The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-01-02

which is given a great deal of attention.
Kansas City has competitors on all SIDES,
and it is always looking out TO protect
It's field against the encroachments OF 81
Louis. Chicago, Omaha and other 1op-
hing centers Every effort is made 70
keep the various towns interested IN
Kansas City.
zone feature which the jobbers say IS
of the utmost Importance to them is the
custom Of an excursion once or twice
year TO some part o. the country supplled
by Kansas City \ special train IS cnar-
tered. c0tlpOSed of sleepers( a dlnlng-car
and other accommodations, and trip
is taken, for example, through northern
Kansas.
.'The train will leave Monday and will
be gone all the week. Customers are no
tilted in advance Of the arrival of the
train, so that in case the stop az any
place is short, they viii nave an Jppor-
tunity to come to the train. Business
men say that this opportunity TO know
their trade and to see exactly how their
customers are situated IS invaluable to
them.
Trips Of Business Men.
AS an instance of how they utilize
these trips. ! have seen the head of a
big io0bing house visit a grocery store
which bought goods of him, greet the
customer, size up his store, and the sur
roundings. inquire if the man owned his
own home. and get accurate information
about his STANDING learning directly IL
a short time things that otherwise he
hight never have known
Entertainment IS another important
feature of the work of the club. Suppose
the Missouri State Press association or
some other influential organization is to
hold a meeting The Commercial club
invites il to Kansas City and entertains
it a a banquet. If a distinguished man
is coming to town, the Commercial club
gives a dinner in his honor. Every year
a banquet is given in honor of John Jay
and the John jay treaty. The object 81
all these things is to keep the people
talking about Kansas City.
Watch the Railroads.
THE club also watches the rate situa-
1 ton TO prevent determinations in freight
! rates to the disadvantage of Kansas City.
/ The business men there support also a
| transportation bureau. which devotes It's
/ entire time 10 watching rates and pre-
venting determinations.
! Kansas City Is peculiarly situated IT
that respect. 1t comes into direct com
petition with several other jobbing cen
! tiers, and as it is on north and south and
! east and west lines, the chances are
| many for rates being put IT. discriminat-
| ing directly or indirectly against Kansas
/ City. A careful watch is kept on the
/ situation however, and any real or ap-
parent discrimination stirs up trouble
| and the trouble is kept up until the mat
THE Subject of local Improvements
! also receives a large amount OF atten
/ ton. The erection OF the Exposltlof
! building and its rebuilding after the nrt
/ in time for the national convention, Is
/ only one of the achievements of the
/ Commercial club. The club brought tbs
/ national Democratic convention TO kan
! sas City and provided meeting place.
System of Boulevards.
Kansas City has a splendid system Of
] boulevards and parks and for these 1t Il
/ largely indebted to the influence of th'
! Commercial club.
The social side of the club is praised
I by the members. They say 1t gives then
! an excellent opportunity to meet other.
! of the leading business men Of the tow
| End TO exchange ideas. The club hold!
! regular meetings every Monday evening
to discuss various subjects that come up
] and papers are usually read on topics
/ of interest. Men prominent in the bust
| ness world are asked to read papers, ant
much valuable information is gained il
! this way.
\ The club has handsome quarters in th'
! Board OF Trade building. The member
ship is now about 600. I believe. As
! remember ii, the membership fee IS 80
| and the dues s. a quarter. The banquet
| and excursion are paid for by subscriP
/ ton from those taking part
! Mr.. Derrah has been asked by a mum
| Der of business men and others how fal
! ne thought metnO0S OF the Kansas
City Commercial ub could be applied
to a similar org ton in Salt Lake.
Cou- % Good Work.
At think a Commercial club in Sal
\ Lake could accomplish practically tn,
same work. he said in reply to. such
question yesterday. There are som
differences in the field. For instance.
do not think the transportation question
needs much attention here, as there ar
| only two railroads. and discriminate
are not as likely as they are in Kansa