Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1906-11-16
SPRINGFIELD MEN TALKED
VALUABLE ADVICE GIVEN BRAT
TLEBoRo BOARD OF TRADE.
Instructive Talks Given by President
Bowman and Secretary Drake Of
Springfield Board of Trade at Meet
ing of Local Organization Monday.

Fully 100 members of the BrattleboTo
board of trade attended the general
meeting Monday evening, when adj
dresses were made by President II. H.
Bowman and Secretary J. Frank Drake
of the Springfield board of trade. The
meeting was to have been held IN the
grange hall, but owing to the failure OF
the electric light service 1t was neces'
sarv to meet in the Brooks house dining
room. The speakers were introduced by
President C. 0. Robbins, who spoke of
the assistance which Messrs. Bowman
and Drake had given to the local board
when it was started.
President Bowman was the first
sneaker. and he outlined very clearly
the work that the Springfield organlza'
ton has done and is doing. At the out
set he emphasized the fact that the
work of board of trade does not lie
solely in securing new industries for a
town and warned the local organization
against doing too much for concerns
that want everything and will give
nothing. As illustrative of the breadth
of work which is being done in Spring
field he mentioned the prizes when
were offered by the board for the best
essay on the subject, lnternatlona'
Peace. written by member OF the pup
lie schools. and said that prizes were
now offered for essays on any supJecl
of interest to that city. Mr.. Bowman
smoke of the efforts that the Springfield
organization is making for an improve
ment of conditions Hat the Union station
as well as for other improvements III
the physical condition of the city, ana
alluded to the Connecticut river naviga'
ton project, which is being continually
affiliated, He said they were trying to
make the board of trade such a valua,
BILE institution that no active man could
feel as though he could afford to be out
side of it, All classes who have the IN
terests of the community at heart are
encouraged to become members, the only
requirement being a pledge that all
members will work for what the MAJOR
tv of the organization believes to be
| for the best interests of the city. After
speaking of the great interest that Is
taken in the work by the members OF
the different committees and or the gen
orally large attendance at all committee
meetings, Mr.. Bowman closed by saying
that a board of trade should be place
where all matters of civic pride and
municipal welfare can find opportunity
for free discussion.
Secretary Drake opened his remarks
bv short history of boards of trade III
general and then confined himself prin
eipallv to the work done by the differ
emf committees of the Springfield organ
ization. The transportation committee
he said. had accomplished much OF I'M
portance in regard to freight and pas
senger service, having been instr'l
mental in securing the New York ane
Montreal sleeper, and is now at worE
on the project of changing the railroad
facilities at the Union station. In re
GARD to the work of the committee Oh
mercantile affairs he said it had sue
ceeded in securing practically unani
nous agreement in regard to the uai
form closing of stores on holidays. III
mentioned other work that this commit
fee had done, including the institution