The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1890-05-01

DuslHeSS Hliu, the doctor, tl6 IaWNST,
and the young men the hope OF the
city's future. There was the gray
haired veteran of many years and
clubs, and the young man novice who
was taking his first dip into club life.
There was the scent OF keenest inter
est in the air, there was holiday
spell resting upon the hour. There
| was none of that strained formality of
the business world, but all felt they
were on the footing of general social
equality. 1t was an occasion of mu-
tual congratulation that. through a
combined effort and as AN outcome
OF untiring action upon the part of
those chaged with the establishment
of club, that Austin had secured a
social home for her young, middle
aged and old men, their sweet hearts,
wives and daughters, of such charac-
ter as would do credit to any city in
the Union. But few had realized what
had been going on for months, and
what elaborate arrangements were
being made for their comfort in the
way of elegant club life. So that de-
lighted surprise was not one OF the least
of the elements that made up the enjoy
ment of the evening. All the appliances
of the rooms, the billiard and pool
tables, the card tables and the chess
boards were put into instant requisi-
ton, and all went merry as a marriage
bell.
| About o'clock a summons to at
tention was heard and Mr.. Lewis Han
cock, the president of the club and of
the board of directors, welcomed the
members of the club to their new
home in a neat speech, of which the
following is the substance:
MR.. HANCoCK's SPEECH.
The board of directors of the club
had intended to have a formal open
ing of the club rooms, but disappoint-
ment in the completion of the entire
Board of Trade building prevented
and it was thought best to simply turn
over the rooms as they are. He then
alluded briefly to the history of the
club since its organization and re-
ferred to the labors of the board of di-
rectors of the club in furnishing and
fitting up the rooms, and said:
with these things accomplished
their labors have ended and you now
take control and from now on the sue
cess of the club is in your hands. To
make it a pleasant, social and bust
ness success, and place where your
friends and strangers visiting the
city can come and have a pleasant
time, rests with you. The directors
have been very diligent in their eff
forts and have been very careful in
their expenditures. The expense of
furnishing the rooms has been about
$500. The directors have thought
it best to appoints
HOUSE COMMITTEE
of three members, whose duty it will
be to make the club attractive and a
pleasant place to come to. This COM
mittee is now Walter Tips, G. F.
Drake and Sam DeCordova. They
will provide everything necessary and
will see that the rooms are kept in
order. We have also thought it best
to provide for reception once week
on Thursdays for the ladies. On each
Thursday the rooms will be open all
day for ladies, and on Thursday even
ings the weekly receptions will occur
We concluded to GO this-to invite the
ladies at least once a week because
we believed it would tend to build up
a more widely spread friendship and
hospitality in ouI city and socially
we would become better acquainted
Then. too, if your wives, daughters
and sisters come here it will be more
pleasant. From now on the board OF
directors will try to carry out the
laws of the club, and if they are not
sufficient for the success of the club
you can change them. If the di
rectors don't suit you
TURN THEM OUT
and elect others. Your regular meet
ings only occur once year, in Janu
airy, but you can call meeting at any
time to change the laws if you deem
change necessary and desirable. The
board of directors, l assure you, have
done all in their power to make the
rooms attractive and pleasant, and we
now turn them over to you"
At the conclusion of these remarks
on motion of Mr.. John w. Phillips, g
vote of thanks was unanimously ten
dered the directors for the taste dis
played in furnishing the rooms anC
for their earnest labors to make the
club success.
AN ELEGANT LUNCH.
After this formal announcement O.
the opening of the Austin Club rooms
an elegant luncheon was found spreao
in the wine room to which full Justice
was done. There was but one opinion
heard on every side last night and il
was that the directors had done nobly
in preparing such exquisitely tasteful
and even sumptuous headquarters fol
the club. The Board of Trade build
ing and the club rooms therein will
now be Austin's rallying point. We
now have a place where strangers In
our city can be entertained with com
fort tn them and infinite pride on OuI