42 Thirl y-si.rlh A)ni,iiil Mrrllin/ 



crowd of incii at a convention in oui' city tliaii llic American 

 Fisheries' Society convention. (Applause). 



Althouirh few ladies have honored lis with their presence. 

 I have lieen told tliat it is not cnslomary for llie ladies to at- 

 tend these conventions; but we urged that the invitation should 

 be extended, and we were in hopes that quite a few might have 

 accepted, and, as in the case of the gentlemen, although you arc 

 not here in great numbers, I assure you you have the quality in 

 what you have ])resente(l here. (Applause.) In ajipcai'ance 

 they can't be beat. (Applause.) 



I tried to persuade the toastmaster to call on some of the 

 other Erie gentlemen, as we have a few here who can speak, but 

 he said, "I do not know them very well, and I do know you, so 

 I am going to call on you first." I told him I could talk proh- 

 ably two minutes and that would be the end of it. 



I hope that in the future when any of you gentlemen are 

 coming through to the west, or from the west to the east, you 

 will find it convenient and to your pleasure to stop olf in 

 Erie. I would deem it a pleasure to show you through our town 

 I assure you that we have not had the opportunity to show 

 you our city as we would like to show it to you. It seems as 

 though your program is long, and you do not seem to be able to 

 spare the time to take in much pleasure. But, if at any time 

 after this convention, you are able to stop in this city, I will 

 take pleasure in showing you over it. It is a beautiful place. 

 I assure you our people welcome you here. We enjoy the repu- 

 tation of being one of the most hospitable cities in the state of 

 Pennsylvania. We have had a great many conventions, and they 

 go away well ])leased from our city, and are always willing to 

 vote to retui-n, and I hope that we may in the near future en- 

 tertain you again. I thank you. 



((Jreat A])plause.) 



Toastmaster: This afternoon, during one of the intermis- 

 sions. I was out on tlie sidewalk, and 1 was hailed by my friend 

 Commissioner ]^)Owers. lie said. "Look here Meehan, I w^ant to 

 speak to you a minute, and if you are a good friend, you will 

 do wliat 1 want." lie said. "I hear you are going to ask me to 

 speak to-niglil and I don't want to do it, because I know my 



