The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-01-10
FOR GOOD OF CITY
III Commercial Club Is Doing q
Great Work.
Spirit Of Cooperation Has
Been Developed Here.
EROUsINe ANNUAL MEETING
Enthusiastic Reports Were
Submitted Friday Night.
-. L. Copeland May Be Re-
elected as President.

That the year 1913 was prosper
Gus one for the Topeka Commercial
club was shown by the reports which
were submitted at the annual meeting
held Friday night. The meeting was
one of the most enthusiastic affairs OF
, the kind in the history of the organi-
xAtion. A "get-together" spirit was
exhibited, which indicates that the
! club will work with renewed energy
in 1914 in the direction OF the better
ment Of the city.
y AZ was stated in a previous issue OF
the State Journal the club was in the
hest financial. condition at the close
sSof the year than at any time since its
REORGANIZATION nearly five years ago.
Al the beginning of the year there
was a deficit Of approximately $4,000.
IN the course Of the year the indebt-
edness was reduced to $1.26S.15.
The membership was increased
from 626 to 826. An effort will be
made this year to increase the figure
to 4 thousand. The cafe was run at a
loss Of $272.04 for the year. but no
attempt is made to make this feature
OF the club pay out.
The Presidents Report.
It was brought out in the reports
that there has been greater co-opera-
ton among the business men OF To-
peka than ever before. The report OF
In part:
There has never been q time in
the history of Topeka when the BUSH
ness men have Joined together SO eff
fectively to improve the city along
every department of public develop
ment as in the past year. 1t was nee
eesary for us, at the opening of the
year, to adopt a new plan of financ-
ing the affairs OF the club, and there
was considerable feeling that any
change would be detrimental to its
interests. I desire to state, however.
that the change has been very bene-
1lcial, and the business men have come
forward and taken an interest in plac-
ing our club on a sound financial ba-
SIS, thereby enabling the club to ham
die the business without embarrass-
ment.'
The report of ]. Will Kelley. secre-
tary of the club, was exhaustive.
showing what the club accomplished
in 1918 and speaking of the work in
contemplation for 1914.
Work of the Committees.
The report of Harry C. Snyder
chairman Of the membership commit
tee. showed that the committee of
which he has been the head has been
active the entire year, holding several
quiet campaigns as we'll as two or
three others that were given publicity
in the papers. Tho club membership
was increased by two hundred.
w. ]. Rickenbacher, chairman of
the civic Improvement committee,
told of the city plan which is being
prepared and which his committee
has in a large measure financed.
1t was shown in the report of A. A.
GODDARD, chairman of the welfare
committee, that an effort is being
made to procure better cooperation
in charity work in Topeka.
In the report submitted by w. w.
Webb. chairman Of the lighting COM
mittee, it was shown that several ex-
tensions of the system have been
made in the last twelve months, and
that IL strung along in a single line
the blaze Of light would extend for
two miles. The cost of the improve
ments in 1913 was $15.64S.
Charles S. Elliott, chairman of the
promotion committee. said that $780,
900 was raised for factory aid pur-
poses. In the year several factories
have come to Topeka, he stated, in
Guiding the Perfection Metal Silo