Connecticut western news., 1916-12-28
SECRETARY CREEvEY'S REPORT
Interesting Document Read at Busi-
 ness Mems Meeting


 the year closing with this meeting we have held nine regular meetings of this association and five meetings of the Board of Directors. Your president has not been absent from a single meet ing of either body-which proves you have 100 per cent. president.
 If asked, as I have been, just what this association has accomplished dur ing year to the benefit of this commun. lty or business men, l might say noth- ing of great moment, but I'd hasten to assure the inquirer that we had the organization and were prepared, pre- paredness is something. But have we done anything of value or benefit for this community? Let us review the minutes and recapitulate:
 Flrst-W did our bit, as the English say it, in helping relieve the coal short age of last winter. We did it because of our atfifiation with the state cham Der of commerce and helped them in thelr efforts to raise the freight em. bargo seriously effecting all New Eng land, especially the state of Connecti- uct. l can assure all that the situa. tion at that time was most acute.
 Second-We have begun on public play .gr tund. The land is leased and work under way, so that by next sum mer it should be ready for our young sters, thus affording them a place for necessary healhful e1cises and recrea- tion-and keep them off the streets.
 Tbird-We did our share in helping out our merchants by having Pay-up week. thereby realizing for them particular benefit.
 Fourth-We conferred with O. N. E. officials at Poughkeepsie with a view of ascertaining their alleged plan of making Canaan a terminal for num- Der of trains, and I have faith to be. lieve that when our attitude toward the road was explained our effort was appreciated and resulted in having several trains terminate here, thus bringing one or more families and men into this community. Other matters discussed at that conference, of par. ticular interest to Canaan and import ant to the railroad, will, I hope, de- velop in the near future, but your de- legate has not been released from his promise not to devulge certain plans, therefore they cannot be revealed at this time.
 Fifth-We have done our share Ill urging upon Congress the establish ment of permanent tariff commission, further urging 8 continuing appropria- tion for the up keep of such a commis sion. The United States Chamber of Commerce is back of this movement and we have every good reason to be. lieve that this commission will be created.
 Sixth-Eecause of utilization with the state chamber of commerce and the Con onnecticut association of civic and commercial executives we have been able to warn the people of this com. munity against certain frauds that operated successfully, to them at least throughout this state, and the writer had the satisfaction of seeing one of these scoundrels leave town within hour after his arrival. By keeping some of these frauds out we have saved money for Canaan.
 Seventh-We have effected some changes to better our grade crossing proposition, at least we had the gate tender house at main street crossing moved to point diagonally opposite from its old location, thus atfording a clearer view of the road and foot ways toward the railway station. I trust that the work of better guarding our crossings, all of our crossings, is only begun. am living and bruised ex. ample of the necessity for it, and I look forward to the coming of the time when our railroad crossings will either all be eliminated by a change of road bed or fully protected by able men the full twenty four hours of each day. It's up to this association to effect this. Right here it might not be amiss or in appropriate to intimate that twelve hours day for seven days every week is too long a work day for any man holding the responsible position of gate or crossing tender, and l am ready to argue, as does the Mayor of the city of Hartford, "that when a man must work twelve hours in one day he is physically unable to give the best that is in him, and as a result the public suffers.''
 Eighth-We have urged a Federal soil survey of Litchfield county, and believe it will be secured at no expense to the county or community.
 Ninth-We have conferred with offi1cals of the Berkshire division of the N. Y, N. H. 6 H. R. R. and express company officers, and they have met some of our requirements in the way of additional train. express, and mail service. or made changes in time schedules benefiting Canaan.
 Tentb-We have aided this com. munity, or village, with the assistance of our Boy Scouts, in cleaning up our back yards and byways.
 Eleventh-We supplied an outing on Labor Day at Lake Buel where about seventy-five of our citizens enjoyed clam bake and had the opportunity to meet and exchange ideas with one an'