The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-03-13
Business Men In
Annual Session
Hear Of Progress
Retiring President BOlande Refers
to Growth of Organi-
cation
is NOW SECOND
LARGEST IS STATE
Charles D. Davis New President
H. H. Jackson Praises
Work of Outgoing
President

ident of the Bridgeport Business Mems
Associa tion for the past four years,
the election of Charles D. Davis as
his successor, and the increase of the
board of directors from 20 to "a mem
bers, were features of the annual
meeting held at the Stratfeld, last ev-
ening.
During the administration of Mr.. Bo-
Iande the association has been brought
to a high state Of efficiency and activ-
ity, and the membership has been in
creased from less than 200 to over 400,
this increase being accomplished dur
ing the past six months. The public
is familiar with the aggressive labors
of the association to have the present
public utilities law established. It has
also known OF the many informal din
ners and smokers with excellent
speakers, which have served to attract
interest, the last event being the high
ly successful MONDAY luncheon at the
these innovations Mr.. Bolande has
kept the association before the public
as never before, and has succeeded in
making it the second largest in the
State.
Following is the list of officers and
directors as elected after their names
were brought in by nominating COM
mittee consisting of r. T. Whiting.
James Roy, A. M Cooper and E. L.
Graves:
President, Charles D. Davis; vice
president, George E. Crawford; secre-
tary, George R. Burnes; treasurer, D.
Fairchild Wheeler.
Board of directors, A. M. Cooper, F.
D. Bell, NJ. w. Manwaring, S. E. Vim
cent, F. w. Bolande. James Roy, r.
T. whiting, E. H. Dillon, E. L. Graves,
H. H. NettEeton, Charles L. Gaylord.
R. T. Rock, Charles M. Cole, Robert
E. Hurley, Neil Muirtead, Isaac Moss.
Lavery, A. H. Mackenzie, James Fee
ley, j. H. Whitcomb. A. W. Burritt.
Carl C. Reck.
Mr.. Davis in accepting the presi-
dency made a strong plea for Bridge
port as the best place of residence in
the State. He wanted to put that
idea before the members. THE Board
of Trade" said he, sis doing a SPLEEN
did work in bringing new industries
to this city We should aid in that
work all we can. We might also sup
plement it by doing everything posi-
BILE to enhance Bridgeport's reputation
as place of residence"
Mr.. Davis thought 1t would be a
good idea if every business man in
sending out his letters daily could af-
fix something that would extol Bridge
ports advantages as a place Of resi-
dence He simply offered this as a
thought and suggestion which might
take more material form later
On motion of M. w. Manwaring a
rising vote of thanks was extended to
the officers.
H. H. jackson said rising vote Of
thanks was not enough He believed
in handing a man his flowers while
he was on earth instead of afterward.
He said he had known the retiring
| a went
Barnum school together and the motto
of the class under Principal W. w.
Porter was Nothing Without Labor"
He said Mr.. Bolande- had done lot
of hard work for the association and
it's rejuvenation and present status of
progress and activity was largely due
to his efforts.
"Just think what it MEANS said he,
''to put in four years of responsibility
and time and labor as head Of an as
sociation like this. A lot of us be-
come members of such an organization
without thinking of the work which
is being put in by some one to make
the organization go and constantly re-
tain the interests of the members.
Mr.. Bolande has been the means Of
giving this association thousands Of
dollars worth Of advertising and has
put it before the public in a way
never before known
Mr. Jackson also paid a high COM
pliment to the new president, Mr.. Da-
Wis, and said he knew he would sue
cesSfully carry out the work of the
| association.
The report of Retiring President F.
w. Bolande follows:
To the Board of Directors and Mem
bers of the Bridgeport Business Mems
| Association:
1.-The past year has been notewor.
| thy in many respects and the pro-
gress of the association has been pro.
| nounced. 1 am especially pleased tt
report a growth in membership from
| 200 to 400 and I wish to compliment
Mr.. Carl c. Reck upon his ability
! and zeal as chairman of the member
ship committee and Mr. L. M. Rich
| for his energy in making the can
| vasS.
''The directors will recall that many
/ times during the past three Or four
years I have urged the necessity and
desirability of membership cam
paign, but it was not until this past
year that we were able to get re-
suits. The Bridgeport association mas
always been an active body and has
the reputation Of being one of the
most energetic in the State associa-
/ ton. It's prominence in the insurance
F! fight, the public utilities campaign
and other features of state work lone
ago secured for it the respect of the
! other associations.
l. AT the same time while taking the
| initiative in many matters of pub
lie nature and furnishing men to act
i on important committees, the asso-
|. citation was not as strong numerically
| as seemed proper and possible for the
| second city in the state For severa
years the membership had stood prac-
| tically at 200 which was eclipsed BY
| Hartford, New Haven, New Britain
| Waterbury, Danbury and Meriden
| Now, however, through the Interest
| taken in the association by merchants
| all over the city we stand next tc
| Hartford which is the largest asso-
| citation in the state. Eventually the
| Bridgeport association should number
| at least 500 business firms and il
! would now if all the merchants anG
| business men will wake up to the ad
| vantage of being identified with &
| live, progressive organization
81 am sure that the association is
| benefitting by it's influx of new mem.
| bers. The infusion of new blood anG
| new ideas has been a good thing The
| association got out of the rut anC
| it has widely extended it's Influence
| Just to illustrate the manner il
| which the membership has beer
| strengthened it may be cited tina
| among the new members secured ar,
| all of the banks and banking firms O.
| the city, one of the most prominen
| representatives of the millinery bust
| ness and one of the largest build
| ing firms. All of the new mem
bers may not be the most prominen