The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1918-01-11
rooms. The wisdom of this was man.
ifest all through the touring season.

HEST oil luIOuSu tuC touAiuS oCdooA
which lasted into November. The
headquarters were visited by tour
lists from all over the country, who
were supplied with touring informa-
tion concerning this and other sec
tions. The secretary has accumulat-
ed a quantity of information and
road maps for distribution and has
been able to route all applicants to
wherever they wished to go, which
in three instances was to California
one to the national parks, and sever
al to Illinois and Indiana. / am sure
that Mankato has been put on the
touring map and will profit by this
kind of work more and more, If it is
kept up. No better advertisement of
the city was ever made use of, con-
sidering the small amount of the cost.
"In the way of entertainment, the
club has filled every demand made
upon it the past year. On April 21
it gave the second district editorial
convention ride; May 2, one to the
photographers ASSOCIATION of South
ern Minnesota; August it enter
tanned the Fairmont Automobile club
at Sibley park; August 81 it treated
600 mothers and children to the joys
of a ride in the country; September
Is, it helped carry company H to a
patriotic demonstration at st. Pet
er; October 3, it gave ride to the
delegates to the Minnesota Fedora
alton of Women's clubs.
"The only sociability tour of the
season, carried out by the club, was
that to Fort Ridgely August %, in
which twenty to twenty five cars
joined.
"The club contributed 500 toward
the band concerts of the summer I
furnished photographs of local road
scenes which an eastern motor journ-
al used. Legislation was carefully
looked after last winter, in conjunc-
ton with the state association. The
board of governors offered a reward
of $50 for the arrest and conviction
Of parties stealing cars of members,
and also $25 reward for the arrest
and conviction of parties putting
glass bottles, etc., in the roads, but
no claims for the rewards have yet
been received. A number of lesser
services were also performed, which
it is needless to take the time now
to enumerate.
"a favorable feature of the mem
bership work was the signing up of
a number of prominent business men
Of Eagle Lake and Madison Lake.
The way has been paved for contin-
uing this work, not only in those
thriving villages but in others that
are closely interested with Mankato
In maintaining the connecting high
ways in first class condition. It is al
so proposed to seek membership
among the farmers. The advantages
of membership in the club are now
so many and so great that every au-
toist in the city and surrounding
country ought to become enrolled,
and marked increase seems sure
to follow the proper effort"
Ben Bangerter, the retiring treas
urer, also had financial report for
the year, the totals of which tailed
with those Of the secretary's report.
Reelected Old Officers.
Officers were now elected by bal
lot, as follows: President, Charles
I. Taylor, reelected; vice president,
Albert SLIDER, re-elected; secretary.
r. F. Soaring, re- elected; treasurer, F.
K. Meagher, reelected; members Of
governing board, John H. Holman
and w. j. Merchant, re- elected. and
Roy Allison, elected to succeed DIR. J.
w. Andrews; delegates to attend the
state convention at Minneapolis.
Charles T. Taylor, John H. Holman
and Tom McGovern.
President Taylor suggested the
proposition of having some kind of a
club emblem. Mr.. Soaring said the
plan that had been brought forth was
to have metal disc attached to a
members car. John H. Holman
thought such an emblem would show
at once who was member and who
was not and would make it easier
to get new members. He moved that
the club adopt such an insignia, is
suing them to members as they nav
their dues. F. E. Browder suggest
ed that the emblems should be re-
turned. if a member dropped out of
the club and this amendment was ac-
cepted and the motion thus passed.
1t was suggested that banquet
be held before the next general
meeting of the club John H. Hob
mann thought it would be good idea
He said this banquet and meeting
ought to be held before the weather
opens up for the automobile touring
One or two good speakers could be
brought to Mankato and would tell
much that the tourists would like
to know. At the suggestion of r. E.
Brown rising vote on the PROPOSE
ton was taken and it was shown that
the club was unanimously in favor OF
having committee appointed to
make arrangements for such a ban
quet.
Mr.. Brown brought forth the sug-
gestion that there should be a light
DINNER ordinance that would be
strictly enforced to prevent accidents
The suggestion was discussed by w.
IT, +. Smith, Mr.. Taylor, Mr.. Hob
mann, Mayor Lee Champlin, s. b.
Wilson and others, and the consen-
sus of opinion appeared to be that
the delegates from Mankato should
bring before the coming state auto
mobile convention the proposition of
pushing law through the next leg
islature to compel the use of DINNERS
throughout the state, thus making
both CITY and country travel safer.
Paul Radical suggested a law to
make sleighs of the same regulation
breadth between the runners as au-
tomobiles. Mr.. Holman said that
had often been tried.