Kansas City daily journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1892-1897, 1896-11-11
AT COMMERCIAL CLUB.
Guests Entertained-Club VIII Visit
Sedalia-Entertainin Paper
by Walter C. Root


by Walter C. Root.
Delegates to the Underwriters conven-
tion were entertained last night by the
Commercial Club, where they were again
assured of their cordial welcome to Kan
sas City, Brief speeches were made by
both guests and hosts, and a paper was
read by Mr.. Walter c. Root, after which
refreshments of punch, lemonade and mac
caroons were served. The remainder of the
evening was spent by the members of the
club in improving the acquaintance of their
guests.
Before the opening Of the programme of
entertainment, the club hurried through
with a few items of business Chairman of
the trade extension committee. F. E. Lally,
reported that 1t had been decided to hold
the first excursion of the club under the
new administration next Friday, when the
members and their friends will go to Sc
dalia and intermediate towns to promote
Kansas City's commercial interests This
is the result of an implied invitation from
Sedalta merchants. who have in effect
promised to withdraw their trade from st.
Louis, on account of the black eye given
the capital removal amendment by that
city, and transfer it to Kansas City. The
fact that Kansas City gave the amendment
rolled up about 5000 against it, is given
much weight by enterprising Sedalians.
The train will leave Kansas City about 8
o'clock Friday morning. the purpose being
to return on the night of the same day
Stops will be made at Lees Summit Pleas
ant Hill, Holden, Warrensburg, Knob
noster and La Monte.
Brief speeches at last nights meeting
were made by President NJ. v. Watson F.
A. Burnham, chairman of the underwriters
convention: A. B. Riddle insurance COM
missioner of Kansas; C. c. Hine. of New
York; Major William Warner, George D.
| Eldridge and Frank A. Faxon.
Walter c. Roots paper entitled kansas
| City, Present and Future" was heartily
commended by both guests and hosts 1t
| was in part as follows:
1T seems impossible to speak of Kansas
| City as we find 1t, in way to be appre-
c.ated, without referring, however briefly,
| TO the past. So dramatic are the contrasts
| which can be drawn between those early
| days and the present that that theme alone
would be one of absorbing interest.
| THE story Of the first coal which came
| to Kansas City has been told me by my
| father-in-law, of reverent memory. 1t was
hauled to town in a wagon on the day
| before Christmas. Nobody wanted 1t or
| seemed to understand its use and after Of
| fering it about town all day. Mr.. Bullene
| bought it and paid for it in Christmas
| goods, to the great delight of the farmer
| who brought it to town That incident oc-
| CURED within easy memory of a man who
would now be barely in middle life. 1t is
| recorded that so late 1S45 the mail for
Kansas City was delivered by way Of West
port, and was often kept in the pocket OF
| the postmaster.
Until after the war the town was but a
struggling village, and it was not till 1915
that the railroads were completed, which Nike
arteries have since supplied our life's
blood. SO that in twenty-six years, nearly
all has been done which now is, and a mere
boy can here claim to be an old settler.
"At present material progress has changed
those primitive conditions somewhat. There
are however. one or two other signs which
seem 10 me hopeful and healthy, to which
ii may be well to atlude. One is the cosno
politan character of our people. who come
TO from all states and races, and will
produce good stock in the future which q
mixed race engenders. We all know the
degeneration which sets in in population
cut OFF from new blood-the backwoods peo-
pie Of our own state and OF the South are
examples.
I'm classic times there was a city which
resembled ours in rapid growth and bril-
| liant achievement in commerce, in arts anG
letters-the city of Alexandria. Men of al
races. OF all creeds, of all degrees Of edu
cation, the civilization of the East and tbs
West. of Greece and of Asia met together
Like conditions here bring about in oul
citizens a certain daring breadth of view
the traditions Of no small section hamper
them-they travel. they know their coun
try, east and west. north and south, ant
the discriminating ones love best Kansa.
City and the country contiguous to it.
Another condition which seems to m,
cheering, is the interest our substantial cit
liens of culture and refinement take in th
ahair.i OF the country and of the naunici
pality-the sense of public duty abroad
which leads men to work, to make sacri
fees of money and time to the cause of tn
community's common good. / would cal