Bridgeton pioneer., 1896-03-26
ANNUAL BANQUET.
Toast Given and Responded to, and the
Citys Interests Considered.

Toast Given and Responded to, and the
Cit,s Interests Considered.
The Boari of Trade met last Thursday
evening in annual session. 1t being their
annual meeting, it was also the occa-
sion of the annual banquet.
There was only fair-sized number
out. The meeting was called to order by
the President, P. Kennedy Reeves.
The minutes Of the last meeting were
read and approved.
Ed. M. Fihian, Of the Committee on
Municipal Improvements, reported that
in reference to the street paving matter
the Committee was not making much
progress, but something had been done.
They had intsded to have made survey
and map Of that part of the city to be
paved, and present the same to City Coun-
Gil.
The, Committee on Postal Service re-
ported that hey favored the National
Board of Trade, in trying to get reduc-
ton of the postage from two cents to one
cent. They reported the following:
WHEREAS, I, appears that great irregu-
larities exist in our Postal System,
whereby th, letter postage is made to
pay the running expenses of favored
class of mai matter, which is carried at
about One-tvelfth of its actual cost; and
WHEREAS, The deficiencies caused by
the enormous abuse connected with the
ranking privileges are charged to the
postal Departments; and
WHEREAS, With these and other abuses
COnnaCtA0 tyUnn16 ha nrQotioQh hla tn
reduce the letter postage to one cent,
thereby beneitting every letter writer
in the United States. Therefore be it
Resolued, That the Bridgeton Board of
Trade in regular session do most heartily
approve of the action taken by the Ma
tional Board of Trade, in trying to have
Congress provide for an equalization of
the postal rates, and the reduction of the
two cent letter postage to QUE cent.
Resol0ed, That our Secretary spread
these resolutions upon our minutes and
send a cepy of the same to the committee
on One Cent Letter Postage of the Ma
tional Board Of Trade.
Respectfully submitted by your COM
mittee RICHARD LOTT,
J.. N. BoDINE,
J. G. KIRBY.
The report was received and the Sec
retary ordered to communicate with the
National Board.
The Secretary was also ordered to in
vite City Council at the next meeting of
the Board to meet them, and that the
Committee on Municipal improvements
be instr Eed to have their report ready
at that tine to place before Council.
Treasurer Charles P. McGear read his
report which showed balance of S117.67
in the treasury.
Edward Wright was elected member
of the Board.
The Board then went into the election
of officers for the year:
President, P. Kennedy Reeves; 1st
Vice President. John F. Johnson; I'd Vice
President, Jacob Mengel; Treasurer,
Chas. P. McGear; Recording Secretary,
Thos s. Hof; Corresponding Secretary,
S. A. Laning.
Executive Comnittee-Ed. E. Cross
cup, r. A. Sylvester, W. H. Ballenger, J.
d. Johnson, Timothy Woodruff.
Auditing Committee Smith Tomlin,
S. M. Ogden, J. N. Glaspell.
This finished the business of the meet
ing.
The treasurer said it was in order to
pay their annual dues. A few of them
paid.
The committee then announced that
supper was ready and they all ad-
journed to the other room, where the
tables were spread under the supervision
of Caterer S. M. Ogden and his assistant.
Around the tables the following gentle
men were seated:
Table Up. K. Reeves, Jas. J. Reeves,
Jesse G. Downs, VIM. E. Cox, Capt. Geo.
Bowen, j. D. johnson, Timothy Wood
ruff, Chas. Crickler, VIM. Loper, w. B.
Kirby, of the Nea0s, Frank Eggman,
Harry Elwell, R. L. Bowen.
Table 2-R. A. Sylvester, Smith Tom
lin, John Cheesman, of the Patriot, Ed.
M. Fithian, J. Mengel, Theo. Edwards,
J. w. Richardson, Dr.. J. c. Appelgate,
VIM. E. Riley, E. E. Grosscup, J. N.
Glaspell, A. s. Loper.
Table 81. D. johnson, Chas. Williams,
A. Johnson, Walter Bond. Amos Sharps
w. H. Ballenger, P. ]. Davis, Of the
PIONEER, James S. Ware, 7. B. Dare.
Table 4-Chas., p. McGear, Thos. s.
Hoff, Chas. Nickel, B. F. Edwards, Chas.
Gremont. Chris Krauter, s. A. Laning.
After the banquet and while the mem-
bers puffed away on their Havanas, the
toasts were made and responded to. Mr..
Mengel acted as toast master, introducing
the first speaker as Ed. M. Fithian. Mr..
Fithian in his remarks about the inn
provements OF the city which should and
necessarily will come in the near future,
said it was not economy for the city to
use money on the streets year after year
to no good purpose. While it is well to
economize in city matters City Council
does not economize when they allow the
streets to be in such condition as at
present. This is not economy. They
should use the money judiciously and
give us better roads. Everyone who has