Omaha daily bee., 1909-01-12
Y, NJ. G.. A. MAKES AN APPEAL
Need Twenty Thousand Dollars More
to Complete Building.
oNE-FoURTH OF THIS PLEDGED
On Result of Present Canvas Depends
whether II shall BE Three stories
and Contain DOrmitOry
or Not.
(which shan II be-

which shall 1t be?
shall Council Bluffs have a modern
Young Mems Christian association building
at an additional cost Of $4,000. or shall the
roof be put on at the second story?'
This Is the proposition which was sub
mitted to the large and representative gath
ayina of citizens by Victor e. Bender, who
presided at tina mass meeting yesterday
afternoon in the New theater for the pur-
nose of arousing interest in the Young
Mems Christian association building project,
and which will be submitted when the two
committees which have been appointed
start out this week on the canvass to Sc
cure the money needed to complete the
building 4 naccordance with the original
plans.
Here is the situation as briefly. but con-
cisely pointed out by Chairman Bender:
II the building has 10 be completed at the
second story, Council Bluffs will always
need an apology. 1t will not be a building
such as a city Of the size and Importance
OF Council Bluffs should provide for It's
young men. There WIN be little OF the
homelike atmosphere in such a building.
with no income. the cost OF maintenance
will be nearly as much as for a complete
building.
II the building is completed in accordance
with the original plans, Council Bluffs will
have reason to feel proud of such a build
ing. 1t will be a credit to the city. It will
be a home Tor thirty or forty young men
away from home, Such a group of men
will naturally attract others. The income
from the dormitory feature Of the build
ing will aid materially in meeting the an
nual expense.
That the proposition might be made clear
to those present at the meeting, a folder
containing cuts of the building with the
roof on at the second story and titled, THE
short building" and of the complete build
ing with the third story for dormitory pur-
poses, was placed in cache seat,
"A group of business men have promised
to contribute 5000. provided we can raise
the balance of the $50, 900 needed to complete
the building by 10 o'clock of the night of
Wednesday, January "a" announced Chair
ran Bender In the course of his short talk
on Future Plans Shall we secure this
money to put a head on the building. or
shall It be left without a head? This is
the proposition that you people Of Coun-
Gil Bluffs have to decide"
Mr.. Bender stated that two committees
had been named, one to be known as the
bushes mems committee. which Is headed
ny LII II d. JcOHInBSs ana tne Otner KNOWN
as the young mems committee. headed by
Joe W. Smith. These committees will, he
said. at once inaugurate a vigorous cam
paign in the effort to raise the SIS, 900 in
order to secure the 5000 promised.
have the names of 1900 available
persons, " declared Mr.. Bender. land there
is no reason why these committees should
fail in their effort to raise the amount
needed. 1t is now up to the people of Coun-
Gil Bluffs to do their part, and 1 feel sure
that they will"
Paid for UD TO Date.
F. J. Day. president of the association.
who preceded Mr.. Spencer, said during A
brief talk on The Building Movement Tn
to Date" that all work on the structure
so far had been paid for. w have con-
servative men on the board and they will
not allow us to go in debt.
". L. Roach, a wealthy business man Of
Muscatine, Ia, made the principal ad-
dress of the afternoon. His address, from
the opening to the close, was of a deeply
religious tone and did not deal at all in
detail with the work of the Young Mems
Christian association, which he said was
a prominent factor in helping establish
Christ's kingdom in this city.
That the Young Mems Christian asso-
citation is doing wonderful work cannot
be controverted, but the Young Mems
Christian association is just like every
thing else in this world-Just what you
make It. The association is a factor In
practical Christianity as contrasted with
nominal Christianity and reaches men and
boys in a way which the church does
not. 1t will bring into your community
something that will fit into the lives OF
your boys and will exert a Christian In
fluance that cannot fail IN ha fe1t In this
community as in any other"
Grouped on the stage In addition to the
officers and speakers were a number OF
the leading business men OF the city and
ministers OF the different churches. A
pleasing feature OF the afternoons pro-
gram was the singing of Fred Butler OF
New York, who contributed three solos
and the playing by the association or.
chestra. The singing of America" by
the audience was led by Rev. James Nj
Williams, pastor OF the Broadway Metho.
dist church.