The Kennewick courier. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1905-1914, 1911-12-15
The Activities Of the Commercial Club d,rno 1911
By A. r. GARDNER. Secretary

city has met the situation and in
what degree harmony has been
preserved and general progress sus-
tanned; which success, in a large
measure, is shown by the past
years work in the commercial club.
Although every business interest
IN the city has, or will share in en-.
iarged trade and increased profits
oy reason of the years work in the
club, it would be folly to attempt to
place financial valuation on the
organization 8 activities. The bust
ness men have invested their money
In the club, yet it is impossible to
hgure the returns in dollars and
cents, it being necessary to deter
mine the actual results in terms of
greater moment and significance to
the community's welfare, than can
possibly be read into the dollar sign.
The full significance of the years
work will not be readily appreciated
by the outsider or the casual OBJ
server, in that much of the energy
has been directed toward laying the
foundation for bigger things next
year and each succeeding year, and
in teaching the people valuable les
sons in the school of cooperation.
Clubs in some other towns of the
state have made more noise than
We. The exploitation of Kenne-
wick's resources has been potent
with facts, and not bsisterous with
exaggerations. The blaze of work.
ing interest has been conscientious
ly famed and, co-incidently, the
furnace of enthusiasm has been just
as conscientiously tended to guard
against any super-heated blasts of
hot air. There has been no fir
ing of cannon balls at humming
birds or attacking elephants with
pop guns. Every undertaking has
been characterized by systematic
action and effective Organization,
the only method of PROCEDURE which
begets lasting results.
Since January l, 1911, the people
of Kennewick have expended, or
pledged for expenditure, through
the Commercial Club, approximate
mately $11 900, a membership per
capita expenditure of SIS. This
showing cannot be duplicated by
any other commercial club in the
United States" said represent
alive of large eastern newspaper
upon a recent visit to the city. This
expenditure is exclusive of the fixed
maintenance expenses of the club
which adds 1900 to the years
total investment.
Some of the years enterprises for
which funds have been rasied and
which are worthy of mention are:
! SO, 500 to conduct legal fight for
, lower distributive freight rates;
50, 800 for community advertising
campaign; $500 for an excursion to
the up river towns; 81, 500 for the
First Annual Grape Carnival; 81 500
to engage band director for year !;
$500 for making fruit exhibits at
the State and Interstate Fairs;
$500 for sending a booster delega-
ton to the Fourth National Apple
Show.
, With what degree of success these
undertakings were carried through
, and what measure Of benefit will
, accrue to the community from them
, is generally known, but it should
) not be amiss, in reviewing the year.
work, briefly to recall attention to
: some of the more important.
Through the so-called rate fight
before the State Railway commits
sion, railroad officials, jobbers and
wholesalers were forced to open ac-
) acknowledgement that Kennewick,
with it's two navigable rivers, three
competing railroad systems AMI cen
) trail location, is of equal commerce.
al importance to North Yakima,
E Walla Walla, Spokane and other
| centers of trade in the Inland En-
pire. Although the elimination Of
) the fight must be carried over on
the clubs calendar for next year,
= the hearing brought Kennewick
t much valuable commercial advertis-
, ing and laid the foundation for the
upbuilding of great distributive
center here.
By means Of the community adj
vertising campaign, started last
April, the name of Kennewick has
, been more widely disseminated
, throughout the country than ever
, before. With the handsome com
: munity booklet, not yet delivered to
the club from the printers. and the
distribution of the smaller publica-
. tons but fairly begun, the adver-
|. Using has brought hundreds OF in-
ouiries. Requests for information
: concerning Kennewick have been
received from all but six states in
l