The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-14
ANNUAL MEETING 0F SOUTHERN CLUB Old Officers Were Reflect
 ed Last Night REPORT BY CARTER
Unusual Number of Deaths of Mem- bers Recorded During the Past Year-The Presidents
 Suggestions

At the annual meeting of the Southern club last night the old officers, including the board of governors, were reelected by exclamation, as follows: President, j.. Rivers Carter; vice president, T. O. Smith, governors, Frank Nelson, Jr J. w. Me- Queen, A Benners, pr. D. F. Talley and F. Wilkinson.
 The meeting was held in the balroom and was fairly well attended. President Carter and Secretary-Treasurer J, w.. Randall read their respective reports which, on .motion, were received and filed. The board elects the secretary treasurer. The business session lasted only about 30 minutes. After adjournment all the members present were invited to the dancing apartments, where colation was served.
 MT. Carters report in part, follows;
 As a social organization of fixed and established repute in the community, We are now in the twenty-second year of our existence. That some of the recent years in our history have wrought trials and vicissitudes in the affairs of the club makes it highly important that oursmem-
 
 derstanding of our financial status. In order to set this outiclcariy, it is neces- sary to recall to your attention that when the cafe was added, some seven or eight years ago, as a fixed feature of the club, it was the estimate of the governing board that the loss incident 10 the early years of it's operation would not exceed s4,O00 per annum; a deficit easily recouped from other sources of revenue then avail able.
 "Bereft subsequently, of the principal source of revenue, we nave been further beset with growing shortage on cafe account, always in excess of the esti- mated amount During the current year the direct loss chargeable to the cafe is S6274.27. Further than this, of our out standing bond issue, 9 per cent of 1t was incurred in the construction of the base ment addition, adding an annual inter- est charge, on present indebtedness up- wards of $500 to the above stated deficit. Throughout the past few crucial years this loss has been met from funds that under ordinary conditions should be oth- erwise expended, on reduction of mdebt- edness, on improvements and added com forts. r.
 From the foregoing recital, I do@not wish to be understood as in any sense favoring the discontinuance of the cafe o1 divesting it of any element or at tractiveness A well conducted cafe IS a necessaryT adjuncts of a present day club -~morepver, am convinced that the present management is economical as well as efficient I have, however, pre- scented these facts with the earnest hope ; that the wisdom and the necessity may be impressed upon our members of care fully husbanding our resources during the . few passing years lof promised fruitful ness against Inc return of barren years. ! Without taking away anything that we , have been enjoying, or eMps denying ourselves seasonable eXtension of such things a substantial reduction in pres ent indebtedness hould be our aim and purpose The incentive, to this policy meets us face to faced more commodius, spacious and attractive building, in keep ing with what is moving along in every line of development in this growing com munty. Let us make the way for it's coming.
 "In our financial operations for the year ended November 30, 1911, the total lia- bilities amounted to $104, ,01502, and the total assets to $102, ,266.71, leaving a deficit on the face of the returns of $1i4I.5l However, as one of the items of eX- penditure obligatory under the terms uf our contract was a payment of $200D on our bonded indebtedness, the deficit as above stated, is transferable into profit of $252 J69 Our outstanding bonded liabil- ity now stands s34.000.
 ? Tn no respect has the last year been more notable than in the number of deaths in our memberships
 "Humes Rogers, February 1, 1911; J. A.. Winston Smith, March 15, 1911; Frank Y. Anderson, July ?, 1911; John w. Tomlin- son, July g, 1911; R, Lee Tilghman, Au- gust 5, 1911, and Frederick I. Jenkins, : October 13, 1911.
 Each of them shining mark in his sphere of life, such, as we are told, whets er At the time of each demise com mittee was appointed to write the ap- propriates resolutions that now form a , part of our records.
 a 'I cannot close this report without an expression of appreciation of the absence 2 of friction anywhere along the lines of 5 administrative duties, and of the perfect harmony and, accord that has existed; in the board of governors whose purpose it has been to conduct your affairs along approved and acceptable lines, and all ways in conformity to the laws of the !. land; with the election committed whose ,, duties have been conscienciously and n- 4 teligently perforned with all your ex- < ecutive officers, who, charged with re- sponsible duties, have ably discha rged them, and with the entire membership, z who have Loyalty sustained the govern ment of the club.''