Ottumwa tri-weekly courier., 1908-09-10
ENTHUSIASTIC MEETING OF MAN
uFAcTURERs, JoBBERs, BUsl-
NESS MEN AND WORKERS AT
COMMERCIAL ASSOCIATION.
BIG CROWD ATTEND
FIRST RECEPTION
PAST PROGRESS is DWELT ON IN
SHORT TALKS AND PLAN LAID
FOR PUSHING BOOST oTTuM-
WA" MOVE.

,,t,mwa. her achievements IN the
mast and her aims for the Au.ul
Allied the atmosphere of the splendloly
equipped quarters OF the otluin
Commercial club last evening at ehe
pnening reception. The meetlns was
full of inspiration for the business
man with his citys interest at hearc;
0ttumwa and it's Commercial
future filed the mind and voice OF an
present. All talks made dealt Pc
cu1iarlv with Ottumwa and the lnceh
five to boost the city, advertise us
features and be ever on the alert 10
nromote its welfare. GoodfelloWshlp
wae the KEYNOTE of the meeting ana
all present participated in the frlenu-
ly though none the less perslstent 81.
fort to work out the clty,s destlnles
with a hearty good Will toward eacn ~
other and the creation OF lafse
thriving city, the common goal OF all
Merchants, retail and Wholesale'
manufacturers and worlzingmen were
nresent and by voice and presence
lent their aid toward making the
meeting a grand success Chairs shiaa slia
been arranged at the lore ana rear
narts of the room and surrounding the
pfficer's desk, in the front OF which the
sneakers of the evening delivered their
several talks.
All about the room hanging in
prominent places on the walls are
large signs that compel the gaze or
the visitor, calling attention to the
following inscriptions: who helped to
secure the federal building appropria-
tion for Ottumwa? The OttumWa
Commercial association-It brought
at least one factory here in the past
wear and has sifted many projects
not suited to Ottumwa-Sent many
thousands of circulars advertising OF
tumwa. Secured many reduced and
eoualized freight Observation-Disclosures
every proposition along the line" An
other banner reads: Something the
Ottumwa Commercial association has
to do-Get industries.-New factories.
Advertise Ottumwa.-Get more
freight rates. - Get more customers.
Need shoe factory.-Need gar
ment factory or two.-Every manu-
facturer should make the name OF
Ottumwa prominent on his product
and stationery. - Want interurbans
from Oskaloosa, Centerville, Abba,
Bloomfield, Mystic and anywhere to
bring customers to Ottumwa.-An-
other hotel"
Mahon on Federal Building.
About $3.50 President Joseph Dain
called the gathering to order and an
nounced in few words the object of
the meeting or reception after which
he introduced as the first speaker of
the evening Major Samuel Mahon
In beginning his remarks the speak
er congratulated the association on
the beauty Of the new quarters and
the strides that have been made, com,
plimenting the members on the selec.
ton and fitting Of the handsome
rooms. Mr.. Mahon then spoke on the
work done by the association in Sc
curing the Federal building for OF
tumWa Being one of the committee
who had the work in charge he was
entirely familiar with the subject in
detail and gave a minute account OF
the associations part in the securing
of the appropriation covering all that
had been done and the work and time
devoted to accomplishing the project
He told of those whose help was
solicited and secured in furthering the
measure giving credit to the late Sen
ator Allison, Congressman Hamilton
and the members of the Iowa congress
men who aided the association in get
ting the bill through. c. D. Hirst. Of
the Commonwealth Insurance com
pany was next called upon to address
the meeting and electricfied his hear
ers with the account of the accom-
plishment of an Ottumwa institution
which in thirty months has grow1
from mere seeding to the second
largest in Iowa fire insurance com
pany. This company now said the
speaker after repeated recapitaliza
ton has grown from a small state
company to one doing business il
fifteen states and owned, directed anc
ofhcered by Ottumwans.
Mr.. Foster Optimistic.
The president then called upon T
d. Foster, whose experience in th.
business world and thorough familiar