Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-09-03
MarshalItown Retail Merchants
Decide to Hold Series OF
Fall Festivals
SUCCESS is ALREADY ASSURED
Fifty Per Cent Of Number Present Sub
scribe to the scheme-Attractions
Will Bring Large Crowds to the City
From Every Direction-The Ad-
dresses. W a

| The banquet OF the Marshalltown
retail merchants, held at the Pilgrim
Wednesday night for the purpose OF
talking over plans suggested by COM
mittee whereby crowds could be turned
| toward Marshalltown was success III
every particular. All who purchased
| tickets We're not present, owing to other
| sat down to an elegant spread, served
| in the Pilgrim dining room beginning
at $3.50 The sight was beautiful ole
to behold, when Dr. e. b. Jones invoked
the divine blessing. The large dining
room was filled with long tables. Gov
cred with snowy linen and adorned
with bits of green. SmilaN, asparagus
plumosis and palms We're used in the
decorations, and on each chandelier W Is
in nine courses. and the service couisl
not have been improved lasted until
1870, and another hour was consumed
with brief talks and suggestions on the
part of those present. The Marshall
town harp orchestra furnished the
evenings music
While those seated about the tables
were enjoying their cigars Chairman
l.. C. Abbott called the assembly u
order to explain the object of the GATH
ering Mr. Abbott referred to the meet
ngs of smaller number OF the mer
chants, held during the past few weeks
at which had been discussed ways AMI
means for concerted action in stirring
up things in Marshalltown. He called
upon Mr. w. H. Burrows to report the
work of the previous committees.
Mr.. Burrows gave to those present
the plans as heretofore outlined in
these columns. A rest room had been
suggested. to be located centrally.
where out-of town shoppers could as
semble when in the city and make l.
their headquarters. The Humlong
property on North Center street; Ma
sonic property on South First avenue;
the room on South Center Immediately
south OF the T.-R.; or the apartments
formerly occupied as a public library,
on Main street, were available. The
committee had decided that it would
cost between $1,000 and $4,000 to prop
erly maintain the rest room for a
year.
The refunding Of railroad fare hal
also been suggested. but for the most
part had been discouraged by the mer-
chants. The other proposition, and ths
one most favored generally. was to
hold series of fall festivals, three
anti ,,f
such a nature that the people would
visit the city. He thought that with
the proper kind Of attractions excur-
sions could be run on all the railroads,
the same as for Fourth of July cele-
bration.
Mr.. Abbott then called for some for
NAL motion on one or another OF the
propositions, as outlined by the COM
mittee, which resulted in MIR. o. l..
Ingledue presenting resolution call
ing for the merchants and business
men OF Marshalltown to unite In COR
Quoting a series of fall festivals, three
in number, and that the chair appoint
a special committee of five on ar
engagements The resolution also COW
cred an agreement. to be signed by tha
merchants, pledging IS to the fund for
each festival or total of SIS. Mr.. e.
r. Lay seconded the resolution. after
which it was opened for discussion.
Mr.. b. W. Sinclair spoke on the
proposition, and considered it by far
the best that had been presented by the
committee. Mr.. Sinclair thought that
the giving of series of attractions by
the business men would advertise Mar
shalltown as it could be done in no.
other way. While merchants who paid
for it might not realize on their invest
Immediately, they would be
benefited IN the end, because of the adj
vertisement that the city would gain.
Mr.. Sinclair rather aroused the spirit
of his fellows when he told of what
Waterloo manufacturers had done at
the state fair. Those men had en-
ployed the Minnesota state band at d
cost of $1,000, had rented a mammoth
tent, chartered special train, handed
out neat booklet descriptive of Wa
terloo and were prepared to entertain
their customers at dinner on the
grounds all OF which must have cost
SO, 900 or more and it was done to adj
vertise Waterloo.
The resolution was then placed be-
fore the meeting, and was unanimously
there not being one dissenting
vote. The papers, which were circu-
lated at once among the merchants
contained the signatures of fifty seven,
or nearly fifty per cent of those pres
ent. With the addition of those who
were not present at the meeting, butt
who are ready to sign upon presenta-
tion the success of the fall festival en-
terprise Is already assured.
A Chautauqua Scheme.
DR.. Jones was then introduced tol
talk upon chautauqua scheme. DR..
Jones is a successful chautauqua work
er and is much interested in the pro-
motion of one here, having already
been employed several times as plat
form manager of successful chautau
quas. He thinks that a chautauqua|
can be successfully operated here next
summer. Dr. Jones will have his plans
early next spring, when a |
more tangible proposition will be pre-
sented. Two or three sites are already
under consideration. DR.. Jones intends
to secure speakers of national reputa-
ton, and have the sale of 1000 tickets,
at 50 each, pledged in advance. This
will guarantee the expense of
advertised, and Dr. Jones is
confident thaat the affair will be highly
successful.
The Zone Hundred" Club.
Mr.. c. H. e. Boardman then talked
upon the zone Hundred" Club, which
has also been outlined before. This is |