Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1911-12-08
SPIRIT OF OPTIMISM
Board of Trade Banquet and Get
Together Meeting
Address by Hon. Lewis A. Waterman OF
Providence and Local Speakers-Zo
New Members Voted In.

Providence ana LoSdi Spc">S'S ~
New Members Voted In.
Profitable and pleasureable addresses,
with the best interests of the whole
Rrattleboro community as the keynote,
supplemented by a delightful banquet,
made up a program of unusual interest
in the Brooks House Wednesday even
ing, when the board of trades annual
get together meeting took place.
About $50 members of the organization
and invited guests were present, and all
went away with feeling of optimism
regarding Brattleboro's future The
speaking had the right ring and the
sneakers INDUCED in sufficient NUMBER
of stories and personal references TO
keep the program punctuated with out
bursts of laughter. The new president,
Major c.. Houghton, was master OF cere-
monies and made decidedly faVoraple
impression, speaking with clearness ana
dignity and never losing his selt-pos-
session Several local men gave short
addresses, but the principal speaker was
Hon. Lewis A. Waterman OF Providence,
r. l., who was one of the gubernatorlai
candidates at the last Rhode lslanu
state election He gave forcetul al
dress and was listened to with much
pleasure.
The new manager of the hotel, George
e. Sherman, gave entire Satisfaction
with the banquet which preceueu the
speaking. Following is the menu: Grape
fruit au Madeira; cream of celery aux
croutons. radishes, olives, celery; boiled
Penobscot salmon, Hoandaise, potatoes
chateau; praised tenderloin OF peer,
mushrooms, mashed potatoes, green
peas; tomato and lettuce salad, mayoh-
naise; frozen pudding; assorted CAKE;
toasted crackers roquefort cheese; demi
tasse.
The officers and invited guests sat at
a table which extended across the north
side of the dining room. The guests
were President Charles II. Webster ana
Secretary C. C. Stearns of the Northneiu
board of trade; President w. Il. Games
and Secretary John C. Lee of Greenheld'
Vice President NJ. D. White and Secre-
tary F. w. Cotton of Hinsdale; Secre-
tary c. G. Leonard of Springhelu, this
state j. r. Rand of Springfield, MASS
a former resident here, also attended
Music was furnished by Leitsingers Or
chestra and the board of trade quartet.
When the banquet was over Presluent
Houghton called upon Secretary Z. .
Hopkins to read a letter OF greetings
from H c. Tiffin, secretary OF the heehe
Commercial club, and letter OF regret
from Dennison Cowles, Mr.. HouShton
predecessor as president, who was una Die
to be present by reason of having started
g. Colombo on business trip The
quartet sang and then President HousH-
ton made remarks predatory to the pro-
gram of speaking He announced that
at business meeting preceding the pan
ouet 20 new members were voted In
making the total membership of l94. lie
said the cooperation OF every member
was essential to the success OF the poaru
of trade Important matters were COM
ing up he said, which would need the
support of a united organization, and
with the membership of ia proauihlnu-
ed up to-ddte men there was nothlls
that the board could not accomplish loi
the good of the town.
Martin Austin, jr, followed MI 1oush-
ION speaking on "Our manufacturing
interests" 1t was not the Industries OF
the future, but the old ones, those Wnici
already have been established, whlcl
Mr. Austin considered We should MOI
be unmindfu of what the Estey organ
business has meant for this town. EN-,
blowing $50 or more hands. the reeo
organ business has shrunk 80 per GEM
in the past few years, but the men d,
the head of the Estey concern have mel
the situation by branching out into the
pipe organ business and now are the
largest pipe organ makers IN America
The Hooker Corser & Mitchell company
employing 800 hands in its overall rae
tory, did more business the past year
than the previous year. Inc w hltt
River Chair company employs over 2OI
hands and increased it's business 25 pei
cent the past year Few people reallZt
that 1875 hands are employed IN tht
printing business in Brattleboro, to al
of whom good wages are paid. Tht
improved business conditions of the 5. A
Smith company, makers OF toys, th'
Felch g. Pier Chair company, the Vlntoi
PAPER company and the Carpenter com
pany, makers of reed organs, were men
toned Concerning the latter company
of which Mr.. Austin is the general man
ager, the speaker said the payroli snow
ed a 10 per cent increase and the pas
years business had been exceeded pu
twice. Labor of the right KIND can mn
employment, but we need specialists. MI
Austin thought the board of trade shoul
investigate the cost of living. II II wa
found higher than elsewhere 1t would
in order to remedy the conditions; II
was found to be low, then the fact shoul
result for the benefit of the town, n
thought the board of trade should utillz
the Valley fair more for advertisin
Brattleboro's industries by means of a
Industrial exhibit.
At this point Clarke C. Fits aske
permission to interrupt for a moment
He said that in the conviviality Of an oc
casion like this the members were ap
TO forget the work of those through
whose labors the usefulness of the organ
ization had been kept up. He intro
duced the following resolutions, whic
were adopted by a unanimous vote
Resolved, that the board of trade ex
presses it's sorrow that atfiiction has raj
len upon its long time and honored sec
rotary, Mr. George f.. Fox we are GA