out prejudice, all classes can meet to debate the things that vitally affect our industrial welfare. The Arbitration Committee will report its findings at the next meeting of the directors. No reference to this matter would be complete that did not acknowledge the high public service performed by the press of this city in connection with this agitation. Each of the local papers devoted a large amount of space to the subject, and the board is again under obligation to them for their cooperation and public spirit.

The advisability of establishing a playground association in Worcester will be settled at a meeting called by the special committee of this board having the matter in charge March 17. The directors have made an appropriation to pay the incidental expenses of this meeting, and the committee, which is among the most zealous ever appointed by the President, has labored unceasingly to make this preliminary gathering both representative and successful.

THE AMERICAN MERCHANT MARINE

At the meeting Feb. 10, on motion of Vice-president Edward M. Woodward, the directors unanimously directors unanimously passed this resolution: "Whereas,

condition

the present reduced of our foreign merchant marine is a source of national weakness, lessening the efficiency of our navy, as confessed by our Naval Board, by 90 per cent., thus exposing us to foreign aggression, and making practically impossible offensive operations against an over-sea enemy, and

"Whereas, lack of adequate postal and passenger facilities is greatly hindering the development of our over-sea trade, particularly in manufactured products. "Therefore, both on patriotic and business grounds be it

"Resolved, that this body urge upon Congress such action as will provide sufficient postal compensation to establish swift and regular service in American built steamships, to the principal countries of South America, Africa, Australia, Japan, China, the Philippines and the Levant.

"Furthermore, as the Panama Canal is being constructed at great expense by the American people and should be used to advance American prosperity, therefore be it likewise

"Resolved, that this organization memorializes Congress to secure for American built ships flying the American flag free passage through the canal, and to provide that the ships of other nations using that waterway shall pay such tolls as will most adequately meet. the interest upon the cost of constructing and the charges of maintaining said canal."

It is gratifying to note that the Humphrey bill, which is calculated to carry into effect the sentiments embodied in this resolution, has been favorably reported to the House and that there appears to be a good chance that it will become a law at this session, thus relieving the United States of the ignominy of having to depend wholly upon other nations for its carrying trade. The manufacturers of Worcester, as well as those of every other industrial centre, have been handicapped for years in their efforts to develop their export trade, by the fact that they have had to depend either on "tramps" or else on vessels whose owners had a larger interest in the development of European commerce than they had in that originating in this country.

A resolution was adopted at the same session memorializing Congress to suspend the operations of the federal income tax on corporations until the constitutionality of the law shall be passed upon by the Supreme Court, the memorial reading as follows:

"Resolved, by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, that in Section 38, Article 3d, of the act of August 5, 1909, entitled, 'An act to provide revenue, equalize duties and encourage the industries of the United States, and for other purposes,' the requirement for filing returns on or before the first day of March, 1910, be extended until thirty days after final decision by the Supreme Court of the United States, upon the cases now in said court awaiting consideration, wherein questions as to the validity of said section of said act have been raised, and therefore be it furthermore

"Resolved, that the requirement in Section 38, Article 5th of the said act, that all assessments shall be made on or before the first day of June, 1910, be extended for a period of three calendar months after the time of filing returns as herein provided, and the time for payment of said tax, so assessed, be extended for thirty days after date of said assessment as herein provided."

THE WEEKS BILL

A communication from the Boston Chamber of Commerce, asking for the endorsement by this body of the Weeks bill creating a forest reserve in the White Mountains, received favorable consideration. This action is part of a programme in which all New England commercial bodies are uniting. The West and Southwest have so far proved antagonistic to this movement and an effort is now being made to enlist the sympathies of these organizations in the project. Communications. have been sent several of them and some very gratifying responses received. One of the very best, coming from San Antonio, Texas, reads:

"Mr. Herbert N. Davison,

Secretary, etc.

