The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1908-02-07

VIRGINIA, ST. LOUIS
OUTLINES PLAN FOR effective WORK
Presideat Metcatfe Reads leouaaDra
Address to Comaverciai Cte6 We'd
aesdey eyeaiee.
While the meeting of a scant doz
en- of the interested ones at the Com
mercial Club Wednesday evening
can scarce be referred to az repre-
sentative, the body picked up and
considered number of proposi.
tions of more than passing interest
and listened to the reading of a pa
per by President Metcalfe which
contained 80 many points of Reuer-
al interest demanding more than
cursory attention that the Enter
prise feels constrained to give it
space for the future good of Vir-
ginia.
Retiring Clerk Bickford made
verbal report of the meeting of the
Federation of Commercial Clubs at
St. Paul, and acting upon sugges-
tions offered the Club took up the
matter of advertising the city
through the medium of the Fedora
ton and its contract with the Pho.
neer Press, appointing Messrs. Han.
naford and Bickford as committee
for the collection of views of Vir:
ginia and surroundings for repro
duction and a press committee for
the ensuing year comprising Mesrs.
Metcalfe, Hannaford, Cuppernull,
Hughes, Bickford and McGray.
The idea of a banquet at an early
date was discussed slightly, but
was laid over until next meeting.
Likewise a motion for the appoint.
ment of a committee on member
ship will be taken up at that time.
The future meetings of the body
will be held every other Wednes-
day, such motion prevailing by un-
animous consent.
The poor mans COW, which has
been overlooked since sometime in
November last, was again brought
to the limelight by remarks made,
and committee comprising Messrs.
kimball and B. Milavetz was ap-
pointed to interview the council on
the matter at the next meeting and
ask that arrangements be perfected
for the enforcement OF the pound
the coming season..
The meeting was, withal, one of
the liveliest of the body for many
and we believe BODIES good
to the future of the city. The com
munication read by the president
was as follows:
To the Members of the Virginia
Commercial Club:
GENTLEMEN:
While the election as presiding
officer of this organization came to
me entirely unsought and as CON-
plete surprise, desire to return
thanks to the members for this ex.
preston of confidence and good
will, and l shall do all that lies
within my power to so conduct the
affairs of the station as to retain
that confidence and that none may
have cause to regret the Clubs &C.
ton.
Coming to Virginia nearly three
years ago, 1 soon found that the
business men were divided into two
very hostile factions and that what
one side proposed the other oppos-
ed, and vice versa. This was Ger
tainly very unhealthy condition;
one fraught with much danger to
every interest and to every resident,
and l did what I could through the
columns of the Virginian, which l
was then editing, to bring about
change in these conditions. 1 coun.
selled the burying of the hatchet
and the pulling together for the up
building of the city, than which
there is none other in northern
Minnesota with brighter prospects
or more substantial present.
Among other things advocated
the organization of a Commercial
Club, in the hope that through this
means the business men might get
talk over their differences
of opinion, vote and then abide by
the decision of the majority.
The Commercial Club was finally
called into being by a number of
the more prominent merchants, who
desired to shorten the working
hours of themselves and their en-
ployes. This was very commend
able object, and one that should
have had the moral support of the
entire community; but soon dissen-
sions crept in because, forsooth, two
or three of the smaller dealers, who
refused to join the movement, in
sisted in keeping their stores open
after hours. One by one the origi.
nal movers in the plan dropped by
the wavside until practically all
had violated the agreement.
Having never been a member of