favor of May 16th, of which I fear I shall be unable to avail myself, as some duties will require my presence elsewhere. "The selection of the Auditorium Hotel as the place of meeting, testifies to your wisdom and appreciation of the importance of satisfying the physical comfort of the members. I predict the coming meeting will be great success. President National Electric Light Association. "DEAR SIR: I beg to thank you for your kind letter of May 16th, inviting me to be present at the annual convention of the association. It would have given me much pleasure to accept this invitation, but I regret to say that important business either detains me in Montreal or requires my presence in England. "With many thanks and best wishes for the success of the convention, believe me to remain. "Yours truly, "HENRY T. BOVEY." "LYNN, MASS., May 20th, 1898. “MR. SAMUEL INSULL, "President National Electric Light Association, "MY DEAR SIR: Your letter of May 16th is received. It seems hardly possible for me to make it convenient this year to be present at the meeting of the National Electric Light Association, but I should be glad, under circumstances, to attend. "I have a considerable amount of work here that needs personal attention, and which at this time is coming to a head. "I thank you for the invitation you so kindly sent, and regret my inability to send any favorable response. "MY DEAR MR. INSULL: I am more disappointed than I can tell you that I am prevented from attending the National Electric Light Association's annual meeting, in Chicago. I had made all my plans, even to the purchase of tickets, and expected to leave on Saturday afternoon agreeably with my promise to you, but matters of such moment have arisen within the last two days, relating to our company here in Brooklyn, that I am positively prevented from leaving, as I could not do so without jeopardizing some important business contracts that are now being negotiated for my company here. "Feeling the greatest interest in this convention and in the success of our association, the disappointment of not being present is felt very keenly. "I have arranged, however, to have our electrician, Mr. Calvin W. Rice, prepare and read a paper, which I hope will be of some value to the members present. Wishing you all a delightful and instructive meeting, I am "Very sincerely yours, "A. M. YOUNG." "CORNELL UNIVERSITY, } ITHACA, N. Y., May 20th, 1898. SAMUEL INSULL, EsQ., "DEAR SIR: Your letter inviting me me to to attend the annual convention of the National Electric Light Association was duly received. It would give me great pleasure to be present at this meeting, and I only regret that the dates are such as to conflict with other duties, so that I cannot possibly arrange to go to Chicago at that time. I have always esteemed very highly my position as honorary member of the association, and I hope in future years to be able to attend the meetings. "Yours very truly, "EDW. L. NICHOLS." "28 CHESTER SQUARE, S. W., May 27th, 1898. DEAR SIR: In reply to your letter of May 16th, I am directed by Lord Kelvin to thank the president and committee of the National Electric Light Association for their kind invitation to the twenty-first convention, which, however, his Lordship is unable to accept, as his presence is required in this country at the present time. "Yours faithfully, "W. CRAIG HENDERSON. "GEO. F. PORTER, ESQ." "TECHNICAL COLLEGE, FINSBURY, LONDON, E. C "DEAR SIR: I regret to say that I shall not be able to avail myself of your kind invitation to attend. the forthcoming convention in Chicago in June. "Yours faithfully, May 26, 1898." "SILVANUS B. THOMPSON "MANSION HOUSE BUILDINGS, "LONDON, E. C., May 26th, 1898. "G. F. PORTER, ESQ., 66 National Electric Light Association, "136 Liberty Street, New York, U. S. A. "DEAR SIR: I thank you for the kind invitation of President Insull and your association to be present at your convention, but I regret that business engagements will prevent my coming at present. "Yours faithfully, "R. E. CROMPTON." THE PRESIDENT: We have some letters inviting us to avail ourselves of various courtesies that have been extended to us. They are as follows: "SAMUEL INSULL, ESQ., President, "139 Adams Street, Chicago. "DEAR SIR: If, at any time during the meeting of the association to be held in Chicago next week, it would be of service to you, I should be very glad to place at the disposal of yourself and friends a special train for the purpose of a trip over this road and inspection of the power house. Kindly let me know if you decide to avail yourself of this favor and oblige "Yours truly, “SAMUEL INSULL, EsQ., "CHICAGO, June 4th, 1898. "President National Electric Light Association, "139 Adams Street, Chicago. "DEAR SIR: It having been suggested that your association might be interested in taking a trip over our road in the newly-equipped electric cars, it would afford us great pleasure to arrange for a train at the old Congress street station, No. 47 Congress street, at some time convenient to you. "President National Electric Light Association, "Chicago Edison Company, Chicago, Ill. "DEAR SIR: The steamship North West' will leave here Sunday evening, June 5th, and should arrive in Chicago about seven o'clock in the evening of June 8th. It was my purpose to permit a limited. number of invited guests the opportunity of looking through the vessel, but if your association would like to visit the ship on the evening of arrival at Chicago, I should be very much pleased to extend the exclusive privilege to yourself and your association, thinking that it might be desirable for you all to visit the ship and look through her, so as to become familiar with the accommodations, before the Northwestern Electrical Association get aboard for their trip to Duluth. "Will you kindly advise Mr. J. M. Hill, in Chicago, if it is your wish to have your association visit the |