"In reply to your letter of the 11th, I beg leave to transmit herewith copy of a resolution passed by the Board of Directors of the Chamber of Commerce of San Antonio in session on February 18th:

"Be it resolved by the Board of Directors of the Chamber of Commerce of San Antonio, Texas, that the relief prayed for before the National Congress by the people of New England from the floods and droughts by the creation of a forest reserve in the White Mountains and the Southern Appalachians, seems a most reasonable request, and that the Texas senators and are respectfully petitioned to give the matter favorable consideration.' "Assuring you of our coöperation at all times, we remain,

congressmen

A communication from the Boston Chamber of Commerce with reference to excess charges in more than car-load lots, was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Railroads.

Communications from the Massachusetts State Child Labor Committee, asking for action on five bills which they have introduced into the Massachusetts Legislature, were referred to the Committee on Legislation.

A communication from the Lowell Board of Trade asking this Board to endorse a bill introduced into the House by Representative Harlow of Lowell, to provide for the distribution of franchise taxes in the city or town in which the business of the corporation is carried on, in contradistinction to the present practice of paying over but one-half of it to the city or town, and retaining the other half to provide revenue for the State, was referred to the Committee on Taxation which will report at the next meeting.

The Committee on Municipal Affairs had referred to it a resolution introduced by Mr. A. C. Comins looking to the preservation of the Union Station tower, and the President was authorized to appoint a committee of seven, of which he shall be an ex-officio member, to take into consideration the bettering of existing conditions at the Lake.

THE CORN EXPOSITION COMMITTEE

During the month the Worcester Advisory Committee on the New England Corn Exposition was created, consisting of Hon. J. Lewis Ellsworth, Mr. E. B. Clapp, Mr. George A. Park, Mr. Walter D. Ross, Mr. Albert L. Stratton, Mr. Charles H. Bosworth, Mr. Herbert N. Davison. This committee has organized with Mr. Ellsworth as chairman, Mr. Davison as secretary and Mr. Stratton as treasurer, and will co-operate with the general officers of the exposition in making the affair the success it is bound to prove. Hon. J. Lewis Ellsworth has consented to act as the general treasurer of the exposition, assisted by Mr. Burt W. Greenwood of this city as assistant treasurer. Mr. Greenwood is a prominent member of the Patrons of Husbandry, and not only that organization but the Horticultural Society and every other agricultural, industrial and mercantile interest in this city will be found actively behind this movement from this time forth.

As the Magazine goes to press the members of this Board are looking forward with pleasurable delight to the last smoke-talk of the fiscal year, to be delivered by one of our own number, Commodore Charles W. Bartlett, U. S. N., retired, who is to address this organization March 10, on "The Evolution and the Necessity of the Navy." Commodore Bartlett has had a most honorable as well as extremely interesting career in the service, and his remarks are bound to be full of inspiration and value to every good American.

From the Field

News of the Commercial Organizations of the Country from Eastport to the Golden Gate

and from the Great Lakes to the Gulf

The business men of San Angelo, Texas, have organized a Chamber of Commerce and raised $5000 of a $10,000 booster fund.

The Sellwood, Ore., Commercial Club starts business with a $6000 clubhouse, containing kitchen, dining-hall,

assembly, bath, billiard, and reading-rooms. Enough stock at $10 a share was sold to pay for the building and site.

As a result of recent agitation, Buxton, N. D., has a Commercial Club of forty active members, and efforts will be made to increase the number to seventy-five or one hundred within a short time.

Cambridge, Md., has organized a Board of Trade.

The old Amherst, Mass., Board of Trade, which has held no meetings for sixteen years, has been revived. Easthampton, Mass., has formed a business men's association in that town.

The Membership Committee of the Framingham Board of Trade is making strenuous efforts to boost the organization to 400 members.

A new industrial corporation, with $100,000 capital, has been formed by the LaCrosse, Wis., Board of Trade for the purpose of promoting new industries in that city; $60,000 has already been subscribed, and it is estimated that the balance will be secured in a very short time.

East Greenwich, R. I.. is about to establish a Board of Trade. The town has had no business men's organization for a dozen years.

