The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1896-02-06
A CRBDITABLE Showing
Review Of the Commercial Clubs Work
for The Past Year.
PLANS OUTLINED FOR The FUTURE
Proceedings of the Municipal Coun-
cii-Captain simmons Pleasantly
Surprised by His Friends-Brother
Mckinney Among the Dutch.

The annual meeting OF the Yakima
Commercial club was held on Tuesday
evening when the old officers retired and
the new ones assumed their duties. The
officers for the ensuing year are j. NJ.
Gilbert, president; q. A. Graham, LIST
vice president; Geo. S. Vance, I'd vice
president; H. Ii. Lombard, treasurer; A.
B. Wyckof, A. B. Weed, w. II. Red
man, W. NJ. Heiney, f. NJ. Spain, w. ii.
Hare, o. A. Fechter, Frank Horsley, w.
l.. Steinweg and George Donald, mem
Der OF the governing board; Charles Car
penter, II. B. Rigg, T. q. Redfeld, Alex.
Miller and L. NJ. Reed, trustees. The
secretary will be elected at the first meet.
ing Of the governing board on Saturday
evening. Several amendments to the
constitution were introduced by Mr.. A..
B. Wyckoff, chairman of the committee
appointed for that purpose, all of which
were adopted with the exception Of the
one relating to change in the method Of
election. The principal features of the
amendments adopted were the curtail-
ment of the powers of the governing
board in the appropriation of moneys and
the commitment of the club to any policy,
and the change of the date of the annual
meeting from the last Tuesday in January
to the first Tuesday in February.
Mr.. Gilbert, the retiring secretary, read
a most interesting report on the work of
the club for the past year in which he
set forth the objects attained and the re-
suits which are still to be hoped for. The
report is too long for publication in full
so THE HERALD is Obliged to be content
with the publication of a summary:
Circulation OF 5000 handsomely Illus
trated pamphlets recounting the advan-
tages of the Yakima valley as a home
for prospective settlers.
Memorializing the legislature on the
subject OF the reduction of freight rates,
and bringing to the attention of railroad
officials the need for a new depot.
A large number of stereoscepic views
Of Yakima county were made to Illus
trate lectures given in the east on Wash
ington, and Yakima was advertised by
means of large placsrds on 100 carloads
of potatoes shipped to the eastern states.
The assessor was assisted in the work
of gathering statistics of the products OF
the county, and J. d. Medill is now COM
plotting his extensive work, upon which
he has been engaged for some time, show
ing the acreage of the various fruits
grown in Yakima.
A remonstrance was sent against the
proposed increase in the freight rates on
hops, and through action of the club a
deputy fruit inspector was secured for
the county.
Samples of Yakima fruit were secured
and preserved in Jars at the expense of
the club and exhibits of fresh fruits were
made at the Minnesota state fair and the
fair held at Rock Rapids, Iowa.
Photographic views of Yakima were
sent to the Franklin institute of Phila-
delphia to illustrate lecture On irrigation.
The club was represented at the North
western immigration convention held in
st. Paul by two delegates, and as the
result of the convention state meeting
was held at Seattle at which the club
was also represented by a delegation.
Another effort to promote immigration
was made in financially assisting g. M.
Mckinney to 20 to the promising field
of Michigan where he Is now endeavor-
ing to secure settlers for this locality.
The recent successful Farmers Institute
held in this city was inaugurated by the
club, and work is now in active progress
to secure the location in Yakima of the
Odd Fellows home, Methodist college
fruit and vegetable canneries and starch
factory.
The Yakima fair was one of the main
works of the club. 1t had its inception
in the club and there the engineering was
done until it was finally placed in the
hands of the executive committee, by
whom it was carried to a most success
full termination.
After speaking of the social features Of
the organization Mr.. Gilbert mentioned
some of the work TO be accomplished
during the coming year, which in addi-
ton to those projects now in hand EN-.
brsced the fighting of the fruit pests and
the obtaining of a suitable appropriation
for the purpose; securing the location Of
an experimental farm within short dis
/ lance OF the city; the encouragement OF
dairy farming, and the entertainment OF
the Northwestern Fruit Growers Associa-
ton which will hold its annual meeting
in Yakima in December.
That the club is in fourishing condi.
ton notwithstanding the prevailing hard
times, the following statement regarding
membership will clearly demonstrate !;
: Membership at beginning of the fiscal
year 1895, 1903; new members elected dur
ing the year, 25; members resigned, 8;
members dropped from the rolls, IL
present membership, ia; nonresident
members, 2.