The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-04-20
BIGGER THAN EVER
Merchants Week This Year Will
Be Better.
JObbers Resolve on More Elab-
crate Entertainment.
THE RATE QUESTION.
S. j. HOdgins, New President of
the Association.
Geo. Mcintyre Urges More Equit-
able Freight Rates.

Members of the Topeka Jobbers' ard
Manufacturers association in session
at the Commercial club Wednesday
night decided to hold a Merchants
Week" entertainment more broad in it's
scope than any previous event of the
kind, and to attend a meeting in the
near future called for the purpose of
discussing the freight rate question as
concerns Topeka, to which will be In
Vited the traffic men of the railroads
in and out of the city.
Officers of the association chosen for
the ensuing year are: S. ]. Hodgins,
president of the Central Paper COM
pany. president; c. NJ. Lawrence of the
Wolff Packing company. vice president;
E. f. Grote of the Davis Mercantile
company, secretary; and T. c. White
kar of the Whittekar Brothers Produce
company, treasurer.
Will Be merchants Week"
The decision in favor of holding
Merchants week" this season was
unanimous, and the loyal Topeka spirit
which prevailed was marked. A COM
m1ttee will be named by the new presi-
dent, 5. ]. Hodgins, to undertake the
management of the event. 1t will be
composed of the officers of the organi-
cation and three of the members.
The cost of the entertainment in
1910 was $2,S54, and it was estimated
that an excellent showing could be
made this year for $4,000, and this
would allow for a possible increase in
the attendance which was between
thirteen and fourteen hundred last
June.
1t was decided to make the first as
sessment SIS, and thirty of the men
present agreed on the spot to stand
good for this amount, thus assuring
$3.50 as a starter. II was announced
Furthermore that the Merchants asso-
citation has decided to contribute $500
towards defraying the expenses and
the Topeka Street Railway company
which made pledge year ago of $40
has agreed to increase the amount to a
hundred dollars.
81 think the merchants week enter
tainment is one of the best things we
have ever done for Topeka" said
Samuel E. Lux. 1.-The first year we
thought we would be doing we'll if we
got 200 merchants to come to Topeka.
but instead of that we had more than
six hundred; the next year nine hun
bred, and last year nearly 400. 1
think we should give an entertainment
equally as good as those given in the
past"
George p. McEntire: 81 want to go
on record as being enthusiastically in
favor of the event. 1t is a good thing
for even those who do not come, but
who read of the affair and think about
Topeka and feel good towards the
city"
Charles P. Adams: 81 would urge
n repetition of the Merchants week
because Topeka originated the idea in
the west. This year Oklahoma City
will take up Topeka's plan early in
June"
E. c. Arnold: 81 do not think the
attendance would go over 1900, as |
take it that a good many people came
especially for the flying machine event.
NV suggestion for an entertainment
would be to give the free street car
tickets as usual, and then on the first
evening have a luncheon and smoker
a little more elaborate than last year.
We could engage band to play all
visitors with basel ball tickets for the
afternoon, and theater tickets for the
evening""
Frank P. MacLennan: ct am glad
to see unanimous decision to give
an entertainment. Topeka has more