Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-08-05

of committees and further consider the
project. The attendance was very fair,
and the interest manifested all that
could be desired. Mr.. Quarter presid-
ed, as at the previous meeting, and w.
G.. Wilkinson was called to the secre-
tary's desk.
Mr.. Mccoy, from the Finance Com
mittee. reported actual subscriptions OF
s., sos, and had $500 to S425 more in
sight, narrating in detail these expec-
tations. As a personal expression, Mr..
Mccoy did not think $4,000 would be
enough money.
Mr.. Mccoy was followed by Mr.. Baer,
who started to narrate some of his ex-
periences, and was ruled out of order.
Proceeding, Mr. Baer said he thought
Wheeling was hardly ripe for such an
enterprise. Instead of men coming for
ward spontaneously and being glad OF
a chance TO help the city and them
selves it had taken a vast amount OF
pulling sand hauling, and had il not
been for the tenaSty of Mr.. Mccoy.
the Finance Committee would have
given it up two days.
Mr.. Baer submitted letter from Mr..
Baker, Of the Stolzenbach Bakery Co.,
GAINESVILLE, detailing the way Merch
ants Day had been carried out there,
and saying It's cost had been almost
$4,000, but that it was money we'll In
vested. Eighty per cent. Of those in
vited had attended
Mr.. Kraft, from the Railroad Com
mittee, reported that one fare for the
round trip could be secured. GAINESVILLE
had secured rate of cent a mile. but
it appeared this could not be done here.
In Mr.. Kraft's opinion, if GAINESVILLE
used $4,000, Wheeling would probably
use $4,000.
Mr. Baer moved that the Railroad
Committee be instructed 10 make an
other effort to secure a rate of cent
a mile from the railroads. 1t was
adopted
In speaking a second time. Mr. Kraft
said he had been told there was an
obstacle in the Interstate Commerce
law to one cent rate taking in parts
of various States. AT GAINESVILLE, the
rate was wholly Within Ohio, while
here it would run into three States.
Mr.. Beans, from the Programme
Committee, reported tlAhis committee
would not be called uny the question
of finances had been thoroughly set
tied.
Mr.. Brady said he thought one CT the
first things to be done was 10 have lists
of invited guests made up, revised, and
ascertain with some exactness just how
many guests were TO be entertained.
Many out of town merchants bought
goods from half a dozen houses, and
the only way to get at the thing was to
have lists sent in, preferably TO a COM
mittee made up of gentlemen not ac-
tive business men. Let that committee
sift out all duplicate names and report
a bedrock basis on which figuring
could be done. He suggested and made
a motion, that w. G. Wilkinson be APP
pointed to prepare list Of guests.
made I'D from the various business
houses, and report at day certain.
This opened up a discussion, led by
Mr.. Brock, who suggested that there
should be a pro rata assignment or
the guests among the subscribers, at
the rate Of, say, one name TO each 80
subscribed. Mr.. Brock thought that
three thousand business men bought
goods from the jobbers OF Wheeling,
and he thought about 20 or 25 per cent
of these would attend. In his esti-
nation, not over six hundred people
would attend, and If six hundred people
did attend, it would be a God-send to
Wheeling and her business men.
The discussion continued for quite a
long time, and during it Mr.. George
Hook was appealed TO to know what
luck he had experienced in getting peo-
pie to the city. He said for seventeen
years he had been trying TO get people
TO come to Wheeling. and usually spent
81. 700 or $500 at it. He thought the
business men were trying to do a great
deal with little money, and suggested
Fair week as the best time for Mer-
chants day this year, and next year
have il early-say in May. Proceeding
to answer the question particularly
proposed to him, Mr. Hook said he an
nually sent out $4,000 to 10000 per-
sonal invitations. and as far as he could
Judge. the responses were from $500
to 1920 on the B. G. o., Pennsylvania.
and Wheeling & Lake Erie roads. These
people, Of course, paid their own fare
In answer to a question by Mr.. Nc
Gov. MIR. Hook further elucidated his
idea of having the Merchants day dur
ing Fair week, saying that the mer-
chants could have their guests in the
morning and entertain them on the
Fair grounds in the afternoon.
Mr.. Baer opposed the State Fair
idea. and the question was on Mr..
Brady's motion to employ Mr.. Wilkin-
son to secure and revise lists Of ex-
pected guests.
This was so changed as TO omit the
employment clause. and the resolution
was adopted.
Mr.. Paul o. Reymann. having been
called upon, said the firm he repre-
scented was deeply interested In the
State Fair Association, and thought
that association had been instrumental
in bringing many business men 10
Wheeling. and did this without much
help from local business men. Once
or twice. a merchants purse for horse
races had been suggested. and had
failed. The Fair Association proposed
10 continue right along doing good in
this way. and the speaker felt. as a
matter Of course. very much like aid
ing the proposition 10 have Merchants
day during Fair week; at the game
time he would fall in with any plan
which might be adopted. Mr.. Rey-