Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-07-30

COmmerCS-Tn6A Attendance was
Not Large, Owing to a Variety
Of Causes, But There Was Much
Earnestness of .Purpose-Com-
mittees Appointed, After a Long
Discussion = An Adjournment
Until Next Tuesday Evening.
The first meeting of business men,
in response to the call to consider and
formulate plans for merchants Day, y
was held at the rooms of the Chamber
of Commerce, last evening, and was at
tended by a considerable number of
wide-awake gentlemen who have the
interests and business advancement OF
the city at heart. The result was a full
discussion Of the subject in hand, and
the appointment of committees TO take
up details. The meeting adjourned IN
til Tuesday evening. when the Finance
Committee is expected to make a re-
port. Future action VII rest upon the
showing then made by the gentlemen in
charge of the subscriptions, and they
are expected to do their utmost in the
time allotted them.
Last evenings meeting was called to
order soon after eight o'clock and Mr..
Hullihen Quarter, President Of the
Chamber of Commerce, was called to
the chair. Mr.. l.. E. Sands was made
secretary. Mr.. Quarter at once stated
the object of the meeting, reciting the
great benefits as well as pleasure which
would result from a social reunion Of
the business men Of this city and their
customers in the various towns of Penn
sylvania. Ohio and West Virginia, trib-
utary to Wheeling, and expressing the
hope that a plan of so much merit AID
seeming feasibility would be perfected
and carried out. He regretted that
there was not a larger attendance OF
business men, but was sure that this
did not arise from any lack Of interest
in the enterprise.
Chairman Quarter was followed by
Mr.. Frank e. Mccoy, who enlarged
upon the idea and its merits at consid-
cradle length and gave some general
information as TO the scope of the pro-
1ect, the probable amount of money il-
volved, and what was expected to re-
suit.
A general discussion of the natter
then ensued, participated in by Messrs.
Henry Baer, Samuel Kraft, Chairman
Quarter, Mr. Mccoy, James E. Lam
caster, F. G. Caldwell. and a number
of others, and this interchange Of
thought and opinion, and discussion Of
ways and means was very interesting,
and showed a sincere enthusiasm for
the plan and an appreciation Of its
benefits. In a general manner, the
ideas of those who addressed the
meeting embraced an invitation to the
retail customers of Wheeling business
houses in the three States to come TO
Wheeling at the expense Of the Wheel
ing business men, and that they be
here entertained with an outing at the
Parks, excursions, trips throughout
the city and surrounding towns, visits
to industries, etc, the entertainment
to be limited to one day, but railroad
tickets to be good for five days, that
the guests of the merchants might re-
main over one or more days, as they
might individually desire There was
good deal of speculation as to the
number of people to be thus brought
here, and although the views OF the
gentlemen were rather wide apart as
10 the number of invitations to be sent
out, it was pretty generally agreed
that something in the neighborhood
of FIVE hundred responses could be de-
pended upon, and that that number
would have to be entertained Some
figuring as to the cost of all this was
done. and it was agreed, also in a
rough and general way, that mimi
mum of three thousand dollars would
be necessary, at least half of which
would go for railroad fares, leaving
the other half for the expenses Of the
entertainment.
This was about as close as the mat
ter could be figured down, last even
ing. and upon that basis the follow
ing committees were appointed to take
charge of details:
On Subscriptions-Mes Frank e..
Mccoy, Henry Baer and l.. A. Lai-
lance
On Transportation Involving ar
rangements with railroads for reduced
fares) -Messrs Samuel Kraft, George
w. Lutz and William dillingham;.
On Entertainment Involving formu-
lating of programme)-Messrs. w. c.
Beans. Paul o. Reymann, Frank G..
Caldwell, ]. C. Brady, E. B. Franz
helm and w. B. McMechen.
The Finance Committee. as above
stated. is to report Tuesday evening,
and the work of the Entertainment
Committee will largely depend upon
the success of the subscriptions. Gen
orally. however, the programme will
involve visits to the parks, with unch-
con, free transportation on the street
cars at the expense of the local bust
ness men, visits to certain industries,
q railroad trip over the Terminal, G.
& p. to Bellaire, across the b. & o..
bridge to Benwood, and back up town,
TO give visitors an idea Of the lay of
the land and the extent and activity
of the community in manufacturing
sense. and perhaps an afternoon or
evening steamboat trip up or down the
river. for such as may care fof- the
novelty of a short water trip. with
music and luncheon. Other features
.,r - -,,~,oaetod xvhan tho Commit