The Portland daily press., 1899-01-02
COMMERCIAL TRAVELLERS.
Dined at the Falmouth Hotel Saturday
Night.

spccche. and Poems-A List Of Those
Present.
The 18th annual meeting OF the Maine
Commercial Travellers Association was
held in the Falmouth house, ON Saturday.
Of course the day was stormy, IL seems
that there is usually storm when this
ass citation holds its annual meeting and
banquet and the members Of the associ-
alton are becoming used to this pro-
gramme. But travelling men who journey
through the territory of this state In
winter time become accustomed to storms
and they have few terrors for them. For
this reason, perhaps, the attendance at
Saturdays meeting was all that could
be asked for.
In the afternoon the association held its
business meeting ut the Falmouth and
the following officers were chosen for
| the ensuing year:
President-J. Marshall Hobbs.
Vice .President-J. Putnam Stevens
Clerk aud Treasurer-W. W. Roberts
Directors-C. @. Blake, w. n. Camp.
bell, A. K. Benjamin, J. r. Lapham.
Irustoe--Georee Tenant
The clerk of the association, Mr.. W. w.
Roberts, was unable to attend the meet
ing owing TO his illness. but his report
was read and showed that the association
is in a most fiattering condition financial
ly. During the past year over $1,000 has
been paid out In sick benefits and the
membership has now reached the limit of
300.
In the evening occurred the banquet
which was served In the handsome din
ing hall of the Falmouth and was model
| to please the most fastidious epicure and
the courses was served in the inimitable
manner which is fast making the Fall
mouth under the new management fam
Gus throughout the state. The menu
card was very attractive and the floral
decorations. bon bon favors and charming
music of Callahan's orchestra all COM
bined to make the affair one Of tho pleas
ant,st the association has held. There
were many ladies present at this dinner
and the whole affair was most successful
socially as in every other way.
The following is list of those present:
+. ". Mcintosh. W. F. Campbell. II.
W. Clark, A. W. Menish, Seth 4. Clark,
Charles h Gage. John l.. Hyde, ]. F.
Lapham, +. b. Milliken. j. Marshal
Hobbs and wife, Rev. Edwin p. Wilson
and Mrs. Wilson, J. Putnam Stevens and
wife, James II. Davis end wife, X. II.
Jordan and wife, james NJ. Steadman
and wife. W. II. Norton and wife. T. J.
Haskell, Walter NJ. Jordan, p. IL. Perkins
and wife, G. Q. Blake and wife, Miss
Alice Mel Roberts, A. o. Goold. Mr.
q. W. Tenant and wife, G. X. Nelson
and wife, Frank L. Callahan, Chas. J.
Perkins and wife, ii. A. Mellon and
wife. II. I. Nelson and wife, Arthur II.
Magon and wife, G. +. Dunlap, G. G.
Thomas Miller, Jr., A. c. Bertch and
wife
The retiring president of the association.
Mr.. K. L. Saywood ofiiciated as toast
master and very oreditably did he acquit
himself. In introducing the several speak.
ers he had many witty and timely things
to say, and the post prandial exercises
were most enjoyable. In calling the as.
ISOLATION to order. MIR. Saywood spoke
most encouragingly of the good the
association is accomplishing. When or
ganized IS years ago 1t was intended that
1t should be merely a social organization,
but 1t has broadened out into bene.
fclal organization, sick benefits being
paid to its mbers. In the past year the
association has paid out over $ll00 in
sick benefits alone and has done an im-
mense amount Of good among the travel
ling men and their families One OF the
objects of the association Is TO draw closer
together the employer and the travelling
men. The one cannot do without the
other and both are coming to re lie the
good which results from better and
more friendly understanding between
the employer and the employed Then,
too, the association is obtaining conces-
sions from hotels and railroads and in
many ways 1t is making the pathway of
the commercial traveller smoother and
pleasanter.
The Rev. E. p. Wilson of Deering was
then called upon for n speech. He spoke
very entertainingly and during the course
of his remarks proved himself to be
raconteur of no mean ability.
J. Marshall Hobbs the newly elected
president, was called upon to speak. His
Introduction was greeted with great ap-
plause, proving that MIR. Hobbs is very
popular among the members of the asso.
citation. He said that he never made
speech in his life, though he had talked
a little in his day to his customers.
daughter To tell the truth. continued
Mr.. Hobbs, 81 am completely ratified at
this moment and could not make speech
to save my life.'' More lsughter.) IL
can only wish you all "a happy new year
aud express the hope that the association
win find 1t very prosperous one In every
way"
Then arose Mr.. j. Putnam Stevens.
Every one calls him Put" II Mr. Hobbs
can't make speech. MIR. Stevens certain
ly can. What he had to saw wa, very