The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1913-01-16
BROOKINGs, SOUTH DAKOTA, JANUARY 10, 1913

we improve our hotel facilities. We
have not noticed that President Har-
ris has accomplished anything in that
direction during his nearly two yea
of office, and every Brookings citizen
appreciates the fact hat a good hotel
would be worth more to us in n
month than the cluster lights would in
ten years.
Invited the G. A. R. of the state to
hold their annual encampment here,
but they didn't decide to come to
Brookings the first day of their meet
ing, nor on the second day. We don't
know how to account for this, as there
was a good representation from Brook
ings present.
Boosted for the hospital at the time
it was taken over by the Deaconess
Association.
Contributed to the expense of the
state exhibit to the land show.
Entertained Watertown Auto Club
Ou us lOuT.
Sent the city band to the Huron
state fair.
Arranged for election returns to be
received at the club rooms for the
benefit of the members.
Contributed $50 to be dispensed in
Christmas cheer in the city.
Agitated question of cluster light
system for the city.
Took census of the city, showing a
substantial increase in population.
Entertained the Camrose. Canada,
boosters on their tour of the north
west.
The Civic League, which has done
much for the city, is an auxiliary Of
the club organized during the year.
The year just passed has been a
good one for the club and the men,
bers have reason to be proud of what
tley have done. Nothing large has
been accomplished, but the little, and
highly important, matters above re-
corded would have been left undone
but for the club.
Well, we have handed the retiring
president a verbal wallop or two, so
here goes for a bouquet. DR.. Harris has
given much of his time to the work Of
the club and must be given due credit
for its success. He was the first pres
ident of the organization and did not
therefore have any examples or pre-
cedents to follow, but his ideas with a
few exceptions have been good and
he has worked with enthusiasm to
carry them out. AS We previously
stated, no large things have been
lone by the club, but it has been
welded into a harmonious body of
citizens, with one idea-the better
ment of Brookings-in view and it is
in a position to do larger things when
the opportunity presents itself.
President Harris next brought up
the street lighting proposition, which
has caused more wailing and gnash-
ing of teeth than any other question
that has perplexed Bookings in a long
time. And there was some o
gnashing of teeth before this eventful
evening came to a close. President
r uu:. oIrooa{aJ +hot }hn a1nh a W
$1,000 to $1,000 from it's treasury for
the installation of a cluster light sys-
tenn in the business district of the
city. The plan had warm support and
warmer opposition and about two
hours was spent in arguing the matter
back and forth. Finally w. NJ. Cheever
got up and made the most sensible
talk of the evening. In mis- judgment
the question of paying out three
fourths of the clubs cash assets for a
permanent improvement for the city
was too weighty a proposition to be
railroaded through without due con-
sideration, and he made a motion that
the question be put over until the
next meeting for a vote, which motion
was carried.
The supporters of the plan contend:
That the club should put in the lights
as a lasting monument to the organiza-
ton; that unless the club does put
them in we never will have a system
of lights, as they say the council
never can be induced to install them
at the expense of the taxpayers; that
some of the members and outsiders
are asking what the club Is doing and
the installation of the lights would be
an effective answer; that the feeling
is that the club is not paying enough
rent to the city for its rooms and this
would stop this talk; that the pur.
chase price of the posts would be a
small sum compared with what 1t
would cost the city to operate them
that Brookings does not want to be
the last town in the state to install