The Palatka news and advertiser., 1913-01-24

board of trade at the Athletic Clut
last Monday night took the form of al
oyster banquet and smoker, and was
attended by some 200 members ant
visitors.
1t was sometime after eight O'Clock
when President Howell A. LAWS from
his place in the center of the speaI,
ers' table raped the meeting to order
and waived the waiting multitude tt
their seats.
Before proceeding with the banquet
there was the reading of the minute;
of the secretary, the reports of the
president, secretary and treasurer
and the reelection of the officials fol
the coming year.
The reelection was soon over, ant
in their order President Howell A. Da,
Wis, Vice-P President Geo. B. Selden anC
Treasurer Henry Strunz were re-elect,
ed by acclamation.
Then followed the banquet after di'
vine grace being asked by Rev. Father
Barry, rector of st. Monicas church
Immediately following the banquet
and during the burning of fragrant
Havanas, bright addresses were made
by H. G. Hastings Of Atlanta, G. S
Meserve, president of the st. Angus
tine board of trade, J. d. Ronoey u
the Seaboard Air Line, A. M. Corbet
of st. Augustine, and G. w. Waller
president of the Hastings board ot
trade, each of the speakers being In
troduced in the order named by Pres
ident Davis.
Among the out-of- town guests pre-
sent were C. D. Brown, Syracuse, N
Y; R. C. King, Omaha, Neb.; j. d
Rooney, A. o. Dawson, and F. M. Put
nam, Jacksonville; H. G.. Hastings
Atlanta; G.. S. Meserve, H. w. Davis
A. M. Corbett, F. j. Parker, W. Wal
lace Snow and A. H. Fauer, st. Au
gustine; G. w. Waller, j. c. Peck, B
L. Brown, T. R. Byrd, C. A. Dupont
and r. M. Burt, Hastings; and K. l.
Mann, Mannville.
An attempt was made to secure g
complete list of all the members pre-
sent but it was not successful.
The following is the address Of
President Davis:
PRESIDENTS ADDRESS.
Last year at the annual election OF
officers, Secretary Montmollin notified
the Board that on account OF increase
in his own business, and by reason OF
the fact that the Board of Trade WORK
had also grown to such an extent, he
could no longer serve as secretary, ant
in accepting the Presidency, | did Sc
upon the condition that you would EN-
ploy a secretary; one who could de
vote his entire time to the duties o.
the office.
At that time the membership wa
considerably less than one hundred
and of course the income from due
was entirely insufficient to meet sucf
an additional expense. Therefore {
mass meeting of the citizens was helt
at the City Hall, April 18th, to con
slider ways and means of further ad
vancing the commercial interests o.
Palatka by placing the boards worE
in the hands of an efficient secretary
That meeting was not so largely at
tended, but it was more than full oi
enthusiasm, every one present agree
ing that an expert secretary was need
ed. A committee was appointed u
call upon Palatka's business men, ask
ing them to contribute as literally a.
possible to a fund to be used by thu
organization for the purpose OF secur
ing a Secretry, and to furnish him witt
necessary funds for advertising The
resources of Palatka and Putnam
county.
In response to this call forty-two O
our merchants and manufacturers sun
scribed most literally and enthusiast
cally and when the requisite amour
was secured, a meeting of the sub
scribers was called to select secre
tary. In the meantime quite a mum
Der of applications for the posltlot
had been received, but none of then
seemed to suit the committee tina
had been appointed to select such of
6cer; however, the committee learned
that there was man at Chattanooga
Tenn, who had filled such position
and from all the information that thu
committee could gather, this part.
would fill the position with honor ant
credit to the city, but it seemed i'm
possible to get any satisfaction thr'
| correspondence; so a committee o
three was sent to Chattanooga witt
the understanding that they must ge
this party to accept the secrearyshl'
of the PaIatka Board of Trade, or no
return to Palatka.
This committee succeeded and MI
W. B. Royster, former Secretary o
the Chattanooga Chamber of Com
merce. arrived here July 4th, Whe
PaIatka was in the midst of the larg
est celebration ever held here, and MI
Rovster told several of our citizen
that if Palatka could get up cele
bration of that magnitude without:
paid secretary to work out the detallS
he would have to work night and ia,
to keep up the pace.
Your officers and executive commit
tee who had been in close touch wit
the work of Mr. Royster, know tina
he has worked hard and faithfully t
advance the commercial and agrtcuI
tural interests of Palatka and SUI
rounding country, and l believe tha
the Palatka Board of Trade was nor
fortunate in securing his services, a
he is the right man in the right Place
A Few Things Accomplished
With YOUR indulgence, will briefl
anumerate a few of the things thS
have been accomplished during tn
past year. ~,
Through the push and energy of tn
organization which gave great publ
city to our city, Messrs. Ledbette
Bros. of Rome, Ga, came here an
purchased the Putnam House whlc
had been closed for several year
This hotel formally opened January
with a grand ball in its spacious pa
lors. That ball was the most bril-
liant social function of the seaso
This hotel is open all the year roIn
and no event Of recent occurrance ca
compare in importance with this
the welfare of our city, as it meal
that now we are in a position tn {