Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-10-21
CITY merchants MEET
Association Of Business Men
Hold Annual Conference.
President PIntke Tells What Hns ncen
Accomplished during tho Nenr--
II. II. IIngar Heads the Officers
u Elected for Coming Year.

Hotel Vermont the retiring PRESIDENT
simon l.. Platka. presiding. OFFICERS
wcre elected for the ensuing year and
the secretary and president rendered
their reports. which showed the Assoc
citation to be in "a fourishlng condi-
tion and much to have been accom-
plishcd during the past year. The
mooting was attended by about 80
of the members of tho association,
and following the business nession
buffet lunch was served.
3D.. The secretarys report was given
by j. p Taylor The retiring prcsi-
dents report, which ir part follows
was an interesting resume Of the
years work.
The address of tho retiring prcsldeh'
wass:, substance as follows'
TO the Members of the burlington MGR
chants Association,
Ono Of tho first things which the rresi-
dent of this association has to perform
after being elected to office. Is the APP
pointment of his executive committee
After assuming tho office of president, it
was my good fortune to have the follow
Ing gentlemen consent to act on this
committee for the year: H. c. Humphrey,
F. C. Lyon. w. r. Scoheld. Gardner
Brewer, G. b. Monroe. Prof. G.. G. Groat'
G.. II. Mylkes, C. l.. Smith, j. o. Adams.
F. w Parker. r. l.. Soule, +. l.. Lane h.
A. Newcomb, NJ. c. Reynolds. j. L. Shan
ley, past presidents. ex-ofiicio members,
George D. Jarvis, r. b. Wright, NJ. l..
Powell.
shall not attempt to go into the nu-
merous meetings of the executive commit
tee which have been held throughout the
year. suffice to say that the above board,
.,,.itb 7 -DrpSipnt.
and Edward Hanbridge, secretary. have
given great deal Of their personal time
and attention to matters concerning the
merchants and business interests of the
city, have met many times in executive
meetings, and have certainly appreciat-
ed many times the support and good will
they have accorded to me, and their inter-
est in the association.
At the beginning of this years work
your committee engaged J. p. Taylor,
secretary of the Greater Vermont associa-
ton. TO take on the work of the Mer-
chants association. who has been very
conscientious and faithful in his work.
During the previous year weekly lunch
cons were held with remarks of interest
by various speakers. The new committee
felt that while the weekly lunches had
been Of splendid service In bringing the
men together. It was decided to hold these
monthly in the evening, with possibly an
occasionally noon luncheon.
Our first banquet for the year was held
at the Van Ness House on November %,
the dinner being served in the main din
Ing room, after which we adjourned to
the roof garden for the after dinner re-
marks.
These remarks took the form Of matters
81 ;y,tar i,iI, ,o,i
ton of ornamental electric lighting
system on Main and Church streets. L.
r. MacBroom outlined the cost of such a
proposition in n tentative form Frank
Foote, a representative of q large COM
pany engaged in this line of work, spoke
entertainingly Of cities where such lights
had been Installed, including our neigh
Dor city of Rutland Other remarks were
made by j. =. Taylor. our new secretary
Mayor Burke. heartily endorsing the
lighting proposition. and NJ. j. Levin
George p. Monroe, chairman on the com.
mttee for a summer Chautauqua, out.
lined the plans In store. w. Shelton Swal
low on the new union station, and Levi p
Smith on publicity.
The enthusiasm displayed at this meet
Ing for ornamental lights in our city wa:
so strong. that at a meeting of the execu
tive committee on the following day i
was voted to circulate petitions amont
the business men to the board of alder
men, endorsing such proposition Our
december gathering was held at the Nev
Sherwood on December TO- intcrsperse,
with singing by the University Cleo club
The matter OF a municipal Christmas ire
was brought to the attention OF the me,
present, and remarks In regard to tn
Inv
land and T. Il. Wrlgh; OF this city.
On February IL, cur association wa
represented at the western Now rnr,,n
Chamber OF Commerce banquet at Sp,ins
Held. Mass. by Prof George G. Groa.
-Four new committees were appcinte
In February. or membership, ushtin,
publicity and good roads
On January 4. a committee from ~
Merchants association appeared befo,
tho board OF aldermen with Il petite
with 1,o7 sgners. osking for f. syste
CT ornamental etrect light ig. Tho ma
ter wa1 discussed by the aldermen. ar
finally voted that their chairman appoil
q committee o: 1--WE to investigate II
matter with the two city local l;ghtr
companies. and the Msvchunty nssoci
ton.
Probably the largest dinner which w
he'd from e point Of numbers. wac
the Hotel Vermont in January. was wi
the United CONNER ciai Travellers OF Blu
iington az our guests. at which III m
were present
I'he same day In which this OHM
was held there was an agricutui
meeting at the University Of Vernon
and our secretary, NJ. Taylor. invit
to the above dinner as his guests. I
eight county agents Of tho State, Ref
ence WAS made to tho movement a
wcrK being done for an agent for ca
tcndant county and q meeting called
promote thin which was to be held
tho Merchants association rooms
following Monday.
Our February dinner was held at
Rev Sherwood on February "a. with
very interesting discourse on tho NO
mans compensation Inv by Prof. G.
Groat. S. e. Bates, state highway co
missioner. told what the State was
tTupting to accomplish In the build
Of roods, and Mr.. Carpenter. county RI
vuIrrvssor for Chitt3nien county.
work nc was enheavorinR to do In !
county
Various other meetings and conesrcn
OH good roads have boon held from Il
10 time. ard much interest awakened
this important project.