The Oskaloosa herald., 1905-05-18
LYMAN'S
ANNUAL REPORT
STATEMENT oF woRk DONE Nv
COMMERCIAL cLup.
MAKES A SPLENDID HowiSc
oskaloosa Now Has r~hlrty.HVe Fee.
tories, Employing 600 People
Industries Have Doubled
In Past Five Years,

SECRETARY ". w. Lyman maue a
splendid and comprehensive report
at the annual meeting OF the oska.
loosa Commercial club last evening,
showing that oskaloosa now has
thlrty.iye factories, employing 600
people. The industries OF the
city have doubled in the past I'VE
years, and the prospects for more
were never better. Much has been
accomplished by the Commercial
club during tho year and the sitting
process applied TO a number Of pros
poets and propositions. After recit
ing the minutes of the annual meet
ing one year ago Mr.. Lyman said;
"A detailed account Of the matters
brought before the board and dis
posed of by It is shown by the rec
ords of the secretary, which are al
ways open for inspection by the
members Of the club, and 1t will be
unnecessary to burden this meeting
with a detailed account.
Many Matters Considered.
THE board OF directors during the
year have held thirty-one meetings
with an average attendance OF eight
members. During these meetings
such matters as the following have
been disposed Of:
Arranging for the annual ban.
quet, which was held a year ago in
this Don
Inviting the G.. A. R.kto Oskaloosa
for their annual encampment, In
| vitation was not only extended to
them in writing but a representative
| of the club was sent TO Mason City
to present the claims of oskaloosa.
Investigating the Blair suspender
| factory Of Rockford, H., and arrang'
ing for its removal to oskaloosa.
Campaign for Membership.
Trying to provide a plan Tor rails
ing funds for the use Of the club.
1t was decided TO raise the amount
by subscription and the board OF d.
rectors spent much time In arranging
q list OF our citizens and fixing the
amount which should be asked Of
each. A number of committees were
appointed and the list divided among
them. Only a part of the commit
tees did the work assigned them.
Where the committee work was pro-
perly done the citizens responded
in a gratifying manner, but as a
number of the committees did not
work, only about one.half the citi.
Gems have been solicited. The sub.
scriptions obtained amounted TO over
$500, OF which 800 has been col.
lected and the balance now due will
generally be paid promptly when call.
de for. II has seemed unjust that only
a part Of our business men should
pay the expense Of supporting this
club and we have postponed as long
as possible collecting these pledges,
thinking that the balance Of the so.
Letting could be completed. .
Raising Funds for Club.
On the matter OF raising finds for
the maintenance Of tho rest room,
which matter was presented TO the
board OF directors, II was decided
that the expense was clearly one
which should be borne by Mahaska
county, and our directors arranged
with the board Of supervisors to
have IL paid for by them. We have
done what we could in aiding TO Sc.
cure legislation giving the interstate
commerce commission more effective
power In controlling rates and stop.
ping unjust discrimination. In this
we Joined with other commercial del
oRations, sending a delegate 70 the
Interstate Commerce Law conven.
tion 1t st. Louis. in telegraphing
and writing our congressman, Major
Lacey, and to our senators at Wash.
ington, urging them TO aid in secur'
ing the passage OF the legislation,
and we have Joined with other or.
g%anizations in sending Governor
Cummtns to Washington TO appear
in behalf Of the commercial bodies
Of Iowa before the Interstate Com.
merce committee OF the senate In an
argument for the enactment OF the
proper laws.
Various Invitations.
During the year an invitation has
been extended to numerou organi
cations to hold their conventions in
oskaloosa. Among those who have
accepted and to whose entertainment
the board OF directors have given
their aid was the State Epworth
League, the Southeastern Iowa Teach
ers' association and the coming en-.
campment Of the @. A. II.
ITO our various committees have
been referred the numerous matters
that have been disposed OF by them
without further action on the part
OF the board. This Is particularly
tho case with the Manufacturer
committee. A great amount of cor.
respondence i received each year
from parties who express themselves
as DESTROYS Of locating factories. and
who are seeking aid to a greater or
less extent. Many OF these are 30
well known and on the face of them
un annarenfIy unwnrthv NJ ofIr com