The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-01-13
Officers Make Annual Report to
Chamber of Commerce.
MUST HAVE new AUDITORIUM
Every Committee Chairman
Mentions Project in Report.
New Directors Elected; New
Officers January 16.

/
high lights in the discussion at the
annual meeting of the Chamber OF
Commerce Friday night The matter
was mentioned by practically every
reporting chairman, and the president
and secretary of the organization, in
presenting their reports for the year,
| laid special stress on the need Secre-
tary J. Will Kelley said that the fall
ure of the election to vote bonds for
the purpose of building new audi
torium or remodeling the old was "a
reproach to this body"
| AS a result, it was moved that a
referendum vote be taken by letter,
among the membership of the Cham
| Der of Commerce, to determine the eX
act sense of that body on two ques
| tins: Whether the city should build
a new. fireproof, adequate auditorium;
an whether the city should reconstruct
| the present auditorium, increasing the
seating capacity and making it fire
proof. Following the referendum the
Chamber of Commerce will probably
institute some action looking toward
the satisfaction of the executive COM
mittee of the State Teachers associa-
ton, when that body meets in To-
peka % to determine where the next
meeting of the teachers of the entire
state shall take place.
President Webb's Report
| President Webb's report dealt with
/ the addresses which have been pre-
scented before the organization by
noted people; with the membership
campaign which has been carried on;
| the financial state of the organiza-
| ton; and with several recommended
| tions for the future. President Webb
recommended. among other things,
| that the subscription of capital
stock for manufacturing industries
which require inducements to come
to Topeka, be scrutinized by a COM
mittee within the organization, and
| the utmost care be exercised before
members of the Chamber of Com
merce be asked to subscribe to
projects which they would not sup
| port if they were not members.
| The matter of bringing industries
to the city aroused much discussion
| Secretary Kelley, in his report, urged
| more liberal investment by the Cham
Der of Commerce members in bona
fide manufacturing propositions seek
| ing to locate here. He related an IN
cident of a Kansas City, Missouri,
| man, who is looking for a location in
which to establish a plant for the
manufacture of small electric lighting
plants, suitable for farm use. Tho
| the company needed only $1,000 and
the project and standing had been
rigidly examined, Mr.. Kelley stated
that he was forced to wire the man
ager that it seemed impossible to fl
nance the project. The chairman OF
| the Committee on Promotion, stated
| in his report that while there is
| money in Topeka, little seems to be
available for fostering manufacturing
and Topeka has not the manuractur-
| ing viewpoint.
| President Webb made other recon-
mendations, and expressed his lndlVld-
uaI appreciation for the cooperation
and assistance of the members of the
club, the work of Secretary Kelley, of
B. B. Eitelman and John S. Dean, and
of the efforts of the Topeka newspa-
pers.
KeIlcy's Report.
Secretary Kelley's report followed
closely along the lines of that present.
ed by President Webb, with a recount
ing of the progress which has been
made during the year and the things
which are needed. Secretary Kelley
mentioned the fact that the committee
which left early in the past year to see
what could be done at Chicago about
| having the offices of the Rock Island
returned to Topeka was still busy, and
that hopes were entertained that after
| the road had emerged from the re-
| ownership there would be large add1-
lions to the present equipment here.
! Reports from the chairmen of
| twelve committees were read or Of
fered verbally, while there were sew
! eraI committeeman absent. The re-
ports were in the majority encourag-
| ing and detailed extensive progress
which has been made by the organiza-
ton during the year. ]. B. Larimer of
the committee on parks and public
Fairgrounds. is urging the improve
| ment of the fair grounds as a city
park in addition to it's uses as a fair
| grounds, and that it be made part of
| a permanent system of boulevards and
! parks, which should be the goal of all
similar improvements during the pres
ent time.
| The constitutional amendment,
which provided for three more direc-
| tors, was amended after a brisk dis
| cussion, by a motion which provided
for four more directors. The print
ing industry had asked for represen-
tation on the board The board has
| asked for two directors at large, and
| a letter was presented by P. S. Hasty
urging that the schools of the city be
| represented on the board. The di-
rector representing the printers was
| elected last night. The directors them
| selves will select the two directors at
| large, anil the city board of education
will select its representative, accord
ing to the amendment as passed.
| The directors elected, in pursuance
of the plan whereby they were nomi-
| mated by referendum, are: G. S. Ell
/ lott fire Insurance.; f. E. Nipps,
county commissioners; George God
frey Moore life insurance; w. H. Da-
Wis. wholesaler; c. E. Bascom and B.
F. E. Marsh. railroads; E. L. Overton,
| contractor; George w. Stansfield and
z. H. Crosby, retailers; c. H. Trap,
| organized labor; w. L. Porter and W
G. Tandy, city commissioners; W. C.
Carswell, public utilities; George P.
/ McEntire, manufacturer; DR.. S. S. Es-
tey, profession; J. S. Dean, lawyer,
DR.. D. E. Esterly, physician; S. E.
Cobb, banker; G. B. Merriam, farm
mortgages; w. w. Webb, at large.
! The election of officers by the board
of directors will be held at noon, Tues
day, January 16. Before the adjourn
| ment the report of President Webb
was enthusiastically accepted and the
recommendations ordered adopted. A
| vote of thanks to the officers for their
services during the past year was also
passed Sixty members were present
at the meeting.