Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-02-10
REVIEW THE YEAR
Rock Island Retail Merchants
Association Transacts An
nuaI Business.
OFFICERS ELECTED, REPORTS HEARD
Stand Taken Against Patronizing
Both Old and New Telephone
Companies.


held the best meeting of the winter
last evening and considerable bust
ness of Importance was transacted.
\ number We're out on account of
the announcement that the Retail
| Clerks association would be repre-
scented by a committee that would
present a proposition for closing the
stores at 6 o'clock instead of at 80,
but the clerks were not present, and
though the matter was informally
discussed there was no action taken.
The annual election of officers was
| held. George Schneider, who has been
secretary since the organizing of the
association four years ago, declined
to be candidate for reelection, stat
ing that his business during the com
! ing year will be of nature that will
take him away from the city for n
great part of the time. f. b. Stone
was elected to succeed him. The only
other change was the election of +.
| r. Myers as member of the board of
trustees in place of Phil Wilcher.
The new corps of officers is as fol
| lows:
observation-disclosures II. Kingsbury.
Vice President-W. j. Hess.
Secretary-E. b. Stone.
Treasurer-E. Il. McKown.
Trustees for Two Years-LouiS
Kohn, Z. +. LaVelle. +. r. Myers.
President Makes Address
The annual address of the president
contained matters of interest. Mr..
Kingsbury spoke of the benefits that
have accrued to the city and the mer-
Il.
citation in the past year, mentioning
the bringing here, as a result of the
cooperation of the organization with
the Rock Island Club, the Standard
Table Oilcloth works and the Ere
mont Butter Tub company, and the
retention of the plant of the White
Buggy company. Then, in a brief
retrospective. he showed that the
population of the city has doubled in
the past - years and that the ma
terial interests have kept pace with
the growth in people. The eyes of
the eastern manufacturers, he said,
are directed this way, and even now
an important factory is seeking to
locate here if offered the proper en-
couragement. For this reason. Mr..
Kingsbury said, it is especially neces-
sary to maintain the associations
vigor to meet the larger responsible
ties that are devolving upon it.
The report of Ratingbook Secretary
L. J. Burns contained some pretty
large figures in relation to the new
rating book upon which he is engag
ed. The new book, which will be
ready for the printer in day or two,
Will contain ratings upon 1880 per-
sons, and the total number of ratings
will be $4,000. There will be $500
more names in it than the one now
in use. 1t will be exchanged with IA
other cities in the state that have the
same sort of book and this will give
the merchants access through Mr..
Burns Office to 100000 ratings.
Favor One Telephone
The matter of two telephones was
brought up for discussion and there
was a general Oppression of opinion
on the matter. Most of those present
agreed that the association should
endeavor to determine for the mem
bers which one of the companies now
in business in the city should receive
patronage, it being conceded that it
is useless to bear the expense of keep
ing two instruments. The matter was
finally placed in the hands of a com
mittee to meet with similar com
mittee from the Rock Island Club for
n thorough discussion. President
Kingsbury, upon being authorized to
do SO, named as the members of the
committee, T. f. LaVelIe, J. u. Mar
ron, ID. f. Buckley, Charles Oswald
and George l.. Schmidt.
The power to fix the date and make
all arrangements for the annual ban
quet, which the association previous
ly voted to hold in the near future,
was left with a committee composed
of DIR. r. NJ. Pearce. G. y. Mcdonald,
l.. c. Pfoh, +. T. Myers and DR.. +. NJ