The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-05-21
Papers on Topics of Importance to
Manufacturers Read by Experts
In Attendance.
ELECTION OF NEW OFFICERS
HIGH-PREsSURE GAS MAIN UNDER
MISSISSIPPI AT NEW ORLEANS.
1t Is Described by Thomas ID. Miller
in a Papcr-Attention Given to
Social Features.

The members of the Western Gas Asso-
citation rounded out the first day of their
convention by the election of officers late
| yesterday afternoon. The election was to
have been held at a session last night, but
it was found that it could be disposed of in
the afternoon and the night session avoid
ed. The result was as follows:
President-F. H. Shelton. Philadelphia.
First Vice President-O. o. Thwing, ST.
| Louis.
Second Vice President-Paul Doty. De-
| troit.
Secretary-treasurer-Ja w. Dunbar.
| New Albany
| years.
William F. Steinwedell, of Cleveland
who publishes small magazine called the
| Wrinkle Department, was continued In the
editorial chair. The publication is devoted
to exploiting and explaining new devices
and new methods constantly invented that
| are of interest to gas manufacturers.
A. H. Barrett, Of Louisville, the retiring
| president, was made a member of the board
of directors, the other directors chosen be-
ing William Mcdonald. Albany, N. Y;
Thomas d. Miller, New Orleans; d. r.
Warrington. Cleveland; K. NJ. Mitchell,
St. Joseph, Mo-. and John d. McIlhenny,
Philadelphia. George F. Goodnow, Wauke-
gan. ILL.,, George s. Clark. Kansas City, and
Peter Young, Atlanta, are the holdover di-
rectors.
Last evening the members of the associa-
ton were entertained informally and to-
night they will be taken out to Fair Bank
The first matter to be taken up at to-day's
session will be the report of the committee
on the next place Of meeting. 1t was said
| last night that the committee will recon-
mend st. Louis and that the exposition city
will be selected without opposition. The
| reports of other committees will be re-
ceived. the most interesting of which will
| be that of the committee on the exhibition
| TO be made by the gas manufacturers at
the worlds fair next year.
The to be presented tSday are
! Brooklyn; Increasing Sales of Gas to Ex-
listing Customers" Bell w. Perkins, South
B Board nq BreHa4d & Ger &rnke De-
partment,'' w. E. Steinwedell: Heat Con-
ductivity OF Clays." H. A. Wheeler. st.
| Louis.
OPENING SESSION.
The opening of the convention yesterday
forenoon was marked by a welcome address
| by Mayor Bookwalter. to which Paul Doty.
of Detroit, responded. President A II. Bar
rett. of Louisville, delivered his annual adj
| dress and the various committees for the
| meeting were named.
The first paper on the programme was by
Thomas D. Miller, OF New Orleans. on
High Pressure Gas Main Under the Mis-
| sissippi River at New Orleans" Mr.. Miller
| gave an interesting description Of the re-
| markable feat Of running high pressure
| gas main under the Mississippi to Algiers,
t<xr-v n~lA
At the afternoon session William Henry
| White, of New York, read paper on Low
Candle Power Gas" the great question
| Somervilie. of this city, discussed the Most
Economical Yield Per Pound of Coal"
John McIlhenny. of Philadelphia, pre-
] facing his paper with a statement that the
subject was timely one. as 1903 may be
| called the centennial Of the gas business.
| In tracing the history OF gas he called at
| tention to the fact that the ancients and
| the Chinese had their burning springs, and
| even used the natural gas for commercial
| hcial gas he said:
lone historian says that when DR.. Clay
| ton was sitting by his sea-coal fire. he
| doubtless saw bright shoots of flame with
| kissing noise or pressure rise from the
Jumps of burning coal. Then, as the story
| goes, he filled the bowl of his clay pipe
| bowl luting Of clay, which was inserted
| in the fire, and the gas resulting was lit at
| the end Of the stem. This was the first gas
reSort.
He went on making it on larger scale,
| collecting the gas in bladders-behold the
first gas holder! This must have been
he wrote an account of his experiments
which was sent to the Royal Society OF
London
''It was not till 1902 and 1903 that any real
attempt was made to introduce the busi-
ness to the public. 1t has occurred to me
that when so many events are having their
the gas man to have one of his own. /
suggest that We have a grand celebration
in st. Louis next year"
Taking up the meter question he said:
''Still there was something wantiEg.-a
measure to measure the gas. The first
method was to charge an annual rate. You
know that gas could never have been sold
as cheaply as it is unless every consumer
pays for exactly what is consumed. I have
often wondered why it is that an instru-
ment which has such a good character
among scientific men and those who under
stand ii, should have so much abuse
heaped on Ii by some gas consumers and
reckless newspaper scribes. But, for all
that, the meter has won by its evidence
every suit at law, when gas companies
have gone before such tribunals to collect
| bills"
In closing his talk, Mr.. McIlhenny made
the assertion that "gas is the cheapest
thing brought into house for use"
SOCIAL SIDE OF MEETING.
The members of the association and their
wives and friends who are accompanying
them were given drive over the city yes
terday forenoon, followed by a breakfast
at the Country Club. The hostesses were
Mrs. Winfield T. Durbin. Mrs. Charles w.
Fairbanks. Mrs. Charles A. Bookwalter,
Mrs. James Somerville; Mrs. John Somer-
vile. Mrs. s. z. Morss. Mrs. John r. Pear
son, Mrs. Charles r. Williams, Mrs Hugh
MCGOWAN. Mrs. Samuel D. Pray, Mrs Will
liam II. Coleman. The guests at the Coun-
try Club were Mrs. Miller, Baltimore: Mrs.
James Terrier. Columbus. Ca; Mrs Searle,
Mt. Vernon. N. Y: Mrs. Fitzgerald, Hous-
ton, Tex; Mrs. Wikel, Mrs. and Miss Jen-
kins. II. d. Harper. Chicago: Donald Nc
Donald. Albany, N. Y; Albert Eaton, Chi
cago; Charles III. Dickey, Baltimore; Mr.
Parker, st. Louis. and Charles F. Ter
hume, New York.
The breakfast was served on small tables
on the wide gallery overlooking the rayine
The guests were given souvenir booklets
and the places at the tables were marked
with dainty sachets, decorated with water
color wild flowers and with the name of
fha in COL