organized. It has grown to such an extent that it constitutes practically one-half of the bureau's working force. A large part of the work of the electrical section is devoted to photometry and the solution of problems in which you are directly interested. It has not been an easy matter to get together the equipment and personnel for this work. The policy of the bureau has not been to state what it expected to do, but rather to publish results accomplished. I think, however, that I can say that the work is sufficiently well organized to warrant your interest and

attention.

The bureau is not only carrying on many researches that look forward to better measurements in all lines of electrical work, and especially in photometry, but it hopes to be a clearing-house of scientific knowledge-a place where the electrical engineer or manufacturer may secure the latest scientific developments in matters pertaining to precise measurements, physical constants. and the properties of materials. In other words, the bureau hopes to promote and facilitate the application of the results of scientific investigations, and there is no interest in the country to which this feature is more important than to the eiectrical industries. It is with very great pleasure, therefore, that I extend to you an invitation to visit the laboratories of the Bureau of Standards at any time convenient for you. The members of the bureau have been instructed to show you every attention, and will personally conduct you through the laboratories. We look forward to your visit for two reasons: first, that you may become familiar with the bureau and its work, and, second, that you may give to us many useful suggestions.

We have found by experience, in all lines of technical work taken up by the bureau, that the only way to reach the best results is by the co-operation of the scientific investigator and those who make the applications. The bureau has succeeded in bringing about this hearty co-operation in many instances, and desires to establish the same pleasant relations with the members of the National Electric Light Association.

THE PRESIDENT: It seems unnecessary to say to Dr. Stratton that we are greatly indebted to him for this invitation to visit the bureau.

We shall now take up a paper, somewhat kindred to the one just read, entitled Indefinite Obligations in Municipal Contracts, by Mr. Henry Floy, of New York.

The following paper was presented by Mr. Floy:

INDEFINITE OBLIGATIONS IN MUNICIPAL CONTRACTS

The most explicit and perfectly-drawn contract does not necessarily insure its fulfillment by the parties thereto. A contract that is indefinite in its terms will probably result in confusion and controversy or possibly something worse. If, in addition to indefiniteness in terms, the subject of a contract is not thoroughly understood or the product to be furnished is difficult of definition, as in the case of light, for which there is yet no international primary standard, the wording of a contract may be almost farcical, making the literal performance impossible. While a contract should be as perfectly drawn as practicable it should be considered but little more than a memorandum of understanding, because its value depends very largely upon the good will and good faith of its makers. The good will of the public is almost essential to a public-service corporation if it is to earn continuous dividends. Too often, however, the good feeling between the parties making a contract leads to a looseness in wording or indefiniteness in meaning that is afterwards the cause of controversy or disagreement when the contract is interpreted under other conditions or by successors in interest. The time at which to secure a clear and definite contract is at its making.

With good will and good faith, so necessary to the proper carrying out of a contract, both parties thereto should definitely understand its obligations. The cause of controversy and bad feeling between corporations and municipalities will usually be found to be:

Either a lax appreciation by the corporations of their full obligations to the municipalities, or

An indefinite understanding by the municipalities of the obligations undertaken by the corporations.

A lax appreciation of their obligations has in the past caused many corporations, believing themselves secure in the monopolistic control of the public utilities, to be indifferent to public opinion, with the result that all the companies are now beginning to reap the whirlwind in regulation of their rates and activities,

by commissions or legislatures. Some companies-I do not say all-have aroused public hostility because of their failure to treat the public honestly and fairly. I need only mention the adjusting of electrical apparatus to supply less than normal current, the reduction of candle-power of gas during periods when detection was impossible or improbable, as well-known illustrations of the practices to which I refer.

Recently in discussing the many public-utility bills now being considered by various state legislatures, an engineer, in reply to my statement that the commissions must be so constituted as to insure a "square deal" between the public and the corporations, said, "the corporations do not want a square deal, as far as they are concerned." While in some instances this has been the attitude of public-service corporations, it is not at present the spirit of the majority of such corporations, but until it is abandoned by all, some are bound to suffer through overwrought public opinion.

