Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1905-11-30
A MERCHANTS FESTIVAL
One Of the Projects Discussed hy thu
committee on Organization nad
PInn Of Opcrntions-'rhc COm.
mittce Hope 20 Complete
Their Work This Week.

tion oi chamber OF commerce or board
OF trade occurred at the gathering Of
busliiess men in tho Y. NJ. e.. A.. rooms
Iucsday evening when aConlmittce was ap.
pointed to draft bylaws and nominate
permanent officers for the organization,
Inc meeting vas large and an en-.
thusisatic one and no doubt was express.
ed as to the necessity and usefulness Of
organized effort on the, part Of the bus.
ness men. The keynote OF the nectaA
was the frequent expression OF the need
OF havinG paid secretary for the or,
ga nisation.
Inc meeting was called to order snort.
iy after 7:2o o'clock by w. l.. Greene.
who read the call which had been signed
or a score or the leading wholesale bust.
ness men of tho city as already an
nounced. w. J. Van Pattcn was elected
chairman and NJ. D. McMahon. secrotary
OF the meeting
Rehlarks were made BY !. T., South.
wick. w. T." Mccormick. q. NJ. C;nnde,-.
Prof. e.. W. Mxter. G. p. Smith. Mayo,
Burke. A. o. Ferguson, W. j. Van pat,,r
and NJ. S. Villas.
COMMITTEE APPOINTED
W. l.. Mccormick moved that coln-
thitt"e consisting of j. j.. Southwick. G..
J.. smith, w. +. Hall w r. Grccne.
Mayor BURKE and W. j. Van Patten bs
eIec'ed to draft bylaws. nominat. Of
i''erS ana report al Il subsequent meet
ing to he held not later than .Jan,arv
''"". rms motion was amended bv add.
ing tho name of Mr.. McCor,,icI, To tho
'''.'''''t'cc and was Unanimously car
ried.
PRELIMINARY MEETING OF TIE
COMMITTEE.
Inc members of tho committee II ss,,
Southwick Smith. Mccormick. tI,1i
Greene. burke and Van Patten and soc,,.
tafN McMahon met immediately after tn.
adjournment of the citizens meeting ,rh.
various lines Of operation were suggested
and discussed and it at .ncc bccu,,,c .v,
dent that the question of hiring - so,r,-
'arE would hinge upon the financial hasis
OF the membership t. b. adoptcI M,ifa
dciinit" decision in the matter WAS no,
reached the prevailing sentiment seemed
10 be thai there might be three grades nf
memberships The first to include whnl,-
sal" and jobbing houses tho second in
ihciude retail merchants and tho third
professional mon and others not inclu,lcd
IN inc iirst two. 1t was suggested that
the standard membership fees he S. 10,
hrst class. SO for second class and 3, il,
th'rd class. Before deciding on this iinan.
cial basis OF membership the committee,
Will endeavor to canvass the matte, thor
oughly.
MERCHANTS FESTIVAL.
Various matters which might propcrlv
engage tho attention and service OF a board
f,t rad
and one of the projects considered wax
the holding of holiday merchants fest.
val early in December to extend over Two
or three days. as might seem best. If
sufficient number Of merchants are favor.
ably impressed with the idea an attemp,
will! be made to secure special attraction
dt the opera house and elsewhere. Mer.
chants would offer inducements for resi-.
dents of neghboring towns to visit bur.
lngton during the festival and the sug
gestion was made that the festival might
end with IA business mems banquet AZ
which some prominent specialists; in tn.
lines Of promotion and municipal growth
might be engaged as the principal peAkcr.
One merchant thought that the fore part
OF the second week in December would ia
an excellent time TO hold this festival. Ie
board Of trade would endcavor to secure
special rates on the railroads and noNis
from neighboring towns. largo num-
Der Of people would thus be induced 10
come to Burlington 1T that time.
TO MAKE EARLY RE-
PORT.
In order to prepare the way for ANY
PROJECT like this merchants festival. the
work of organization was mapped out and
assigned to the various members OF tho
committee and the COMMITTEES adjourned
until next Friday evening at 80 O'Clock
when they hope Ia announce their rcadi-
ness to report at an carly IA ic as 70 the
plans or organization and method ot
operation,
lf the merchants as whole should not
favor q holiday festival carly in peccn-
bcr, the board could institute IL mcr-
chants week To b. held carly next season.
4 strong sentiment. however. Was oy-
pressed in favor OF the project which
would give merchants large holiday
trade early in December and thus helr TO
avoid the usual crush II fcw days be fore
Christmas.
PLACED UNDER ARREST.