American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1909-08-07
$1,000 SUBSCRIBED
in 20 MINUTES
Record Breaking Money
Raising For Advertising
Fund of $4,000 Being Collected to
Advertise the Resources of
American Falls and
Vicinity.

American Falls has established a
record among the smaller towns Of
Idaho for raising money In less than
twenty minutes, Saturday evening.
more than $4,000, was pledged toward
an advertising fund which will benefit
all the surrounding country, and sub
scriptions have since been received
which bring the total up to So, ll5, and
the subscriptions are by no means all
in. Some of the most vitality interested
\ people of the community were out of
town when the meeting was held and
are still absent. Among these were
Hon. L. L. Evans, president of the
Evans Mercantile Company, one of the
largest business houses of the county,
president of the Evans State Bank and
of the American Falls Water Works
and Realty Company, which owns sew
eral hundred lots in the American Falls
townsite. Should the subscription of
Mr.. Evans be as liberal as that of the
American Falls Development Company,
or should all the interests he represents
subscribe an equal amount, the sub
scriptions viii near the $4,000, mark.
Other parties who have extensive inter-
ests here have not been able to be
reached. Among these are the Idaho
Lumber Company the Consolidated
Wagon and Machine Company, and the
Studebaker Company, liberal subscrip-
tions being assured from all. The
Idaho Consolidated Power Company,
which can be depended upon for one of
the largest subscriptions on the list has
not yet reported, so that there is every
possibility of raising S., which it is
estimated will be necessary to carry
out the plans outlined.
The gentleman who succeeded in
arousing an interest which resulted in
raising such an amount in so short a
time is William Bittle Wells, a travel
ing passenger agent of the Hartman
system. He came unannounced, arriY-
ing Friday morning of last week. He
succeeded in gathering half dozen
business men about him and explained
his plan in detail, agreeing that the
Hartman system would spend S. to /
every 81 raised by the community in
advertising this locality in a manner
entirely beyond the means of the resi-
dents. Literature of the highest class
will be printed by the thousands and
tens of thousands of copies and through
the passenger agents of the affiliated
Hartman railroads, placed in the hands I
of actual homeseekers. Picture shows, +
lecture bureaus, crop exhibits at the
great fairs, the use of 800 newspapers
and magazines, will be among the
methods employed to attract immigra-
tion to this locality. In addition to
this it was stated that Mr.. Burley, gen |
eral passenger agent of the Oregon /
Short Line, would expend $1,000 IN T
postage in writing personal letters to
people whose names might be sent him
from here, or that might be gathered
by his agents throughout the country.
So favorably received was his pro-
posal that the few present deemed it
wise to call mass meeting. MIR,
Wells had meeting at Shoshone for
that evening and Saturday evening was
decided upon. Mr.. Wells returned
Saturday afternoon and renewed his
campaign. The meeting in the even
ing was not largely attended, but an
enthusiastic spirit was kindled by the
address of Mr.. Wells which resulted in
liberal subscriptions. Following Mr..
Wells several local people made
addresses, all approving the plan.
The American Falls Development
combany headed the list with a sub
scription of $50 per month. Hon. W.
II. Philbrick made personal subserip-
ton of S25 per month. Ellinger
Struthers followed with $40 and the
riverside Mercantile Company and the
First National bank with sl5. Other
business houses followed with $40 and
professional men with S5, and IN less
than twenty minutes more than S2, 800 4
was raised Before the meeting
Eadlourned soliciting committee COM
posed of r. B. Greenwood, president OF
Ethe Commercial club, DR.. j. F. Nee
{Ahd ID. W. Davis was appointed to
polcit subscriptions from those not
present, and it is hoped to raise fund
$1,000. 1t is proposed to hire the
est man obtainable as secretary OF
ne commercial club. pay him living