Telegram-herald., 1891-10-04

delightful it would be to have regular
place for rendezvous, and before the
talk was ever the present Penlnsular
Club was born. The gentlemen were
Autun Hodenpyl, John S. Lawrence,
Andres Bevier, Ed. w. Whitney, and
their host, Will Gilbert. Their idea was
TO rent two or three rooms IN the Porter
block, over the Royal Palm restaurant.
They would put in dumb waiter and
connect it with the restaurant, have a
billiard table, some card tables, and life
would be worth living. even If the
quarters were very modest. The idea
that large club, with expensive build
lngs and furniture of their own, could
be ever reality in town the
tered the brain of the most sanguine
of them all. But the young gentle
men began to move about among their
friends and talk the matter over, and
much enthusiasm was kindled. Octo-
Der 2, 1881, a meeting was held at the
Morton House, and John S. Lawrence.
Phillip Fuller, Anton Hodenpyl and
Andres Bevier were appointed q COM
mittee to canvass for members. Octo-
Der this committee reported on the
l-ttiicS ObtdttlcO, anu y IlcW
consisting of Edwin b. Uhl, l.. III.
Whitney, A. B. Watson, NJ. s. Crosby, C..
f. Olney, X. G.. Mathews and George
q. Briggs were appointed to take COM
plete charge of the organization. On
October 10, another meeting was held
at tho Morton, and the last named
committee reported a constitution.
| Four days after, an enthusiastic meet
ing was held In the circuit court rooms.
| ten Il --ctors were elected, and the
| cons ION was signed by l25 charter
members, representing the best culture
| of the city. October 20 the directors
elected Edwin +. Uhl, president; John
5. Lawrence, secretary, and G. ID. Oh
| ney, treasurer.
The original articles of ASSOCIATION
have never been changed, but the by
laws and house rules have had various
amendments, from time TO time, as the
necessities have demanded.
| Its Object Purely Social.
| The object of the club is and always
has been purely social one-to have q
place where the members could rest,
smoke, play cards and billiards, eat
and drink, just rs the fancy took them.
1t has no political influence, whatever,
politics being positively excluded by
the constitution.
The imitation fee was placed at S25,
which was Afterward raised to $50 for
business reasons. At present it IS S25.
The yearly dues have never been
changed, and are $50 year, payable
semi-annually.
Ii is intended, however, that rs soon
as three hundred resident members are
enrolled, to increase the initiation fee
again to $50. but no change will be
made in the amount of yearly dues.
The nonresident members pay SIS an
nually: that is all the expense there is
TO them, no initiation fee being charged
unless one Is resident of Grand
Rapids. Any gentleman who is 81 years
of age, and eligible, may become q
member of the club, If he is not black
hailed at the balIoting. Two black balll
are sufficient to exclude.
| The club was organized as the
"PenInsuIar Improvement Company.
in order TO get il under a certain law oi
Michigan. After the club house wa'
built the property was decided to The
Peninsulsr club, but the real estate
stood in the name of The PENINSULA
improvementCoinpany and tue money
to put up the building was borrowed
and the bonds for the same were issuec
to The Peninsular Improvement Com
pany.
Il First Home OF the Club.
As soon ~ the club was organized
the committee began to look about 10
suitable nome. The idea OF taEinl
rooms N the Porter block could not u
entertained for . moment, on accoun
Of the surprisingly large NUMBER o
members. The old Morton place, s,u
sted pa the hlii ut the northwest corne
Of Ottawa and Pearls ~ss iessea
and on December 20, 1881, the hons'
was opened with a grand reception
There they stsid for year or 40, ~he'
their rapidly increasing number nlaa'
il imperative that they have iafke
quarters. Many OF the club felt shst ,
would be q grand thing 10 nave pu.'u :
ing Of their own, and, With tsat ena y
view, committee Was sppoiiiseu
| look abo8t for sntsafae e'@
This ennlnittees cohslshns
thrpe OF four nlsnbefs, OF ~hoti
Henry p. Walsh wss one. feeoaafietitle'
tie purchase If the sot oa the cnfns
/ Of tgtta = A ani f9antala sta shd - y