Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-03-31
centennial HELD
COMMUNITY HELP
Director Benson Points Out Financial
Possibilities In Connection
With June Celebration.
THOUSANDS OF VISITORS HERE
Three Cities VIII Benefit Immeasur-
ably From Advertising They
VIII Receive During Week.

The purpose of a celebration, such
as is planned by the Fort Armstrong
Centennial association for the tri-
cities under the auspices of the Rock
Island County Historical society and
the historical section Of the Daven-
port Academy of Science. June 1926,
may accomplish several things for the
benefit of the community, according to
Director General George D. Benson.
The advertisement secured from such
an affair is of inesttmable value while
the actual financial gain often runs
into the hundreds of thousands. In
addition to the material return for the
( time, money and energy expended, the
good-fellowship and new acquain-
stances formed by visitors is an asset
that could not be secured in any other
way
s Celebrations" says Mr.. Benson,
"may be made Of great definite value
tia community both from an adver-
Using and financial point of view, if
they are so conducted that there will
be ample, free and clean entertain
ment for the visitors and on scale
ambitious enough 10 bring the visitor
from a distance The people within
radius of your cities that you would
call your legitimate territory, will
likely expend their money in your
:. cities sooner or later, whether you
hold celebration or not, and the only
Sbeneft derived from calling them in
and entertaining them is a building
up and continuance of good feeling
: and fellowship But each visitor that
= comes from other cities and from the
country outside this radius and ex-
~pends money in your cities is bring
ing you financial strength that you
would obtain in no other manner, thus
: giving at the close of your celebration
THAT much clear money.
: For instance, at the close Of the
: celebration in Richmond, Va, the
& clearing house reported about 100000
Z. In the banks Of the city in excess OF
Gthe amounts that had been there al
EtEe opening of the celebration.
Z S'Some people will say that this
= money was largely paid to the res
taurant man, the hotel man and the
: saloon and lodging house keepers
and that the retailers would receive
but little of it. l would hate to think
that we would put on a celebration sc
lacking in interest that the people
would have nothing to do but trading
But if this money is brought into the
( comr/Inity, no matter who first re.
z ceives it, it will soon pass into general
e circulation.
z All Must Perform Part.
LAS an advertisement, I think nc
= community can make better move
& than 10 hold a celebration that will
. not only bring the visitors in thou
sands, but so entertain them that they
: Will long retain memory of the gooG
: times they experienced while on theil
Visit. To accomplish this in its full,
mess will require, however, the hearty
scooperation of every citizen. BY this
81 do not mean in cash only, but they
must be ready to assist wherever
.Epessible. If they are placed upor
l. committees, they must fulfill theil
duties upon such committees ever
at. the sacrifice of time thai
SHOULD be devoted to theil
@pEivate enterprises. With such CO
Operation there is no reason why the
program outlined for the huge cen
: tennial in the tri-cities should not be
carried out to the lasting renown OF
sthe cities and citizens"
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