Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1898-05-05
Twin City Business Association.

Twin City Business Association.
The annual meeting Of the Business
Mems association of Grand Rapids and
Centralia occurred at their rooms in
the DAILY block, Friday evening, april
%, when the following officers were
elected for the ensuing year:
President-E. P. Arpin.
Vice President-Chas. Briert.
Secretary-C. +. Kellogg.
Treasurer-A. N. Muir.
Board of Directors-The president,
secretary and treasurer and Messrs.
T. J. Cooper and +. Roenius.
That the business organization has
been a potent factor for progressive
ness in the twin cities, and that it's
accomplishments have been worthy of
its existence during the past year has
been evident all along. The detailed
report Of Secretary Arpin is of particu-
lar interest in this respect and was
given as follows:
SECRETARY S REPORT
Your secretary respectfully submits
TO you a brief report at the end of our
uTst year = DuS!llPSS.
Since this association was organized
on A pril 8, 1897, we have had meeting
each month, with the exception of the
month of February.
While there is no great work that has
presented itself, by our efforts we have
accomplished the following work;
The organization of the Business
Mems ASSOCIATION with 1873 members, is
of itself a success in bringing together
people of the twin cities IN closer rela-
tlOns, and its good results are being seen
daily in the business life of the people
of the two cities.
We have succeeded in organizing
under an excellent plan the Twin City
Electric Light company, which is ready
to proceed to the erection of plant as
soon as the dispute now pending as to
wafer power is settled.
We have secured the erection of a
new depot by the G. NJ. 4 st. ?. r. r.
company at Centralia. While the depot
was not as good as we hoped to secure,
1t Is great Improvement.
The agitation of the subject of cons0l-
idatlOn of the twin cities 10y calling the
attention of the councils and the sue
cessful meeting held n. Centrala in
POmainvlIle's hall for the discussion of
we can now look before Us for encour-
aging prospects and the consummalion
of our hopes. II is believed that the
city councils of the two citi are in
favor Of allowing the question 10 be
submitted to the people, AMI all that is
necessary is for the public spirited citi
zenS of both places to take the matter
In hand and push 1t to Il successful
issue
The present number enrolled is I31,
there having been added six new mem
bers, and two have resigned.
The secretary subscribed to the
United Press News Bureau and to the
Rockford Furniture Journal. with the
idea of securing names Of industries
looking for new locations There has
been an extended correspondence.
started wllh different parties, but owing
to the unsettled state nf uur wat ~
power, the inability to make any d. f.
mite offers, etc. it has been almost inn
possible to make any propositions 10 in
dustries wishing 10 locate here.
| would here make a suggestion that
we organize a separate department of
the Business Mems association to be
known as the Advancement association,
which would be able to secure options
and purchase tracts of land in either
city SO as to be able to offer locations at
any time for industries that might desire
locations.
The following topics have been taken
up and discussed by the associations:
L. Should our cities grant bonus
for the location of new indust ries?
2. Resolved-That it would not be to
the benefit of the city of Centralia to
unite with the city of Grand Rapids as
one municipality.
3. That Mutual Home Insurance
COMPANY would be of great benefit to
the cities Of Grand Rapids and Cen
tralia
At critical time, when the Twin CITY
Telephone company was threatened by
the unjust attempt Of the Wisconsin
Bell Telephone company to throttle
them, this association came out boldly
and gave its moral support which aided
greatly in the ultimate success of the
telephone company securing the entire
field for themselves. This, of itself,
shows the strength of our organization
and the public-spirited feeling it has
engendered.
| Your secretary would respectfully
thank all the members for the co-Opera-
ton extended him in the performance
of his duties, aud would remind the
members that he thinks that in order
to maintain the best public interest in
the association, that change of officers
should, as often as convenient, be made,
and divide up the work and honors
among the members thereof as much
as possible. He therefore requests that
you will elect someone else in his stead
as secretary for the ensuing year
| Respectfully submitted,
E. P. ARPIN, Sec'y.