Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-12-10
employees ARE
GIVEN DINNER
PHILLIPS FUEL co. AND BLACK
DIAMOND STORE CO. ENTERTAIN
THIEF WORKERS.
BANQUET ENJOYED
Splendid Menu Served at Commercial
Associations Rooms Followed
by Talks and an Evening at
the Garrick.


the Garrick.
E.. The happy gathering together of one
huge family wheresthe youngest and
most Insignificant seemed to meet all
Others on a plane of democracy in
which all were of equal import, was
exemplified by the assembling OF a
number of employees of the Phillips
Fuel Co. and The Black Diamond Store
Co. last evening in the Commercial
association rooms. The scheme was
Iexcellently conceived and admirably
executed, rejecting great credit on its
author and patron Henry Phillips,
president of both companies. and i'm
mensely pleasing and profitable to
those who participated. Some thirty
in all were present AID each Of these
occupy an important place among the
employees OF the two companies both
of which operate together. The lineup
included the president iOf the com.
Epanies as we'll the youngest boy in the
Office Of the phillips concern. who by
the way is rated with the most i'm
portant fixtures of the business. The
lacking in any particular unless by
the presence. of the press who was the
only person not worker In some
capacity for either of the firms re.
presented at the gathering. The oc.
casion was a dinner party given by the
president. Henry Phillips to the en-
ployes and the one and only topic con.
sidered during the evening. was enjoy
ment Of each others society with the
view to become better acquainted
Incidently the dinner and after pro,
gram made manifest to the one out
slider in the ranks, that a more con-
genial and whole-souled commercial
family could not be imagined. The
cardinal virtue of the bunch is loyalty
to the company and wholesome re.
spect and kindly feeling for each other
from the president to the office boy.
Splendid Banquet.
All were assembled by 6:45 and were
ushered into the dining room of the
Commercial association and here stood
three tables bountifully arrayed with
inviting foodstuffs, dainty china, and
immaculate napery awaiting the ar
rival of the banqueters. The place
cards, work of one of the staff artists
of the coal company, proved a comic
and somewhat unique souvenir Of the
dinner, and was embellished by three
stanzas of poetry dealing with the
coal market and three illustrations to
fit the verse When all were gathered
at their places. the services OF a
splendid banquet menu began in which
oysters, fried chicken and the things
that properly go to make complete
such a dinner were served.
Loyalty Their Virtue.
At the close ofsthe dinner. President
Henry Phillips of the companies re-
presented. arose il his place and made
a brief address explaining the purpose
of the gathering. which he said was
one of pure sociability with just bit
OF selfishness in it. The selfish side
of the gathering, said he, is that by
gathering together on such on accession
and becoming better acquainted. the
companies whom all present serve.
will reap better results In that all will
become possessed Of that feeling Of
interest which makes one speak OF
their employing firm as ours, rather
than cit" The history of the Phillips
Fuel CO. was gone into by the speaker
who carried his hearers back thirty
one years to the beginning of the COM
pany in the coal business There
were present some of the old guard
who have been with the firm from the
start Particular stress was laid by
the speaker upon the splendid work
ing organization that obtains irL-both
the coal and store companies For
this he extolled the virtues of loyalty
and constancy exemplified by the work
ers and complimented all, urging them
to take the same interest in the future
as has distinguished them in the past.
The possibilities in store for the two
concerns through such common in
terest was pictured by Mr.. Phillips
and heartily seconded by those
present.
One Huge Family.
Fun reigned throughout, and the
pretty things featuring the evenings
entertainment was the general spirit
of goodfellowship and mutual interest
manifested by those present. Some
there. were who have been with the
firm from It's infancy while others for
varying numbers OF years, Dut all were
as one huge family and each called his
or her neighbor by their first name as
brother and sister without that cold
formality that must necessarily be
seen. where such acquaintance as
obtains there is not found. Calling
upon others to make remarks, Mr..
Phillips brought forth number OF
short talks nv the employees, all OF
which emphasized the spirit of har'
mony and genuine cooperation that
pervades the more important position
in the carrying on of the huge business
done by these two concerns. The fol.
lowing resolution was drafted and
carried unanimously by the ban
queters:
Resolution.
Resolved. That we extend to the OF
tumwa Comm orcial association, and to
Secretary and Mrs. J. N. Weidenfeller
our sincere thanks for the courtesies