Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1899-08-03
THE ELECTRICAL CONVENTION.
Committee Expects That Interests in All
Parts OF tho World VIII lie Represented.

ventipn and exhibition meaus.' re-
marked Maurice Z. Satterthwaite, u
member OF the arrangement committee
of tho Board of Trade, with whom a
reporter of Tho Gazette discussed the
matter Tuesday afternoon week. I'm
fact, there are not many of us who
know much about conventions of this
kind or what benefit they arc to city.
Our business men and other suhstan
tia citi2ens arc beginning TO weigh
the matter seriously In their minds,
however, and am convinced that the
actual results are being anticipated.
while Wilmington has been one OF
tho loading manufacturing cities OF the
United States for some time, with rs
diversified interests as any other
municipality, in proportion to its size.
ii has never been prominent rs a meet
ing place for industrial organizations
such as the one which will be the lead
ing topic of discussion in Delaware
during the first week in September.
1t is very true that national associa-
tions of manufacturers have mot here
from time to time, but in nearly every
instance their gatherings have heen
confined to their own ranks and their
meetings concerned only themselves and
those who were interested directly in
the same lines of business.
'The electrical convention will be
of far different character. 1t will
interest the entire community, as more
or less attention is paid by everybody
TO electricity, its uses and develop
ment, and the meeting of this body
here, in connection with which there
is to be a great exhibition, will be the
best opportunity Wilmington has ever
had to advertise itself to almost tho
entire world. | say almost the entire
| world, as it is expected European and
Australian interests will be represented,
while delegates arc expected from all
parts of tho United States and Canada.
The magnitude of the convention is
going to exceed the original expecta-
tions of the Board Of Trade and the
committee. Al first we thought the
delegation would number about $50,
but judging from replies received, the
number will be far greater and we are
making arrangements 10 entertain
between 400 and 800 people from other
cities who will he directly interested
in the convention and exhibitions
Many of the delegates will be accom-
panied by their wives and other mem-
beers of their families and friends who
are interested in electricity. We expect
people from Cuba and Porto Rico, and
there may be some foreigners. As proof
that prominent electricians all over
the country are already discussing the
convention and benefit to be derived
from attending it, Jonathan W. Aydon,
| president of the organization, today
received a letter from the chief of the
electrical bureau Of Los Angeles, Cal.
stating that he is arranging to be
present, as, explains in his lettor, j
know there will be some papers read
which | should hear. Judging from
his letter, the chief of the San Fran
cisco electrical department. will also be
here. Similar letters have becn re-
ceived from other Parts Of the country,
which serve to show that the writers
attach great Importance to tho meeting.
Most of the delegates are men ex
perienced in electrical matters who are
in charge of this department in large
cities and the chief object of these
conventions is to obtain and impair
information and exchange views OF
electrical subjects, and it is only
natural that such conventions shoult
be looked upon as great educationa
events.
"As matter of fact, very few of tn,
people from distant cities who viii
attend know very little about Whining
tom; some know practically nothing
about the city, and it is the duty o
the citizens to let them learn all the,
can about our municipality when the,
come here. To my mind it will be on,
of the greatest opportunities Whining
ton--and, in fact, Delaware Ever hat
to advertise itself, and it is the dut,
of every one of us to contribute to tn
success Of the affair. The manu-
faeturers and merchants are directl
interested, while the people in genera
! have an interest in common with them
80 far as the general public is con
cerned, the exhibition, which is to b
held in the cycling academy, at Tent
and Orange streets, September 4th I
9th, will be the chief feature of tn
, festivities, as it gives promise of bein
revelation not only to the people 0
this community, but TO the entir
world. All of the available space ha
already been taken or accounted for
, and the committee hAs assurance tina
all of the important developments |
the uses of electricity will be exhibits
|, to the very best advantage. 1t may b
well to state that the exhibits will nc
be confined exclusively to electric;
devices, as some of our leading manr
facturers have significd their intentio
n of exhibiting intricate machinery an
K having it in operation, Some of tn
4 exhibits which were at the World
t Fair at Chicago will be here. Much {
4 the space for electrical exhibits hi
!. been taken by large concerns in Ne
n York, Philadelphia, Boston and otht
S large cities, who propose to take NJ
/, vantage Of the opportunity to sho
d what great progress has been mac
It recently in the electrical world. On
I local electrical people will also ha,
a magnificent exhibits.
;. ut is also we'll for the people I
know that most of the sessions Of Il
convention, which will be held q
September 9th, 9th and It'll, will
% open to the public, and everybody wi
r, is SO inclined will have an opportuni
10 to hear the papers and discussion
IS which, in all probability will be il
.. teresting and instructive.
S. 1t is the purpose of the commit
Or to have in conspicuous place in Il
1t exhibition hall data concerning Wi
D. mington and Delaware, which will tt
p the visitors at a glance what We ha
r. here. This data will show what Il
r, various industries of the city and Sta
lie are, the capital invested and the annu
e. output, while particular Stress will
placed on the export trade. Some
lie this information will, think, surpri
o. some of our own citizens, many
g. whom have no idea Of the magnitu
j. of the business interests OF the cit
ty 81 think the convention will ma
at the beginning of new epoch in t