Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1899-09-20

The president OF the club is to
certain extent its exponent. its mouth
piece, and l should feel that l had been
neglectful at the last were l to fail to
| notice Mr.. McHugh's renewed hospi-
tally. When the club was organized
and he was heartily chosen as its first
| honorary member, j. F. Lardner, the
manager of the Tri City Railway COM
p2ny, being the second and at the
same time, in recognition of another
unusual courtesy, the product of good
Fellowship. Mr.. McHugh invited his
associates to hold their annual meet
| ings at the Watch Tower Inn every
recurring September as long as he re-
| tanned its management. Shenstone
wrote, mayhap with a diamond on
pane of glass, in the window of an
English hostelry:
..whoe'er has travelled life's dull round.
where'er his stages may have been,
May sigh to think he st Il has found
His varmest welcome at an inn.
Such sigh could only be prompt
ed by the thought that pecuniary con-
sideration outweighed affection in in
citing cordiality. We have no sigh
coming in this connection, for our
welcome is not of the paid-for kind
it is spontaneous, hearty and unset
fish. Mr.. McHugh is royal landlord,
and well deserves the pledge which
in other lands is first given to roy
atty.
"Gentlemen, 1 propose the health of
Charles McHugh.'
Every member seated about the
board responded, rising and proposing
health to the host.
Clubs First Year.
J. H. McKeever, the secretary and
treasurer, then made his report, show
ing that the club in its first year had
grown from a mem bership of Is to As.
Meetings had been held without in
| terruptiOn from the gathering at the
Tower year ago, when the organiza-
ton was formed, until May, when a
suspension was agreed on during the
summer months.
All bills had been paid and there
was balance in the treasury of $34.
The election of officers followed and
| resulted:
President-J. f. Calkins, Daven-
port.
Vice Presidents S. McGlynn, Mo-
line; H. p. Simpson, Rock Island.
OecreIfTy -1redSuFef-J. IL. Mchee-
yer, Moline.
Directors-J. j. La Velle, Rock ISL
and; Edward Collins, Davenport; My
ron Jordan, Moline.
The rules were suspended and the
following gentlemen were elected to
mem bership by reclamation, increas-
ing the roll to so names: G. d. Rel
mers, p. E. Faust and w. F. Shallen-
berger, Davenport Times: Gustav
Donald, Rock Island Volks-Zeitung;
Alex Anderson, Davenport Democrat;
A. f. Bodine, Moline Mail; Phil Ken
nedv, Moline Journal.
New President Takes Chair.
On taking the chair Mr.. Calkins,
the new president, heartily thanked
his fellow workers for the honor be-
slowed upon him. He had not sought
the office, but his newspaper expe-
rience had taught him to never
refuse an assignment. He re-
garded such banquet as pro-
vided by Mr.. McHugh a strong
expression of good will toward the
fraternity. He spoke of the good in
bringing the three cities into closer
union that could be accomplished by
the press club. The three cities con-
stituted one community, he said, and
the people should be educated to the
belief more than they are, and made
to understand that what is gain to
one is an advantage to all.
Gustav Donald responded to the
call of the president and delivered a
happy speech, in the course of which |
he grew reminiscent, recalling scenes
and conditions of 20 years ago, and |
speaking of the wonderful transfer |
nation that had taken place, the ex-
cellent system of tri-city railway |
communication and activity at Rock |
Island arsenal having done much to
concentrate the relations of the three |
communities, where there were now
living in the neigh borhood of one
hundred thousand people-the me-
tropolis of the central Mississippi val |
ley, Mr.. Donald said. What benefited |
one city helped the other.
Others Speak.
There We're also remarks bv P. S.
McGlynh, H. P. Simpson, j. j.
La Velle. Alex Anderson, Edward |
Collins, w. F. Eastman and Charles |
McHugh, the latter taking occasion to |
announce that it was his last year as |
manager of the Watch Tower. But |
he said his invitation to the press |
club 10 hold it's annual meeting s as
his guest remained in force. He said |
he had hotel in the city, where he
would be pleased to welcome the boys |
at the festive board in September, 1900,
and each succeeding year as long as
he was manager of the hosiery. Mr.. |
McHugh considered it pleasure to
entertain the newspaper people. |
Every business man in the three |
cities was indebted to them, for |
they did more gratuitously for the up
building of a community and its peo-
pie than any other class. He for one |
wanted to encourage their enterprise |