Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1896-05-21

Chicago, May 20.-Ac the annual
meeting of the stockholders Of The As
sociated Press held this morning, 749
of the 1,O09 shares of stock were repre-
sented.
The report of the board OF directors
for the year ending December 81, 1895,
showed that the membership had
grown from 3S1 to AS, and the stock
holders had increased from 124 to 1SS.
The present membership is 45S and
the number of stockholders 140. The
finances had been brought TO 4 most
satisfactory condition. The revenues
had been steadily maintained al their
maximum while the expenses had
been reduced The monthly margin OF
excess Of receipts over expenses had
not only been maintained since the last
quarter Of 1895. but had more than
doubled in amount.
As q result a dividend of 10 per
cent Of the principal OF the advances on
the guarantee fund had been paid.
The board congratulated the member
snip on great progress made during the
year toward the accomplishment of the
original and proper purpose Of The AS
sOciated Press-the control and admin
istratiOn of the news gathering and dis
tributing business of the country by
the newspapers of the country.
The third annual Associated Press
banquet was held tonight in the ban
uuet hall at Kingsley's. The walls OF
the chamber were tastefully decorated
with Persian tapestries. The tables
were arranged in the form Of an open
square. with q central extension from
the presidents seat down the open
space. Flowers in prOfusion beautifed
the tables. and limitations in smilaX o.
telegraph wires made the circuit OF tht
board suspended from floral imitation;
OF poles, whose bases rested on The
tables
On the ringing Of an immense dinner
bell. the one hundred guests fell into
line in the reception room, and headed
by President Victor f. Lawson and Hon
Joseph Medill. marched into the ban
ouet hall. With an appropriate addres:
of welcome. President Lawson request
ed the guests to fall to. and they did so
President Victor Lawson put the low
ing cup on its passage, with q state
ment of his pleasure in meeting the rep
resentatiye newspaper men Of the coun
try. As sponsor for the cup, Presiden
Lawson detailed Melville z. Stone, gen
eral manager. and the precious vesse
was sent on its round among the guests
As each one tasted the nectar from th'
cup. Mr. Stone announced his name
and the announcement Of each wei
known name was greeted with ap
plause.
While the banquetters were absorbing
the material portion of the feast, Vail
Iris mandolin orchestra and the I'm
perial Quartette kept the air Of the hal
melodious with vocal and instrumental
music.
Ihe memory of Mrs Nicholson, oi
the New Orleans Picayune, and Col
John A. Cockerill was drunk standing
After the coffee and other equally
invigorating things, President Victor
T. Lawson turned and introduced the
toasjmaster. NJ. X. Handy. whose ac
ceptance of the g2vel was met by mo-
ton for adjournment from Genera
Manager Stone. but the postmaster re-
fused 10 entertain the motion.
Charles EhOry Smith, of the Philadel-
phia Press. was then introduced. and
made a very clever speech.
Stephen O'Meara, of the Boston Jour
nal. was the last speaker. He said af-
ter careful study on his part, and or
The part of his managing editor, he had
made up his mind that the organiza-
tion of the present and the organiza-
tion of the future was that which he
had the pleasure OF meeting to-day.
Applause) He claimed not the slight
est credit for what he had done. He
had changed his news service on his
business judgment, as trustee, re-
sponsible for a valuable property. An
avalanche was noc to be expected from
New England, but he believed the AS
soCiated Press would gradually absorb
all the papers in the country. which
were worth having (Applause)
The evening was brought to a close
al midnight by all singing Aud Lang
Syne.