The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-12-04
INTEREST IS WEAK
Concerning Merchants Okla
homa Excursion.
VERY FEW TURNED OUT
To the Meeting Called for
Last Evening,

When Charles C. COIN called the
wholesale merchants ana manufacturers
TO order in the Commercial Club rooms
last night 1he appearance Of things was
not very &mipiring or encourag ing. There
was not a head Of single wholesale or
manufacturing FRI present except Peter
Getto of t35e BottlinE Works. and Sen
ator James ". Tapp. Mr.. Charles
Lawrence came IN later
The meeting was called to take action
with reference 10 the proposed visit of
wholesalers and manufacturers to their
customers of southwestern Kansas and
Oklahoma.
Mr. Cohn, upon taking the chair, ex-
pressed surprise and Disappointment at
the lack Of interest taken. He suggested
that II the gentlemen most interested in
the enterprise are not willing to attend
the meetings. the matter should be given
up entirely.
Mr. Naftzger desired TO know how
much the excursion would cost.
Mr.. Cohn thought it would cost not
less than s4.00e He then drew from his
pocket a bundle of manuscript and I'M
rolling it. said These are proposed
routes sent me by wholesale merchants
and manufacturers. They express ad-
verse opinions and some OF them differ
materially"
It was suggested by Mr.. Taylor that
a committee be appointed on route"
Secretary Nan. of the traffic bureau,
objected to this saying that a committee
on route had been working for three
weeks and he did not see what object
there could be IN going all over it again
Mr. Cohn said: 1.-THE merchants and
manufacturers could decide upon that to-
night, but they are not here. 1t seems
TO me that If they were interested in the
proposition they would come here"
The main thing" concluded Mr.. COhn,
sis TO raise the money"
Somebody saiG that he thought 100 men
would go at $40 each.
Mr. Conn suggested that the expense
could not be figured that way; that the
money should be raised by . graduated
assessment.
Mr.. Naftzgar said: y dent think 100
will go. Ny idea would be to appoint a
committee to see these people If they
don't come here and if they are inter-
ested in the proposition thy viii so"
Mr. COIN: That's what 1 want to see,
too: / would like to know If they are
Interested
Mr.. Naftzger: 1T seems not, N they
would be here"
The meeting was not very encouraging
until Senator Jim Tapp spoke lie en-
iivened matters and injected needed en-
thusiasm into the deliberations. He said
he was but a small manufacturer, but
he was ready 10 spend money TO make
The visit to Oklahoma a success. The
time is short and We ought to get to work.
A motion to appoint a committee of
eight to investigate the subject further
and report, was passed unanimously and
Mr. Cohn announced that he would ap-
point the committee today.
It was suggested that a stenographer
be hired to take down the opinions and
suggestions Of the wholesalers and man
ufacturers and if they did not show in
terest the whole matter would be drop
ped
"They must show interest" said Mr..
Cohn.
Mr.. Naftzger thought January too early
and suggested that the excursion might
be caugh. ir a blizzard.
Mr. Weeks. Of the Mccormick Har-
vester company said it was up TO" the
Wholesalers and manufacturers and il
they want this excursion they can have
il: If they do not want it. the matter
should be dropped.
II was reported 10 the meeting that Mr.
George Lehman. of the Lehman-Higgiu-
son Grocery company, had expressed an
opinion that January is too early for
such an excursion and Mr. Mann con-
firmed the report. He said that Mr. Leh-
man suggested that it ought not to take
place till late in February
At this point Mr.. Charles Smyth drop
ped in being asked for en- opinion, said
he would go and bear his proportion of
the expense.
The meeting then adjourned
Informally the matter was discussed in
groups after adjournment and it was the
general opinion that the excursion should
not be undertaken if it could not be made
one highly cTeditable to Wichita. One
man stated that such an excursion should
cost al least $1,000.