The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-02-18
The Early Organizations.

years.
The Early Organizations.
The Business Mems Association Of
East Minneapolis and the University
Business Mems association were the
forerunners of the present organization
and had already shown the men of the
East Side what such an organization
! could accomplish. This fact alone
aided the founders of the club materi.
ally in starting their venture, for if so
much could be brought about by these
two comparatively small organizations,
what could not a great central club of
half thousand members accomplish?
| They had been instrumental in the
paving Of University avenue Sc, Fifth
street, Seventh street, Fourteenth ave-
nue. Sc, Central avenue NE and Mar
shall street.
With this in mind, those interested
at once set about the formation Of the
club. AS they had agreed among them
selves that no money should be spent
before 800 names could be secured and
$4,000 deposited in the bank, the first
difficulty was to obtain members. It
was three months Of hard work with
many meetings and systematic can
wasting that brought about the result.
Fred Bohmbach generously donated
the use of his carriages that the COM
mittees might the more quickly visit
factories and offices to interest East
Siders in the project.
Once this canvass had been COM
pleted and the membership secured, the
important question was to obtain and
equip suite Of clubrooms that would
do credit to the residents of East Min
neapolis. Many suggestions were con,
sidered, but it was soon realized that
the only feasible one was to lay the
whole matter plainly before the people
and ask for moderate donations. This
was agreed upon and successfully ac-
complished thru the efforts Of q few
enthusiastic men. e>.-v ss%s
The club location was next to be
decided. Again discussion ran high.
Finally the offer Of the Chute Realty
company to lease the second floor Of
9O5 Central avenue was accepted and
the company donated to the new organ
ization the first month g rent. Then
the actual building Of the St. Anthony
Commercial club began. -.
Rooms Are Furnished. i.
} L. A. McIvor was asked to under.
take the decorating and furnishing of
l the rooms and willingly gave his time
, and thought to the club without charge
All the lumber needed in the work
was cheerfully donated by J. F. Wilcox
2 Aaron Carlson, Waterman-Hunter com
pany, H. s. johnson, G.. A. Smith, J. F
r Macdonald, August Cederstrand an6
Nelson-Tuthill company. T..
I To fit out a suitable kitchen was
the next question, and again. business
+ men responded to the call. The Min
neapolis Gas company donated a large
Garland range, the Lane Hardware
! company one of their best Peninsula
: ranges, b.. B. Berg fine stock kettle
!. and Thompson & Wilson at cost pric!
s furnished a steam table, a steam cab
s met and a coffee urn, besides donating
I $75 worth Of tinware. The Whit
3 Enamel Refrigerator company Of ST
!. Paul cut 500 off the price Of one o
5 their best club refrigerators.
The fittings for the billiard room ha
!. next to be secured. J. c. Witte Of
!. fered to donate his commission Of SIS
s on the billiard and pool furniture re
!. quired. This was promptly accepted
: 70 light the, clubrooms properly wa
3 found to be a very expensive one, an
=. W. H. Levings Of the Minneapolis Ga
): company was consulted. On learnin
s the conditions under which promoter
. were working, he agreed to install a
s the fixtures without cost and to erec
) decorative lamp post at the club Ell
S trance This donation amounted t
3 about $1,000. ....--
= s..t 49, 49,. gs-s.
) Furniture Is Donated.
! With the igthing question thus SUI
s cessfully settled the committee busie
s itself in securing furniture to equip tn
8 entire suite of rooms. All the mani
i facturers of furniture in East Mimi
= apolis were called together by j.