Iditarod pioneer., 1916-01-08
COMMERCIAL CLUB
Annual Meeting Elects Officers and Discusses Plans for Work of
 Ensuing Year

The first annual meeting of the lditarod Commercial Club was held last Monday evening, and besides the election of officers, considerable routine business was transacted and the occasion was enlivened by a some what acrimonious discussion growing out of the question of approval or disapproval of the acts of the executive board since the last meeting of the organization. All of the old officers were reelected with the ex ception of George Marsh as member of the executive board, he declining to accept a renomlnation.
 The meeting was called to order by the president, Major G. w. Albrecht, shortly after 8 o'clock, in the Miners & Merchants Bank. Fourteen members of the organiza ton were present, and it was reported that the membership now numbered twenty SIX
 After the approval of the minutes of the previous meeting the report of the execu- tive board was considered The report gave the details of the efforts made in connec tion with the effort to raise the status of the 1ditarod postottlce from fourth to third class, and the reason for the discontinuance of their activities in this direction. On this subject lengthy and somewhat purposeless discussion was indulged in, which at times overstepped the boundaries of parliamentary practice. The question of secret meetings of the executive board also came in for dis cusslon. It was decided that as the com mittee acted on its own initiative in taking up the postoffice matter, its actcn ln dis continuing its efforts was not subject to re- vision by the club.
 ho olc tod of If had made application to the United States weather bureau for the use of instruments for the recording of weather conditions here.
 Another matter reported on by the board was that of the unsatisfactory condition of affairs with regard to the Ruby yTakotna- Idit arod mail service. It having been re- ported that there was large amount of mail destined for Iditarod which was being held at Ruby awaiting transportation, the secTe- tary of the club wired Superintendent Su- perintendent Handles, at Tanala, for in formation on the subject That official ig- nered the telegram.
 It was reported by member that he had learned while at Ophir recently that mail for Iditarod on the Ruby Takotna route was
 left at Ophir, and not carried on to Ia kotna, as was generally supposed, and that he knew of consignment which was lying at Ophlr at the time the mail left for ldlt- arod, and that 1t was not dispatched until the following week.
 Election of Officers
 The annual election of officers developed at least one interesting contest and for a time it looked as though there would be 8 deadlock on the office of secretary-treasurer, ten ballots being necessary to decide the contest between Percy Charles and Harry Watson.
 For president, G. w. Albrecht received ten votes and Fred Harrison four, and the former was declared elected.
 Fred Harrison was elected vice president without opposition.
 For secretary-treasurer several nomina- tions were made, but the contest resolved itself into struggle between Percy Charles, the incumbent, and Harry Watson. There was no result on the first ballot, neither nominee receiving a majority of all votes cast, end for the following eight ballots the vote stood to 7. On the tenth the vote was: Charles S. Watson, 6. MT. Charles was declared elected.
 The members of the executive board chosen were Harry Watson, R. c. Button and J. J. Smith
 Endorsement for President A motion was made that the executive board be instructed to resume its efforts to have the Iditarod postotfice raised to the third class It was stated by the proposer and supporter of the motion that there was no intention to reflect upon the officers for their previous decision in the matter, but upon its passage Major Albrecht immedi- ateIy rendered his resignation es president. By an overwhelming vote the club refused to accept the resignation which was in ef- feet an indorsement of the action of the executive board and president.
 Major Albrecht stated that as the new executive board was composed of the same members as the old one, 1t was useless to expect 1t to accomplish anything in the de sired direction and the executive board was authorized to appoint committee to have charge of the matter. At meeting of the board held at the close of the session con- mittee composed of J. J. Smith, Fred Harrl- son and Joseph H. Smith was appointed to act in the matter
 The club adjourned at few minutes be- fore II o'clock.