The Foxboro, Mass., Board of Trade advocates playgrounds in that town.

A new industry recently located at Paterson, N. J., through the efforts of the Board of Trade in that city, is the Commercial Bureau Company of New York, which will employ about fifty stenographers and one hundred clerks and office men.

The Dayton, Ohio, Chamber of Commerce, following in the wake of Rochester, Detroit and Atlantic City, is going to send representatives all over the country to attend various conventions, with a view to bringing them to Dayton. All sorts of badges, buttons and literature will be distributed.

The Paterson, N. J., Board of Trade is preparing to advertise Paterson by printing statistics of population, manufactures, banking, schools, health, etc., on the backs of envelopes, and will endeavor to induce the business men of that city to use them in their correspondence. The board is also going into extensive newspaper advertising.

The Chamber of Commerce of Everett, Wash., succeeded in capturing and locating in that city last year seven new industries. Everett is known in the State of Washington as "The City of Smokestacks."

Salt Lake City has recently completed a $225,000 building for its commercial club.

Tacoma, Wash., realizing the advantage of having a permanent home for its civic organization, the Chamber of Commerce of that city, is erecting a ten-story building for its accommodation.

The Cleveland, Ohio, Chamber of Commerce is planning for a 10,000 mile business excursion this summer, visiting the Pacific coast states and Alaska, with a view of promoting the business interests of the Lake city.

The Syracuse, N. Y., Chamber of Commerce is to publish and distribute 5000 96-page booklets, setting forth the advantages of that city as a manufacturing centre, and a prize of $25 is offered for a trade mark for the city for advertising purposes.

The Jacksonville, Fla., Board of Trade is at work trying to increase the membership of that organization to 1000 this year.

66

In this commercial age the elimination of the unnecessary" seems to be the watchword of all businesses, and while great railroad manage s spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to straighten a half-mile of track or tunnel a mountain to save a few seconds of time, the captains of the industrial world are just as keen to grasp any improvement which will save the seconds in production and thus increase the amount and value of their output.

To emphasize this fact was the principal business of the second annual mechanical, electrical and textile exposition of the Worcester Mechanics Association, which closed Feb. 12. The exposition was not only a mighty fine exhibit of what Worceste can do mechanically, but it was also one of the most artistic and beautiful celebrations ever held in the East. The thanks not only of the Association but of the whole public ought to be extended to both the Worcester Electric Light Co. and the Coghlin Electric Co. for the superb contributions that they made to the show. No city in this country of any size, large or small, is capable of excelling the displays they arranged, and they made hundreds of friends during the week by their enterprise and publie spirit. Their display alone was a revelation to most Worcester people and only emphasizes what the Board of Trade has always contended, that we have as capable electricians and as much enterprise here as there are anywhere in the country.

While the attendance on the exposition was perhaps not quite up to that of last year, the lack of numbers was more than compensated for by the enthusiasm displayed by the visitors, and the promotors of the enterprise ought to feel justly proud of their achievement. Worcester as an industrial centre is firmly planted on the map, and it only remains now for her citizens to clinch this advantageous position by proclaiming to the world that she intends to stay there.

The power for the exposition was all furnished by electricity and was installed in Washburn Hall by W. D. Kendall & Co., 268 Main Street. It consisted of two motor generator sets, one 15 and the other 30 horse power, and a switchboard and transformer, transforming the current from 500 volts to 110 and 220 volts for use in the various motors. There were four different kinds of single and alternating current used in the building. An interesting feature in this connection is the fact that before the Crompton & Knowles exhibit could be installed it was necessary to transform the current three times in order to give them the right kind of power for the operation of their loom. addition to the regular light equipment of the building, there were 600 green lights strung on cables, furnished by the Atlantic Decorating Company of Boston.

In

American flags gracefully festooned around the walls, supplemented by strings of colored lights depending from the ceiling, greeted the eye of the visitor in the main corridor before entering Washburn Hall; and inside the hall the scene took on a vision of fairyland.

