St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1898-01-21
MERCHANTS ASSOCIATION.
A Very Successful Year,


association was held in the Board of
Trade rooms on Tuesday evening.
c. Fl. Bagley's report as treasurer
made a very satisfactory showing
Starting the year with $63.5S on hand
the net receipts were $10OS.5S. OF this
amount $786 was the ent, ance fee Of
So from 1913 new members and $159
was from dues. The expenses were
$831.26. Of this amount the secretary
received 1884 salary and the balance was
incurred in securing new members, post
age, printing and two years rent. The
treasurer reported cash balance on
hand OF $177.32.
Following is Secretary Bagley's report
in full
At the annual meeting of the Mer-
chants association, in January, 1897,
the following officers were elected: Pres,
L. M. Smythe; vice-president, David
Frechette; secretary and treasurer, c. H.
Bagley; auditors, F. A. Scott and George
Ranney.
During the year there have been held
twelve regular monthly meetings, all but
one being held in the Board of Trade
rooms, with an average attendance of16
At these meetings the secretary has made
reports of the work done. Three hun.
bred and thirty-four names have been
added on the black list and 80 names
have been removed. At the time of the
January meeting there were $50 mem
bers, confined to st. Johnsbury and Lynn
donville. During the year 393 have been
added, making total membership of
573 in SO cities, towns and villages, ex-
tending as lar north as Newport, as far
east as Lancaster, as far south as Boston
and as far west as Burlington. Our
membership is composed Of the best bust
ness men and largest firms within the
territory named. Most of the members
have been solicited by the secretary, who
visited their towns. In places where "a
collecting agency had never been it was
comparatively easy to obtain members,
but where they had been worked and
failed of their purpose the merchants
werein most cases shy oil joining another.
But almost without exception the prac-
teal proofs of the benefits of our associa-
ton, above those Of any other of its
kind, have induced these merchants to
Join it. AS the result OF the No. 2 letters
sent for 269 members, $2123 80 has
been collected, making an average Of
1874 for each OF these members. The
largest total collection for any one was
$12956.
A few testimonials from the members
may not be out of place; One writes,
after receiving a check for $40, Nothing
but our association would ever have
brought him to time" Another says,
Praise God, from whom all blessings
flow. Also praise to the Merchants
association"
"Mr. Blank called today and paid his
bill in full $3.50. This bill never ex-
pected to get" writes one.
Another says, "Mr. Blank has paid me
SLIP. Small, but just like finding that
amount in the street."
"Mr. Blank has settled his account in
full. Let the good work go on"
Received payment in full from B. of
Salem, Mass. We regarded this as a
hopeless case"
"Wonderiul times are at hand. Miss
Blank has paid her bill in full, $685..
"Mr. S. has settled his account in tull.
Once more the Merchants association
has done some good work for us. as we
never expected to get this account"
In closing. l wish to say that l am
grateful Tor the kind attention given me
as the representative of this association
by those whose membership l have
solicited, and also for the many courte.
sizes extended by the members of the
association, all of which report respect
fully submit to you.
Mr.. Bagley's report was followed by
the election of officers, resulting in the
choice of the old board as follows:
President, L. N. Smyth.
Vice-president. D. Frechette.
Secretary-Treasurer, c. H. Bagley.
Auditors, F. A. Scott, George Ranney
The total membership of the associa-
ton is 573, from SO towns aud villages.
The success Of the organization is almost
wholly due to the untring zeal Of the
secretary, who has in many instances
some very disagree able work to perform
University of Vermont Notes. The
'Glee, Banjo and Mandolin clubs returned
Sunday morning and report very sue
cesslul trip. They left again Tuesday and