Aside from contract obligations there are moral obligations that the corporations have been slow to recognize. The prevalent feeling that unless a lamp is extinguished it should be paid for, regardless of the light it gives, is wrong and will not be allowed to continue. The too common practice of attempting to compel acceptance of, say, a 450-watt alternating-current lamp for a direct-current lamp of the same wattage shows gross ignorance or willful misrepresentation and the award in the Colorado Springs case has forever, I hope, obliterated from the minds of the engineering profession the thought that wattage is a measure of light.

To intelligently fulfill its contract, a corporation should keep full station records that will show the energy supplied a municipaiity, which records might well be open to the public as an evidence of good faith. Such records materially strengthened the Colorado Springs company's case and were eventually made the basis of award in deciding the deficiency in service claimed. A station should also ascertain from time, to time its line loss, leakage, and so forth; but the careful adjustment of lamps, the use of proper carbons and globes, and strict attention to all such details are equally essential, because it must be remembered that light and not kilowatt-output is the real measure of fulfillment of a lighting contract.

With regard to the municipalities understanding the obligations assumed by the corporations, they have not usually heretofore attempted to understand them, but recently they have learned that a contract for lighting may say one thing but mean another, and the result is often hard feeling, controversy and useless expense, a condition of affairs for which this association is largely responsible. It is certainly astonishing that this association has allowed a definition, adopted for one type of lamp and insufficiently exact for that, to stand for thirteen years practically unchallenged and absolutely unchanged, although the art has meanwhile been revolutionized and the definition remains only as an anachronism to befog and confuse the minds of representatives of both corporations and municipalities, causing needless controversy and financial waste. It must be admitted, however, that all the responsibility for misunderstanding between the corporations and municipalities does not lie with the former; too often the representatives of municipalities endeavor to draw contracts without proper engineering advice, with the natural result that the contracts are vague, indefinite, or they provide something contrary to what is really intended. In order to avoid this condition of affairs it may be necessary at the start for the corporations to agree to pay for the services of a consulting illuminating engineer, to be selected by and retained in the employ of the city. The results secured through the creation of good feeling and confidence between the two parties to a clear and definite contract will probably more than compensate for the expense involved.

Having awakened to the knowledge of its rights, the public is demanding more than ever before of the corporations and is insisting that the latter give the full value of their undertakings. So far as I know, the Colorado Springs case established the precedent that if a lighting company is not giving the quantity of light called for in the contract the city may recover financial damage, and hereafter there is little likelihood that the cities will accept as satisfactory and pay full price for lamps that are merely burning, without regard to the light that they should normally provide.

The greatly-aroused interest in the question of lighting and illumination that has developed during the past year or two can not but result in the making of more exact and intelligent con

tracts for lighting, and your association is to be congratulated on having had a committee at work on this matter, which is now prepared to submit definite recommendations.

In making definitions and endeavoring to draw up a set of specifications for street lighting, as proposed by this association, it behooves us to be particularly careful to approach the matter with unbiased minds. It must be remembered that the association is naturally interested in one side of the proposition, and any dogmas it may set forth are likely to be received as prejudiced and biased, so that especial pains must be taken to insure that any unprejudiced person will agree that the definitions we have made or the specifications we have drawn are fair to both parties interested in their use.

In conclusion, a company entering into a contract with a municipality should work along the following lines:

First-Have a clear understanding with the party to the contract, as to exactly what the contract is to cover.

Second-See that the wording of the contract is exact, with a tendency toward repetition and too full explanation rather than brevity and omission.

Third-Maintain good feeling and confidence throughout the life of the contract, even at the sacrifice of some profit.

Fourth-Keep station records of daily output, including line loss, leakage, and so forth (but remember it is light, not wattage, that is being sold), so that at any time you are prepared to go into court or before arbitrators and prove your case; but such procedure is not to be followed except as a last resource.

THE PRESIDENT: This paper touches so directly upon the report of our committee to consider specifications for street. lighting that perhaps we had better have that report now. It will be presented by Mr. Dudley Farrand, chairman of the committee.

In connection with this report and its presentation, as is announced on the programme, I shall ask Dr. A. E. Kennelly, of Harvard University, to take the chair.

CHAIRMAN KENNELLY: Mr. Dudley Farrand will kindly. present to us the report upon this very important and interesting subject.