Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1916-01-28
CLUB Dinner WAS A HUMMER
13O BUSINESS MEN PARTOOK OF
FINE DINNER AND HEARD Z
GOOD TALKS n

Our Commercial club on Monday
evening held one of the biggest and
best get-together dinners in it's his.
tory, at the Buckman hotel. The at
tendance exceeded one hundred and
thirty and every line of business was
represented. An excellent six-course
dinner was served.
Frank Kiewel, president Of the club,
made an excellent toastmaster. i
He first called upon F. W. Dobbyn,
superintendent Of the public schools
of this city, who gave very interest
ing talk On the growth of Little Falls
in the past five years. The increase
in the banking business in this city
alone is evidence of the growth Of the
city, he said. The total increase was
a million dollars, of which one-half
was in deposits. The surplus also has
shown large gain.
The amount Of building construction
during the past five years has :lso
been remarkable, he said. Approx
mately $370,000 has been spent on the
construction Of business blocks and on
the new concrete dam. It is estimat-
ed that more than one hundred
new dwellings, have also been con-
| structed in that time and the approxi-
mate cost Of these is 100000, making
the total amount spent in this city
the last five years for construction,
$570,0O0; over half million. This
is more than one-third Of the assess.
| ed valuation Of the city. Mr.. Dobbyn
| stated that the assessed. valuation Of
the city is entirely too low, in fact
it is no larger than it was five years
ago and less than it was a year ago.
Of interest to. the hearers were fig
ures given by Mr.. Dobbyn on the bus
| mess of one manufacturing concern
| which started in business here less
than five years ago. This concern IS
Sylvester & Nichols. They did to-
tai business amounting in all Of $76y
600 in 1915 but this was lower than
for the previous year, owing to the
discontinuance of one jobbing line,
tobacco. They manufactured 44,0W
pounds Of candy last year, as well as
thousands OF pounds of. butter and
thousands of gallons of ice cream.
| Along educational lines Little Falls
has taken rapid strides during the
past five years, Mr.. Dobbyn pointed
out. He mentioned the local business
college as one Of the biggest and best
| in the entire northwest, having an en-
rollment Of over $50 each year. Thd
public schools offer more and greater
advantages. Five departments have
been added during the past five years,
for which $4,000 state aid is received,
making total Of $4,000 aid secured
from the state each year. The attend
ances at the high school has, ins reasaal
88 per cent. ,s =. y - 8: i,ESF
The county fair association has
been reorganized and is now very
healthy organizations. Grounds have
been, purchased and exhibit buildings
erected at cost of several thousand
dollars.
The freight business has increased
considerably, showing that there. has
been an increase in the manufacture
Of the various products. 49,
A new white way has been installed
which is the best outside of the twin
cities, Duluth and Hibbing.
A new $500 fire truck has been
added to the fire-fghting apparatus Of
the city, by the Firemen's Relief as
sociation. Thirty blocks of water
main have also been laid.
The Water Power company has
greatly increased its business, having
made so extensions for current in this
city and having added Royalton and
Pierz villages to it's list of consumers.
The Northwestern Telephone COM
pany has more than doubled its bust.
ness.
Five years ago there were many
empty business buildings in *sthe city,
q yuo
all are filed that were empty then and
others have been added.
Mr.. Dobbyn closed with the words
that Little Falls had enjoyed a good,
steady, substantial growth in the past
i've years and that it is continually
growing. Soon we are to have new
postoffice, national highway, and
paved streets. he said.
John s. Ebersole of the extension
division Of the state university was
next introduced. Mr.. Ebersole was
the principal speaker Of the evening
and his subject was "Prices and the
High Cost Of Living.'
Mr.. Ebersole explained that there
are three ways to view the problem
of the cost of living. First there is
the money cost, second the cost of In.
Dor and effort, and third the psyeholo-
gical cost, or the pain of satisfaction.
Mr.. Ebersole gave figures to show the
increase in prices, both wholesale and
retail, during the past seventeen
years. Farm products which could be
purchased wholesale Tor $78 in 1896
cost $165 In 1913. Clothing which
cost SOL in 1896 cost 1928 in 1913.
The increase in the price of lumber
also was phenomenal. Retail prices
showed increases of from two.fifths to
two.thirds on farm produce, clothing,
lumber, etc. At this rate the man with
salary of $1,000 in 1896 should have
salary Of $1,S60 in 1913, the speaker
said. S.
A great tidal movement in price in
crease is now on. The increase is uni
versal except on one or two commodi-
ties. This tidal move has certain
effect on the individual, owing to- fix.
ed prices. There are three, ways OF
fixing prices, viz: by law, by contract
and by custom. Salaries of teachers,
etc., are fixed by contract; the salaries
-e ~ =