The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1915-04-03
BELSER CHOSEN PRESIDENT.
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. ELECTS
OFFICERS FOR 1%0f5-1916.
q. n. Lennon Chosen V~ice-Prcsidcnt
and j. w. McKicycr and j. II. Hear
on Observation-Disclosures Of Grain
Mill Observation-Disclosures TO Com
tinue Efforts.

The annual election of officers OF
the Sumter Chamber of Commerce
was held yesterday by the directors
as requested by the constitution and
by laws, resulting as follows:
President, r. b. Belser.
1st Vice President, G.: Lennon.
End Vice President, j. w. McKiev-
err, reelected.
Treasurer, ]. u. Hearon, reelected.
e. I. Reardon is continued as Man.
aging Secretary during the pleasure
of the board of directors. The man.
aging secretary having the right to Sc
lect his assistant has reappointed the
efficient and popular assistant secre-
tary, Mrs. Wesley A. Brown, who has
held that position for two years.
Messrs. w. Percy Smith, w. B..
Boyle and III. n. Forester, the newly
elected directors, were present and
assumed the duties of their positions.
Messrs. G.. A. Lennon and J. w. Nc
Kiever, reelected directors, requested
that Messrs. Smith, Boyle and For
roster be designated as the three-year
term directors and that the directors
reelected be designated to serve for
two years, filling out the unexpired
twO-year terms of Messrs. D. Z.
Noise and d. r. McCallum, resigned.
This was agreed to.
Those present expressed sincere re-
gret with parting from President D.
d.. Noise and directors Nein ODon-
nell and ID. r. McCallum from the
board of directors, Mr.. O'Donnell de-
Ginning the nomination for another
three year term on the board. The
retiring directors and president have
assured the present board that they
will hav" the same interest in the
Chamber Of Commerce that they have
heretofore showed, and that they will
back up the president and the pres
ent board of directors composed of
the officers above mentioned and
Messrs. H. NJ. Stuckey and E. L.
Witherspoon.
A matter of much concern to the
directors and which elected a lengthy
discussion was the Importance of fur
nishing a market and manufacturing
facilities for market and grinding
corn, wheat and oats.
Mr.. O'Donnell had attended this,
the last meeting Of his tenure of Of
flee. for the express purpose Of m
phasizing the Importance of the bust
ness men Of Sumter assuring the pur-
chase Of the. Parrot Milling
plant and the addition thereto Of a
flour mill and additional grain storing
capacity. He felt hat the business
interests of Sumter are confronted
with a crisis in their affairs by the in
ability Of the Chamber Of Commerce
committee to secure the necessary
capital stock therefor.
He considered this marketing and
manufacturing plant the greatest of
Sumter's immediate needs, and he felt
that failure to get up sufficient capt.
tai stock means thousands of dollars
Of lost trade to Sumter's business es-
adjustments. He felt Inundated and
surprised that Sumter should even
think Of failing in this matter. He
alluded to the number of mercantile
establishments which have not taken
stock, but which will be benefited by
the thousands of dollars obtained
from grain which will take the place
of thousands of bales of cotton, if the
milling plant is established, as pro-
posed. He counseled continued and
determined efforts by the committee
to impress upon Sumter's business es-
adjustments of every kind what
Sumter stands to lose by failure 10
organize the stock company for a
milling plant.
He will continue to give his best eff
forts towards assisting the commit
tee. Mr.. Lennon and DR.. Hearon of
the special committee expressed their
approval Of Mr.. O'Donnell's views,
and all present agreed with them.
Messrs. w. B. Boyle, w. Percy Smith
and II. NJ. Stuckey were added to the
PARROT Milling company soliciting
committee to aid Messrs. Hearon. Nc
Callum and Lennon.