The electrical display was beautiful in the extreme. The white staff pillars surrounding the different booths, surmounted by baskets of flowers glowing with vari-colored electric lights, the posts being connected to each other by ornamental railings, adorned by stucco scroll designs, formed a pleasing and restful picture. The harmonious blending of the electric lights with the general decorative scheme of white throughout, left nothing to be desired, and was the subject of universal praise from the visitors in this part of the building. It was one of the most effective displays of the entire exposition and a tribute to the artistic ability of the designers.

COGHLIN ELECTRIC Co.'s BEAUTIFUL DISPLAY

A display that arrested attention the instant one entered Washburn Hall was that made by the Coghlin Electric Co., whose exhibition of electric lamps and fixtures was the pièce de resistance of

the exhibits on this floor. The company showed brilliantly illuminated Sheffield, Colonial and Empire designs in showers and hangers, as well as domes for reading and dining tables, the shades of Damascus art glass and silk being entirely new patterns, many of them hand-painted works of art. In addition there were shown many beautiful and artistic types of wall and bracket lamps and candlesticks. Electric flat irons, chafing dishes, coffee percolators, and other electrical devices for household use were freely displayed and explained. This company constantly displays all these and many other elaborate designs in its show room, Slater Building Arcade, where can be found numerous artistic and beautiful patterns never before seen in this city.

ALSTEN & GOULDING'S AUTOMOBILE HEADQUARTERS Alsten & Goulding, automobile and tire accessories, in addition to duplicating their fine display of last year, added several new and distinctive features to this year's exhibit, and their booth formed the centre of attraction for motorists. Among the new things they showed was a process of vulcanizing a punctured or injured tire without removing it from the rim. This is done by the use of the Presto tank, and should prove a boon to automobilists. They also displayed a new bugle horn, electric attachments for head and side lights, as well as a line of Packard ignition cables and radiator ornaments of novel and attractive type.

W. D. KENDALL Co.'s IMPORTANT EXHIBIT

W. D. Kendall Co., who installed the electrical equipment and did all the wiring for the exposition, had on exhibition in Washburn Hall a fine line of Franklin low voltage Tungsten round decorative lamps, this being the first time they had ever been shown in Worcester. They also exhibited a number of Holtzer-Cabott motors and igniters in operation, and displayed many other interesting electrical specialties. They demonstrated the Simplex electrical coffee percolator and bread toaster, and exhibited for the first time a new lamp called the Daylight arc, which burns thirty hours without trimming, at a cost of four cents an hour.

The exhibit of H. L. Rand attracted much attention, it being a display of artificial flowers of all kinds: roses, tulips, carnations, pansies, etc., made from geese feathers. The pure white feathers are selected and, after being dyed the required colors, are made into an excellent imitation of the natural flowers. They always retain their shapes and never fade, it is claimed.

Mr. H. E. Crandell showed a line of nicely built and attractive canoes, an innovation this year being a motor canoe, propelled by a small gasoline engine. Near by the G. E. Stimpson Co. dis played their line of office specialties, including roll and flat top desks, desk chairs, adding machines, typewriters, office phonographs, etc.

Perhaps no exhibit on this floor attracted more attention than that of Ross Bros., who showed a line of electric incubators and brooders, one being so constructed, mainly of glass, that the chicks could be seen picking their way out of the shells. This feature proved to be a great novelty to people who had never before seen nature's process manifested in this way. These appliances are rapidly superseding the old-style kerosene lamp, as in these electrical incubators the temperature is automatically regulated under all conditions, and the chicks are hatched on schedule time. Wm. A. Duvall & Co., manufacturers of the "Lightning" jar opener, occupied part of a section with the Boston Lightning Rod Co., and the latter exhibit, where lightning was made to order, proved a magnet to an admiring crowd, who listened with great interest to the "professor's" explanation of the greatly feared but little understood natural phenomenon. The company has equipped a great many buildings with its conductors in this State, and reports business good.

