The coke produced from the American gas coals herein named is a most excellent article for house and general use, but not so strong for use under the retort as that obtained from the Cape Breton coals, or from some of the sulphurous gas coals obtained from Western Virginia. Those gas companies whose facilities for purifying are ample prefer to have from one-fourth to one-third of their coal from either Cape Breton or Western Virginia, in order to get a stronger coke than the standard Pennsylvania coals afford. It will be noticed that the American coals produce 20 per cent. more coke than the Provincial coals-a very important item when it is considered that from 50 per cent. to 60 per cent. of the coke made is sold by the bushel for house use. Sulphur-One bushel of hydrate of lime will purify about 5,000 cubic feet of gas made from American coal, and about 2,500 cubic feet of gas made from Provincial coal. On motion of Mr. Page, a vote of thanks was passed to Mr. Perkins. The President announced that as the hour for adjournment had arrived, the discussion on the paper would be postponed until the afternoon session. REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON APPLICATIONS FOR MR. RAMSDELL-In behalf of the committee on applications, I make a favorable report upon the names of William R. Higby, A. B. Slater, Jr., Charles H. Stoddard, Mark B. Thomas, H. J. Bell and H. J. Chadwick for Active Members; and Peter G. Van Wie and W. S. Wright for Associate Members. MR. HARBISON-I move that the report of the committee be accepted, and that the chairman of the committee cast the ballot of the Association for the election of the applicants named. The motion prevailed. MR. RAMSDELL-Hearing no objection to the names read, I cast the ballot of the Association for their election as members in accordance with the instructions. MR. HARBISON-I want to offer a resolution at this time, if the Association will bear with me. Before offering it I will give a word of explanation as to why I offer it. In reporting the Constitution yesterday, and in our action upon it, there is in the minds of some gentlemen an opinion, to which they are well entitled-for I have no question about its honesty-that we were not acting yesterday in a strictly parliamentary way in the election of these gentlemen as members, after the Constitution was adopted, and to-day; on the other hand, those of us who have advocated their election are equally conscientious in our position. I think I see a way in which all can come to the same conclusion-doing no injustice to the gentlemen who have been elected, and at the same time doing credit to ourselves by doing business in a strictly orderly manner. I, therefore, desire to offer this resolution for the purpose of clearing away whatever mist there may be with respect to this matter: "Resolved, That the Council of this Association be, and they are hereby instructed to report the names of gentlemen who were elected on the 17th and 18th of October, 1888, as members of this Association, after the adoption of the Constitution, for election at the next annual meeting of this Association to be holden in the city of Baltimore, Maryland." If we adopt that resolution the gentlemen whom we elected yesterday, and those who have been elected to-day, will in honor consider themselves, and the members of this Association will consider them as brothers and members of the Association, having had the honor of an election by unanimous vote of the Association. By instructing our Council to report their names for election we put ourselves again on record under the Constitution as favoring their election at the next annual meeting, which will be done in a strictly constitutional way, as they will then come in under the ten days' provision of the Constitution. This proposed vote meets the hearty approval of one of the gentlemen who earnestly and conscientiously opposed our action in this matter, and who has served as a member of the committee on applications; and I trust that it will meet the concurrence and approval of the gentlemen who were as conscientious as he is in opposing our action. I think that the passage of the resolution which I now offer will clear away all the mist that surrounds the whole matter; and I, therefore, ask for a vote of the Association upon the resolution. MR. STINESS--I would like to ask one question of my brother Harbison: Are not these gentlemen already at this moment, according to the general understanding of this Association, members of this body? MR. HARBISON-Yes, I believe they are members according to the understanding, but according to the interpretation of the Constitution which others put upon it they are not, and it is to harmonize the views of the entire Association, and so to prevent the possibility of this question coming up again, and also to prevent our action on this occasion being cited as a precedent in future cases as a waiver of the ten days' provision of the Constitution, that I offer this resolution. MR. STINESS-I have no objection to the adoption of the resolution. The point that I raised was whether there was any general understanding among all the members of the Association that all the names presented at this meeting would be considered as properly presented, or only those that were presented yesterday before the adoption of the Constitution. Had I understood as clearly as I believe some other gentlemen of the Association did understand, that all the names presented at this meeting were to come in under that general head, I would have acquiesced in it. But I did not so understand it. I do not think that this resolution can do any harm, and I do not really see that it is going to do away with any precedent that has been already established. It is like a good many other things-it don't do much good, and cannot do much harm. MR. HARBISON-After the adoption of this resolution there will be no question, at the meeting of next year, as to the right of these gentlemen to be considered by everybody as members of this Association, in equal standing with every other member; whereas now their standing is in doubt in the minds of some of the gentlemen in this room. MR. STINESS—If there were a preamble put to that resolution, that whereas certain names having been presented under a misapprehension, or a misunderstanding of the Constitution, it then would explain why the resolution was presented. MR. HARBISON—I will accept the suggestion as to a preamble. MR. A. C. HUMPHREYS-I would like to ask Mr. Harbison under which Constitution these gentlemen were elected associate members? MR. HARBISON-They were elected as associate members under the provisions of the new Constitution, as the old Constitution did not provide for them, and I think that the gentlemen who voted for them did so with that understanding. THE PRESIDENT-Are you ready for the question on the resolution offered by Mr. Harbison, with the preamble suggested by Mr. Stiness? Mr. Harbison amended the resolution so as to read as follows: "Whereas, There is doubt in the minds of some of the members as to the legality of the election of certain members since the adoption of the Constitution: therefore, "Resolved, That the council of this Association be, and they are hereby instructed to report the names of gentlemen, who were elected on the 17th and 18th of October, 1888, as members of this Association, after the adoption of the Constitution, for election at the next annual meeting of this Association, to be holden in the city of Baltimore, Maryland." This resolution was adopted. The Association then took a recess until 2 o'clock P. M. SECOND DAY-AFTERNOON SESSION. The Association met at two o'clock P. M. THE PRESIDENT—The last paper read was that of Mr. Perkins, on gas coals. I do not see that Mr. Perkins is present now, but any member has any remarks to make upon that paper we are ready to hear them. if MR. NETTLETON-May I be allowed to say a word. I think we all feel very much in debt to Mr. Perkins for having prepared this paper. It is hardly one that can be discussed, and yet it is a paper that I am sure we are all glad has been written. It gives us a history of the development of the coal mines in the Provinces, and gives us facts with which very few of us have been familiar. I hope at the next meeting of the Association this paper will be followed by another, giving the history of the development of the American coals. I am certainly very greatly indebted to Mr. Perkins for the labor he has spent on this paper, and I think all the members must feel in the same way. THE PRESIDENT-If there are no further remarks on the paper of Mr. Perkins, we will now listen to that of Mr. Smedberg. Mr. James R. Smedberg then read a paper entitled : OBSERVATIONS DURING MANY YEARS' EXPERIENCE IN THE GAS BUSINESS. Mr. President and Gentlemen of the American Gas Light Associa |