The Waco evening news. [volume] (Waco, Tex.) 1891-1894, 1894-01-11
Meeting Of the Commercial
Club Last Night
TO CONSIDER DIRECTORS REPORT
Project Unanimously Endorsed by WacO's
Leading Business Men.

There was large meeting of the
Commercial Club last night, called
to consider the report of the direc
tors endorsing the cotton palace
prof sct.
President r ggins stated the ob
ject of the meeting, and the matter
was thrown open for general dis
cussion.
James B. Baker spoke emphat
ically for the cotton palace. He
said Waco had the location, the
surrounding country, the wa'er;
what was needed wa, something
that would bring these things to the
notice of the world. The Gotten
palace would do it. Such an
enterprise would attract to
Waco the attention Of the world
1t would bring men and money, and
many other thing that would be of
use to the city. He was empbati-
cally in favor of the cotton palace.
Mr.. higgins said some 20 years
ago he attended meeting in st.
Louis at which speakers said the
natural advantages of their town
would make it the metropolis of the
continent. Bat the cltlz ms relied
upon natural advantages, while the
Chicago people went to work and
built town four times the size of
St. Louis Natural advantages
would not build city withou.
hustling.
Mr.. Rotan sad he had been here
% years. He told how few ms II
had built the suspension bridge, a
few more had built the Houston
and Texas Central, few more still
had secured the Cotton Belt, and
so, by unity of effort of its citiz ens
Waco had been built to what it is.
If the business men now here-so
m my more than when the enter
prises mentioned were secured-will
lin hands and 60 to work they can
do great deal for the town. All
agreed that something should be
done to attract attention 40 Waco.
He had not studied the cotton
palace project particularly, and
scarcely understood what it would
be. If it was the best thing to do,
it should be done; if there is some
thing better, he was for that; but
something ought to be done, and at
once.
Judge West spoke of the various
enterprises he mad seen carried
through, and had helped to the best
of his ability, and he stood ready
to help again. He could not d any
suggesting or outlining, but he was
ready to do his full share in any
thing that shall be undertaken.
Mr.. J. l. Moore said he had no
suggestions that would throw any
Light upon the subjec He had no
very good idea of what the cotton
palace would cost. He thought it
would be good move, and he
stood ready to help it to the best OF
his ability. Such gatherings were
always beneficial to a town. He
wanted to push ahead aud build up
city of which all would be proud.
He thought the estimates of cost of
The cotton palace which he had seen
were too high. He thought the
people of Waco were in favor of the
scheme, and he thought the money
could be raised despite the hard
times. He was willing to j ,ln those
present in undertaking to push the
thing through.
MIR. Sanger thocght something
should be dene to advertise the
town. His firm would do its full
share.
w. W. Ssley thought something
in the line suggested should be
done, and was ready to do his full
share in any undertaking.
w. d. Lacy thought $4,000 or
$50 600 or SIS, 900 could be mad
TO do more for Waco in something
else than cotton palace. He
didn't want TO shirk his share of the
woIk-he was ready to do his share
but he thought a better scheme
than the proposed cotton palace