The Schervee Art Shop display attracted the attention of art lovers, comprising, as it did, hand-carved picture and mirror

MAGNIFICENT EXHIBIT OF THE WORCESTER ELECTRIC LIGHT COMPANY ON THE STAGE

frames, and mouldings the finest examples of the photographer's art; children's studies, commercial photography, prints and etchings were also artistically displayed.

The Pneuvac Vacuum Cleaner, made in this city by M. S. Wright & Co., furnished an interesting demonstration of the modern method of cleaning carpets, rugs, furniture and other furnishings quickly and easily and thoroughly. By this means there is no necessity for taking up carpets, all the dust and dirt being sucked from the floor and deposited in a receptacle for that purpose attached to the machine.

O. S. Kendall showed a sample of oak mission mantles, tile fireplaces and a flueless gas grate, as well as the New Simplex and Duntley vacuum cleaners.

The Blake Signal and Manufacturing Co. had an exhibit of snap curtain rod holders, a simple device by which window, door and sash curtains can be easily adjusted. This concern also manufactures other specialties, such as insulated staples and tube flux for soldering.

The Worcester office of the Singer Sewing Machine Co. had on exhibition the Singer darner, for darning clothing, stockings, etc., which can be used on any lock-stitch sewing machine, and the J. Q. Adams Co., 120 Boylston St., Boston, displayed the new Webster International Dictionary, containing over 400,000 defined words and phrases.

The Burlingame telegraphing typewriter was on view in this hall and the Royal Typewriter Company also had a fine display of their product, one machine being enameled in white, a novelty in this line.

Miss E. F. Rolston showed a line of artistic embroideries, doilies, centre pieces, pillow covers, and other articles dear to the feminine heart, and Mrs. E. M. Bronner had a beautiful exhibition of artistically decorated china and other ware.

A. K. Gammon, State Mutual Building, showed a line of office appliances, including card indexes, loose leaf and filing systems. IN MECHANICS HALL

While the general decorative features of Mechanics Hall were by no means so elaborate as those in Washburn Hall, nevertheless the brilliant electrical display of the Worcester Electric Light Company, which occupied the entire stage, together with American flags alternately draped between the large portraits around the gallery, made an attractive and animated picture. The large aeroplane suspended from the ceiling in the centre of the hall, and the American flag in front of the organ on the platform, formed of red, white and blue electric lights, with a flash arrangement to give it the appearance of a waving banner, made, with the throng in attendance, and the music from the ladies' orchestra, an inspiring and patriotic spectacle. The old hall has never looked finer than it did on some of the really big nights of the show.

WORCESTER ELECTRIC LIGHT Co.'s TRIUMPH

By all odds the most spectacular exhibit in either hall, and one of the most beautiful ever seen in New England, was that made by the Worcester Electric Light Company. The entire stage of Mechanics Hall was used for this purpose, and although complete arrangements for the display were made but a few days previous to the opening of the exposition, yet the results were even more dazzling than were anticipated, and the beautitul array of electric lights elicited unbounded admiration.

On the outer edge of the stage were arranged a number of posts with arches spanning across the top from post to post; these arches were lined with 40-watt Tungsten lamps, each lamp being fitted with a Holophane reflector. On top of the posts, enclosed in a 12-inch opal globe, was a 250-watt Tungsten lamp, which, with the 40-watt Tungsten lamps on the arches, furnished illumination of dazzling brilliancy.

Directly over the centre of the stage hung an 8-foot Tungsten lamp, outlined with two candle-power lamps on a white background, the filament being outlined with 25-watt Tungsten lamps. This proved to be a brilliant feature indeed, and caught the eye of the people immediately on entering the hall.

Just above the large lamp hung an electric flag 5 x 8 feet in size, made up of red, white and blue lamps of two candle-power capacity, wired to a flasher, and operated in such a way as to give the flag a waving effect, as if stirred by a breeze.

From the top of the large lamp to the end post on either side of the stage hung a string of 200 lamps, forming a "ratchaser," each lamp being wired back to a contact on the flasher, which was operated by a small electric motor. Thus the current "chased" from one lamp to another throughout the entire string.

