Omaha daily bee., 1899-05-12
TO ADVERTISE COUNCIL BLUFFS.
Subject is Considered by Merchants
md Mnnufnc iurers' AsKOcintiOn.


The principal subject brought up for dis
cussion at the regular monthly meeting of
the Merchants and Manufacturers associa
tion last night was the best method to be
adopted by the organization to properly ad-
vertise Council Bluffs. number of differ
ent plans were suggested, three especially
meeting with most favor by those of the
members present.
One plan suggested was for the business
men of the city to use short but de-
scriptive writeup of the city, showing its
advantages as a railroad and manufacturing
center, on the backs of their letterheads
and envelopes This it was stated, could
be done without any material expense to
the association and the cost of printing this
advertising matter would add but little to
the price of the stationery used by busi-
ness houses. This method of advertising,
it was claimed would probably be more
productive of results than any other
Another plan proposed was to have a
small folder printed, containing writeup of
the city and a map showing in promi-
nent manner Council Bluffs and the different
railroads running in and out of it. This
plan, it was stated, was most favored by
the large implement houses of the city, who
would in the course of their business cor
respondence distribute large numbers of
them all over the country. Some objection
to the plan, however, was made on behalf
OF the ordinary business men, who, it was
claimed, would find 1t too much trouble
every time he wrote a letter OF mailed a
bill to enclose one of the folders, the or
binary merchant not having the clerical
force employed in the large implement
houses.
A third plan that met with favor was
to have descriptive writeups of the city in
serted in the leading newspapers, but after
some discussion 1t was practically decided
that the plan would prove too expensive
for the association. In connection with this
plan Secretary Judson stated that he had
sent a / 900 word writeup of the city to one
of the leading Chicago papers and he had re-
ceved assurance that the same would be
published within the next two weeks. The
secretary also reported that several of the
railroads had agreed 10 give Council Bluffs
more or less free advertising space in their
folders and different publications.
After the question had been more or less
thoroughly discussed it was decided to post
pone action until the next regular meeting,
when a much larger attendance is looked
for and more general expression of opinion
can be obtained
A resolution was adopted authorizing the
consolidation of the committee on arbitra-
tion and legislation and on taxation, insur-
| ance and municipal affairs. At a meeting
held after the session of the association
Frank T. True was elected chairman OF the
consolidated committees.
The appointment of three delegates to
the Transmississippl congress, which meets
! in Wichita, Kan, May 81 to June 8, was
left with the president and secretary of
| the association. The general sentiment ex-
! pressed was that the association should be
| represented at the congress
| AS the last gathering round the banquet
board at the Grand hotel had been such a
success and brought together a large num-
| ber of representative business men of the
| city, II was decided to hold the next regu-
| lar monthly session of the association there,
| accompanied by spread.
| Secretary Judson made a report on the
project TO raise a fund for giving bonuses
| for sugar beet growing. He stated that
! $3.50 of the 5000 required had already been
subscribed and he did not anticipate any
difficulty in securing the balance. Since
| the announcement had been made that the
| association was prepared to give bonuses a
number Of farmers in the vicinity of the
city had notified Secretary Judson OF their
| intention to plant from ten TO twenty five
| acres in bsets this season.