The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1903-12-18
COMMERCIAL COMMITTEE SUB.
MlTs ANNUAL REPORT.
WAS FRUITFUL OF RESULTS
City Well Advertised and Much Done
Looking to Future Benefits-No
Longer an Experiment.

In accordance with the provisions
of the bylaws of the Billings club,
Henry White, secretary of the Com
mercial committee OF the club, has
completed his report of the more inn
portant features of the committees S
work for the year that ended Decem-
ber A.
Thirty-six meetings OF the commit
tee were held during the period cov-
cred by the report, while some Of it's
subcommittee met even oftener.
They also transacted much business
aside from that which came up at
the different meetings.
Reference is had in the report to
the continued gratifying evidence at
forded in many ways of the city's
growth and prosperity. While the
official census of 1900 accorded Bill
ings population OF 1920, the di-
rectory of 1903 contains 2,142 names.
After making the necessary deduc-
tions for corporations and nrms and
multiplying the remainder by two and
one-half, the universally accepted meth
cd of determining the proper number
to be added for women and children,
not included in the directory, 5,355
remains as the number representing
the city's population. '"The further
fact that this figure is in keeping
with the school enrolment con-
tinues the report, "leads to the belieI
that this estimate approximates very
nearly the actual population. Anoth.
er indication of this growth is evil
denced in the fact that residences
and apartments in all parts of the
city are fully occupied, and that many
railroad and travelling men, who coula
most conveniently make this their
headquarters, are prevented from do
ing so by the scarcity OF suitable ac-
commodations for their families
Pace Is Even.
Attention is next Gained to the fact
that the increase in population has
kept pace with the business growth
of the city. The clearings OIL the four
banking institutions will aggregate
more than $5O0O.OOO for the past year,
while the total receipts of the post
Office for the same period, good in
dex of the commercial Importance
of city, amounted to over $3.50, 900.
I That healthy business conditions oD-
tain, the report continues, is maze
apparent in the many improvements
and extensions that have been made
in the mercantile houses. Numerous
new business buildings have been
OF construction or projected. In no
period in the city's history have there
been so few business failures or sus-
pensions. Another matter for con-
graduation, in the committees opin-
ion, is the total absence thus far OF
serious labor difficulties, such as
the larger cities of the state. This
happy fact has not been overlooked
by those seeking business openings
or investments.
Advertising.
"The numerous inquiries received
in regard to the city, its prospects
and business opportunities, prompted
your committee, early IN it's exist
ence," says the report, "to prepare a
booklet in which was compiled and
edited such statistical matter, facts
and figures as would in a general way
cover the ground of these inquiries,
and set forth in a conservative way
the many advantages of the city for
home-seekers and investors. This
was accomplished under the editor
ship of Mr.. j. d. Matheson, and turn
ed out on the presses of The Gazette.
Ten thousand copies of this booklet
were printed and distributed. Later
a contract was entered into with
Rand, McNally & Co. of Chicago for
two pages of matter in their railroad
guides, having an aggregate circula-
ton of 100000 copies.
"Your committee is pleased to re-
port that many of the inquiries re-
ceived by it are directly traceable to
either one or the other of these two
pieces .of advertising, and that in its