The company's purpose in making this exhibit was to illustrate to its patrons and the general public the varied uses to which electricity may be applied, to demonstrate the numerous appliances, and to answer, as far as possible, the numerous in

quiries. To this end their experts and engineers were constantly in attendance.

One interesting feature, used to demonstrate the use of Mazda lamps, comparing the light delivered and the cost per hour, with carbon filament lamps of the same wattage, was a switchboard arranged with a row of carbon filament lamps, ranging from 6 to 32 candle-power; just below each carbon lamp was placed a Mazda lamp of the same wattage as the one above. Directly below the lamps, and in circuit with them, was a watt-hour meter, similar to those used in regular lighting service, except that it was provided with a glass case, thus making it possible for the public to observe for themselves the exact number of watts used per hour for each lamp. Various parts of the meter were at hand, so that the method of construction could be easily observed, and the company's meter expert was present to make explanations.

Another feature used to demonstrate the use of power, and in which the public manifested considerable interest, was a motor generator set, consisting of a 2 horse-power single-phase motor, belted to a 3 horse-power direct current generator. The load on the generator was so arranged that it could be increased or decreased, and thus increase or decrease the load on the motor in the same proportion. On the lower part of the board were attached the starting devices for the motoTM, and just above were two watt-hour meters having glass cases; one meter indicated the power required to operate the motor, and the other, being in the generator circuit, indicated the power delivered by the generator. This outfit was used to demonstrate that the cost of operating an electric motor depends almost directly upon the work performed rather than upon the size of the motor installed.

It will be interesting to note that the 2 horse-power motor was operated at an overload almost constantly for eight hours each day of the exposition without showing the slightest sign of sparking or over-heating. This type of motor is coming very much into prominence.

A full line of three-phase and single phase motors was on exhibition, in which the public was very much interested; and the company proposes to extend its three-phase power lines throughout the entire city as rapidly as possible, thus making it possible for its patrons to use three-phase and singlephase motors on the same power circuit, obtaining varied conditions from constant speed, variable speed and multi-speed

motors.

A large display of heating and cooking apparatus, flat-irons, vibrators and heating pads of various makes, were demonstrated by two lady demonstrators.

The company is well pleased with the interest manifested by all who visited its exhibit.

Across the aisle and in front of the platform the Coates Clipper Manufacturing Company made at times the noisiest demonstration in the hall, but they had to do it in order to show to the best advantage some of the tools they were displaying. The one that attracted the greatest attention from mechanics and the public generally was their electrically-driven chipping hammer used for chipping iron, steel and other metals. The construction of this is a secret of the manufacturers, but that it does its work well cannot be denied. It is driven by a Coates' flexible shaft operating a rotary hammer in the head of the device and strikes a blow equal to a pneumatic hammer. This tool can be operated, they claim, for very much less than the ordinary pneumatic hammer, and the chip that it produces is as great, if not greater, than that produced by its rival. The Coates people are very enthusiastic over this tool and claim for it many advantages. It was surrounded by a throng during the entire exposition.

They also exhibited patterns of variable speed and breast drills, with which three speeds may be obtained on the principle of automobile transmission; foundry and machine shop outfits for grinding and snagging; the Coates multiple grinder, hand and power clippers; garage motor outfits for burnishing, drilling, reaming, etc., and a special motor-truck for large motors. The company specializes in flexible shaft appliances and reports business rushing.

Adjoining was the exhibit of the Brierly-Lombard Company, successors to the old and widely known firm of Crawford Company, dealers in all kinds of mill supplies. They showed, in operation, the Thompson power hack-saw for sawing metal, which comprises some new features not found in other machines of like nature. They are agents for the celebrated Lincoln-Williams twist drills, Burr cold metal saws. and keyseaters. and carry a full line of transmission supplies, pressed steel hangers and couplings, belts, gasoline and oil tanks, fire extinguishers, chain hoists, etc. They are rapidly enlarging their business, and reported many inquiries.