaths have occurred. It is customary to appoint a committee to report appropriate resolutions upon the death of members, and I now move that the Chair appoint a committee of three to prepare and present to the Association suitable memorials. The motion was carried, and the Chair named as the committee, Mr. Dunbar, of New Albany, Indiana, and Colonel Stedman, of Newport, Rhode Island. Mr. FORSTALL moved that the roll be called, which was carried; and the following gentlemen responded to their names when called by the Secretary. Samuel A. Dickey, M. N. Dial, F. W. Gates, A. G. Guerard, Chas. A. Gerdenier, Edward Lindsley, Charles Nash, Chas. H. Nettleton, . Dayton, Ohio. Savannah, Ga. Pittsburg, Pa. Bridgeport, Conn. Philadelphia, Pa. Cairo, Ill. Cambridge, Mass. St. Louis, Mo. Norwalk, Conn. Cincinnati, Ohio. Atlanta, Ga. Clarksville, Tenn. Niagara Falls, N. Y. Evansville, Ind. Jacksonville, Ill. Hamilton, Ont. Ravena, Ohio. Cleveland, Ohio. Pittsburg, Pa. Washington, D. C. Ironton, Ohio. Boston, Mass. Sing Sing, N. Y. Sandusky, Ohio. Columbus, Ohio. Circleville, Ohio. Sing Sing, N. Y. Fort Wayne, Ind. Charleston, Mass. Williamsport, Pa. Derby, Conn. Chas. Nettleton, Albert D. Perry, W. Henry White, R. M. Wilder, New York city. Bloomington, Ill. Roxbury, Mass. Nashville, Tenn. Portsmouth, Va. Toronto, Canada. Louisville, Ky. Worcester, Mass. Wilkes Barre, Pa. Knoxville, Tenn. Richmond, Ind. New Haven, Conn. Charleston, S. C. Philadelphia, Pa. Rochester, N. Y. Brooklyn, N. Y. Coldwater, Mich. Syracuse, N. Y. Nashville, Tenn. Geo. H. Walworth, Robert Young, Cleveland, Ohio. Alleghany City, Pa. MR. BURTIS, of Chicago, said: Mr. Chairman; the president of my company has sent me in his stead, and I would like to know whether our company will be allowed to have a representation here or not. The Secretary has not read the name of our president, who was not able to be present, and sent me here in his stead, not knowing, I suppose, that there would be any dif ference whether he attended himself or sent some one in his place; and I want to know whether the company will be disfranchised because the name of the president does not appear as a member, nor is my own name on the roll as a member. Of course, I don't wish to be here if I am not entitled to a seat in the Convention. THE PRESIDENT-As I understand this matter, the Association, by a vote, passed an amendment to the constitution in which it was decided that individuals should be members and not companies—that individuals do not represent companies. They appear generally as individuals; but the companies, in most cases, pay their expenses whatever they may be. In my own case I am here as an individual, although the Charlestown Gas Company pay for the fee of membership and all reasonable expenses. If I were not able to be present, and the President should attend, I should not consider that he had any more right to vote than a stranger. I don't see how the power can be delegated, and the chair will rule that such is the meaning of the constitution. MR. HENRY CARTWRIGHT—In order to test the sense of the meeting, and at the same time appeal from the Chair. I will make a motion that Mr. Burtis be received here as a substitute in place of Mr. Watkins, president of his company, with all the powers and privileges that he would be entitled to if he were here himself. THE PRESIDENT-The Chair ruled that, in his opinion, Mr. Burtis was not competent as a member of the Association in place of the gentleman whose name was furnished from the company. I have no feeling in the matter of course; and it remains for the members of the Association to say whether or not he shall be considered as entitled to the rights of membership. MR. FLOYD-I believe the question is now whether the chair shall be sustained or not. MR. WOOD, of Syracuse, asked for the reading of Article IV. of the constitution before the vote was taken. His request was complied with, after which the vote was taken, and the decision of the chair sustained; the President having stated, in the meantime, that the difficulty was removed from before the Association by Mr. Burtis having offered his own name as a member. A MEMBER-I move that the courtesy of the Association be extended to Mr. Burtis, and that he be asked to remain with us during our deliberations. THE PRESIDENT-I will read a resolution of the Executive Committee, which, I think, covers this and all other cases of a similar nature. Resolved, That we extend an invitation to the Board of Directors of the Cincinnati Gas-Light and Coke Company to attend the sessions of the Association in Cincinnati; and that the Secretary be authorized to invite any, and all, officers or directors of gas companies, visiting in the city, to attend the sessions the same as if introduced by a member. THE SECRETARY then said: If there are any officers of the Cincinnati Gas-Light Company, or of any other gas company in the world, present here to-day, they are invited to take part in its discussions. I cordially extend this invitation on behalf of the Association. (Cheers.) THE PRESIDENT-Is the committee on nominations prepared to report? MR. CARTWRIGHT, the chairman of the committee, made the following report: REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON NOMINATIONS. The Committee on Nominations respectfully report the following persons for election as officers of the coming year : President: Vice-Presidents: GEN. CHAS. ROOME, New York. W. H. PRICE, Cleveland, Ohio. T. LITTLEHALES, Hamilton, Ont. Secretary and Treasurer: CHAS. NETTLETON, New York. Finance Committee: JNO. S. CHAMBERS, Trenton. J. P. HARBISON, Hartford. GEO. A. McILHENNY. |