New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1914-04-01
Club Considers
It's Dissolution 5 h
Problem of Funds a Knotty
One to Solve. New
Blood Needed.
Luce Electric Company Wants
To Extend Line to
New Ulm.

New Ulm.
rs the New Ulm Commercial Club
TO- continue or must it give up the
gHost?" seemed to be the burden of
the discussion of Club matters at the
mfEseting Monday night. After long
survey Of the situation and many
proposals for meeting present condi-
lions, new directors were elected and
the meeting went on to the consider
alton of the Luce Electric Railway
project.
The meeting was called to order
by President Philip Liesch and after
the routine business was transacted
the secretary presented a statement
OF the present financial status of the
club which showed that the finances
OF the club were in anything but a
fourishing condition. This condition
is clearly due to the small member
ship Of the club. The Commercial
Club at the present time numbers
but AZ members. A membership of
this size cannot keep up the club or
make it an efficient body. President
Liesch outlined the issues and then
called for an expression Of opinion
from the club members.
Emil G. Hage was first to respond.
He declared that the club has justi-
fed its existence during the past six
years and that it must be kept up.
He then suggested as possible rem
edy and a help to the club, the estab-
lishment of rest room for the use
Of farmers families coming to New
Ulm. The club is used but little
during the day and by a few simple
changes could be converted into a
restroom and thus fill a long-felt
want. Tangible work of this sort
would do great deal towards in
EcraAsing the membership Of the club.
= l1s's Qttoneyer then spoke. He
did not favor the establishment Of
a rest room as the plan so frequently
fails. He suggested that the club
members ought to get together in a
social way frequently and thus stim-
ulate interest in the Club.
VIM. B. Mather then suggested
that strenuous campaign for new
members be waged and that the dues
be collected by the year and in adj
vance. 1t would be just as easy for
IA business man to pay by the year
as by the quarter and would simplify
the collecting process. He did not
think the restroom idea feasible.
H. N. Somsen was then called on
for an expression of opinion. He de-
clared that the proposition ought to
be put up squarely to the business
men of the town who are not sup
porting the club and then if they fail
ed to respond to such worthy cause
the only thing left to do is to aban-
don the Club.
A. 0. Olson then brought the mat
ter to a head by moving that COM
mittee be appointed to cover the bust
ness district carefully and to report
at the meeting next Monday night.
The following committees were then
appointed:
From I'd St. S. to 1st NJ: Emil G.
Hage, G. A. Ottomeyer and w. B.
Mather.
From LIST to I'd st. NJ: H. N. Som
and J. A. Ochs.
I'd to Sd N: Emil Mueller and J.
A.. Ochs.
District about the N. w. Depot: AL.
Stork and August Dahl.
Eagle Mills: F. J. Armstrong and
A. L. Olson.
The election of officers was then
called for and the following directors
were elected: Emil Hage, A. H. Stork,
]. A. Ochs, F. H. Behnke, Chas. Vog-
tel, c. A. Ottomeyer and H. NJ Som
sen.
The Luce Electric Line question
was then taken up. This company,
la Minneapolis firm, proposes to build
an electric line from the heart of the
business district of Minneapolis to
Bookings, S. D. They have assets
Of $3,OOO,00O consisting largely Of
157 acres of terminals in the Twin
Cities A forty -mile stretch of the
road between Minneapolis and Wa
tertown, Mimi, is about completed.
The plan is to build on to Hutchin-
son, Bird Island, Redwood Falls,
Marshall and Bookings. This will
constitute the main line and feeders
will run from this main line to tap
the rich agricultural region on either
side. At present the electric short
line has been assured as far as New
Sweden. The preliminary survey
which was made last year, comes to
New Sweden via Long Lake, Wa
coma, Cologne and Kelso. At Kelso
IA branch line will be extended to St.
Peter while short line will extend
to New Sweden. If the company
gets sufficient encouragement they
will extend the New Sweden branch
to New Ulm and on into the Hanska
territory.
The company was represented at
the meeting by Messrs. q. G. Manser
and F. r. Hunter. These gentlemen
suggested, in brief that the CONNER
cial Club appoint q committee to 60
to Minneapolis and investigate the