Office of the Secretary, }
Iowa City, Iowa, May 24, 1890. }
To the Photographers of America:
The eleventh annual convention of the Photographers’ Association of America will be held in the Smithsonian Institution at Washington,. D. C, August 12 to 15, inclusive, and from present indications the attendance will be larger than ever before. Why not take a few days’ vacation and attend this meeting? If you only knew the treat that awaits you in Washington, every photographer in the land would attend, if they had to close their business for a week to do so.
A visit to the places of interest in Washington, the most beautiful city in the world, will alone be worth the time and money spent. The fine collection of paintings in the Corcoran Art Gallery is of special interest to photographers, as it contains some of the finest pictures in this country or in Europe. A visit to the capitol and government buildings, the Washington monument, the White House, the Smithsonian Institution, and many other interesting points will add to the pleasure of this occasion, and is alone well worth the time and expense of the trip.
The Committee on Railroads have secured a rate of one and one-third fare for the round trip on all trunk lines in every direction. In order to obtain this rate, you must obtain a receipt from the ticket agents of whom you purchase tickets on all roads, and have them signed by W. V. Ranger, second vice-president, at the convention, this will entitle you to a one-third fare returning.
The headquarters of the convention will be at the Ebbitt House, and the following rates have been obtained at the different hotels: Ebbitt House, two in a room, $2.50 per day; Ebbitt House, one in a room, $3 per day; the Arlington, $3 per day; Millards, $3 per day; the National, $2.50 per day; the Riggs, $3 per day; the Harris, $2 per day; and many other hotels from $1.50 to $2.50 per day; also several on the European plan, rooms from 50 cents to $1.50 per day.
If you will look at the benefits to be derived from attending this meeting, we feel sure that you will take the time and meet with us.
The unveiling of the Daguerre memorial during the convention, to be permanently placed in the Smithsonian Institution, will be one of the special features. This memorial is the gift of the photographers of America. The fund is raised by one or more dollar subscriptions from the photographers (which it would be well for you to send in your subscription at once to one of the different committees, and help the matter along, and do honor to the man who first brought to light this noble profession of ours).
You will miss it if you fail to come. There will be some of the finest specimens of American photography ever exhibited, as well as European. I have the promises of exhibits from all the leading photographers of the world.