The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1918-10-10
The Association of Commerce is the

The Association of Commerce is the
mother of the Minot Town Criers
Club, another valuable subsidiary or
ganization attached to the Associa-
ton, and which acts as vigilence
committee to keep out fake advertis-
ing solicitors and do the publicity
work of the Association and other
subsidiary bodies and committees.
The Association of Commerce office
force answers on an average 200
telephone inquiries per week during
the year, inquiries ranging from re-
quests for information from some of
the largest concerns in the city to the
woman who wants to know where to
secure several loads of garden fertil-
izer, or the man who wants to dispose
of carload of bones. All questions
asked are answered at once, or if the
information is not at hand, it is look
ed up and the party asking the in
formation is later called up and his
question answered.
The Association of Commerce main
tains offices and an assembly room,
the latter being used for meetings
of its various committees and subsi-
diary organizations, and for the serv-
ing of luncheons.
The postage bills of the Associa-
ton of Commerce will average $1,000
per week during the entire year, thus
proving that outside people consider
the organization worthy one, and
also necessary adjunct to the city
of Minot.
The Association of Commerce dur
ing the winter of 1917-1918 conducted
a signal corps school in the assembly
room Of the Association for young
men of draft age who wished to pre-
| pare themselves to enter the Signal
Corps of the U. S. Army. Fourteen
of the young men who attended this
school are now regularly enlisted in
the Signal Corps and making good in
every way, and are a credit to Minot
and Ward County.
The Association of Commerce has
had charge of all farewell receptions
given ITO enlisted and drafted men
who left Ward County for the front.
Some little cost has been attached to
these farewells, but is cheer
fully paid by the Association, for
nothing is too good for the defenders
of our Nation.
A special committee from the AS
ISOLATION of Commerce is now organ
izing the Ward County War Relief
Association, which will have as it's
principal object the assistance of all
enlisted men and drafted men upon
entering the service of the Nation,
and after the war is over to look
after their future.
The Association of Commerce main
tains an information bureau concern
ing the names and whereabouts of all
enlisted and drafted men from Ward
County. A complete list of these
men are kept in our files ready for in
slant reference. A collection of war
photographs is also assuming proper
lions, and this collection will be turn
ed over to the Memorial Building that
is sure to be erected after the war is
over. In after years this collection
and data now being gathered by the
Association of Commerce will be of
utmost Importance, and we hope,
I value.
The Association of Commerce
, through the cooperation Of the Minot
Town Criers Club will soon be able
to take complete charge of the send
ing out of all advertising literature
| for it's members, furnishing proper
classified lists for the same.
The Association of Commerce Di-
rectors have formed the habit of send
ing the Secretary to all annual con-
ventions Of National Secretaries of
Commercial Organizations, and much
good has resulted from our repre-
sentative rubbing elbows with over
300 of the foremost secretaries of the
business organizations Of the United
States.
During the past two years whole
sale paper house and factory branches
for two Of the largest tire and rubber
concerns bave come to Minot through
the efforts Of the Association of Com
merce. The declaration of war has
naturally hindered the industrial pro-
gram Of the Association, and for the
past year small effort has been made
to interest outside concerns in Minot's
exceptional distributing facilities.
After the war is won by the United