The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-06
Retiring Presidents Report

Retiring GreSldent Report "Gentlemen of the Newspaper Club:
 Upon retiring from the presidency of this club it gives me pleasure to say that although the clubs first year in it's present quarters has probably been the most trying it will ever have, it has been remarkably successful, both socially and financially. The European war and at tendant business depression In America have been felt by this organization. just as they have been felt by every other business, social or civic institution, but we have shown good profits all along the line
 This club opened a year ago in Feb ruary with just little over 1000 mem bers. In spite of an adverse business year the club has maintained its strength and has today approximately 1000 mem- bers.
 .aThe type of the clubs membership and the careful management are shown by the fact that the club had handled up to February I, S07, ,503.94. nearly 50 per cent of which was credit business. Of this amount only SI3S.05 had been lost in bad accounts.
 '1n spite of hard times the club hos shown a net gain for the year Of approximately $3400.
 "The club has therefore reduced it's indeb tedness during the year but still ewes something over $10,000. Against this are the clubs assets including furniture and equipment representing an outlay of between $35,000 and S40, exclusive of s16.0oo spent in the cafe for the exclusive benefit of this club.
 Operation of Cafe
 "The cafe has lost money every month, but this was contemplated when the club was opened. The club has constantly aimed to give it's members in the cafe more and better service than could be procured anywhere else for the same amount of money Up to February 1 the cafes income was $46,- 351.75 with an expense Of $53.959.i0, or an approximate average loss of $500 per month for the year. This, of course, has been more than taken care Of by oues and profits from other depart ments.
 s'The profit of the buffet for the year ending February 1 was s2594S4 or monthly average of slightly over S200.
 "The profit from cigars was S379.12 for the year, a monthly average of about $22.
 "rhe profit from pool and billiards for the year was $1354.13, or month- lv average of approximately S113.
 "The total amount of dues collected for the year was $22,5S0.6o
 q think these figures speak well not only for the club. but for Birmingham and Alabama. This successful year proves that the field was here for just such an institution as this. The News paper club has proved its real worth as a civic asset. and it has justified the belief of its founders that body with a large membership could be successfully conducted by a small body of eaergetic and alert active members. With the rec ord of the club year just closed l feel safe in saying that if normal conditions had prevailed during the past 12 months, the club would now be piling up sur plus to be used in still further extension of it's operations
 Big Things Club Has Done
 .You are all more or less familiar with the big things the club has done during the year. The most notable entertain- ments of course were the dinners to Chairman F. H. Gary of the United States Steel corporation and to w. P. c, Harding, one of our own members, upon the occasion of his appointment by President Wilson to the new federal re- serve board.
 "There have been scores Of lesser en- tertainments-som purely club affairs, some arranged by members, and others purely informal. A feature of these en- tertainments has been the part taken by ladies, for the policy of the present ad- njnistration has been to encourage ladies