The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1911-04-06
HISTORY OF THE CLUB
Interesting Incidents Connected
With Commercial Organization.

~ S"'ioho VI hlCu muot AWAY
meet with opposition and have
severe struggles. for existence Mems
progress is always over obstacles. 1t !
is the buffeting OF opposing forces
thai make him strong. A city build
ed by man has much the same ex.
perience as does he. Some time in
their life. every city, town and village
have had hard struggle to increase
their population and their business.
Ii has been severe task to maintain
fer it the reputation formerly enjoy
ed. The pride man has in his home
and home surroundings has built
great and beautiful things. 1t is the
pride he has In his home city that
prompts him to exert his energy for
the creation of better conditions
commercially, industrially and moral
ly. -. -...
Oskaloosa has had her throes of
fear which called forth the pride and
energy of some of her foremost citi.
Zens. ...-
In looking over the old records of
the Commercial Club of Oskaloosa,
we find that an organization under
the name of the Oskaloosa Board OF
Trade was incorporated to commence
on the 1st day of July, 1882, to con-
tinue for five years with the right OF
renewal. This corporation was or
ganized with the following as its OBJ
jects: ITO increase the business faci-
lities, advance the commercial char
acter. promote the manufacturing in
terests, develop and make known at
large our internal and general ad'
vantages as city, to acquire, pre-
serve and disseminate valuable bust
ness in formation and generally to Sc.
cure to the members hereof and the
City of Oskaloosa, the benefits of CO.
operation" The first Board of Di-
rectors consisted of the following
persons: John Siebel, Henry How.
ard, II. w. Gleason, John f. Lacey,
NJ. L. Levi, w. A. Lindley, John A.
Kalbach, w. A. Mcneil, John A.
Hoffman, l. Frankel, AL w. Swain,
Chas. Leighton, G. N. Beechler, ]. B.
Bolton and f. H. Gibbs. The cor
poration organized with an author
lied capital stock of 100000, di'
vided into shares of $1,000 each and
the record contains a list of those
who subscribed for stock giving the
number of shares subscribed for by
each. Some of these men have long
since died, others are yet in active
business in Oskaloosa.
The first officers elected were
President, w. A. Lindley, Vice Presi
dent, John f. Lacey, Treasurer, Johr
A. Kalbach, Secretary, John A. Hoff
man. OF the work of this corpora
ton but little can be learned from
the incomplete condition or loss o
some OF the record. Various matters
were considered and after a re-organ
ization of the corporation, its boar'
and officers, we find that there wer'
considered, wooden MILL glove fac
tory, canning factory, and many 9th
err propositions At the meeting hell
on November IA, 1887, Secretar,
Johnson presented the matter OF tn
meetings of the State Farmers In
stitute organization and the Stat
Fine Stock Breeders association an
it was decided to invite these organ
izations to hold their meetings il
Oskaloosa the coming year.
On December 5, 1887, there wa
considered by the Board of Director
the possibility Of securing the Nortf
western Railway for Oskalooss
Later the record shows that tn
proposition submitted to the railwa
was not satisfactory and during tn
time the matter was being turtle
considered, it was taken to the let
islature with requests for amend
ments to the laws then existing. o
February 4, 1889, there was held a
annual meeting in the supervisor
room. Speeches We're made by 4
w. Swain. president; S. J. Duttol
C. Winter, J. B. Brewster, John Sc
bel and others. From the sentimer
expressed in these speeches We, nm
that it was the opinion of these me
that small enterprises should be 10
tered and assisted in their growth
One of these speakers used this lal
guage in referring to an industr
which had just been born to Osk;
loosa: I'VE must help the men W
have: look not far away for gref
blessings, but feed up the small b.
ginnings." We find in this old r
cord that a young poet had come int
existence in the person of Phil Hoi
mann, who read poem at the NEE
ing. of which the following is on
stan2a:
For a place to live in comfort,
For a place TO get along.
For a place to make your fortune
Where the tide OF worth is strong
IT'S the by-word of the mighty,
lis the watchword of the small,
When you come right down to bus
ness, Lo.sGgaa "
Oskaloosa beats 'em all.
Every line of II breathes forth til
proper booster spirit
In 1889 a Penn Day was had, s
which meeting was considered tn
building of the wing to Penn Colleg
Short talks were made by Henr
Howard. Major F. Fl. Loring, Majc
S. H. NJ. Byers, d. w. Loring, Re-