Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1919-06-13
many ENJOY
FIRST BANQUET
Guests Are Filled With Both
Good Food and Valuable
Ideas for Community
Building

One hundred and twenty-five Q
mOre people enjoyed the COmmunit
banquet given under the auspices o
the Chamber Of Commerce in Good
eagle Hall last night. The geners
expression was that it was one Of tn
best meetings Of the kind ever he'll
in Baxter Springs.
Deviating from the custom of tn
past the food was handled in cafe
terra style, each guest helping him
self to a plateful and then taking
place at the banquet table. There wer'
present men and women in about equa
proportions. Chicken and ham sand
wiches, cheese, salads, pickles, olives
and a variety Of drinks were served.
Rev. John Garretson presided Ovel
the banquet table and introduced thu
speakers with clever compliments.
The principal speakers were Judge
Allen McReynolds Of CarthOge, and
E. E. Wood, proprietor Of the Woods
department stores in Baxter and Webt
City.
Judge McReynOlds' talk was on
Community Building and 1t was preg-
nant with excellent advice most appli-
cable of which to Baxter Springs was
perhaps his caution against permit
ting petty differences to prevent the
union of thought and action necessary
to put over movements that have the
goodlof the whole community In view.
The speaker condemned the spirit that
would hold back needed improvements
because of the increased taxes that
might follow, saying that the people
who were satisfied to do without the
modern conveniences of present day
city life rather than pay the added
cost are not an asset to any commun-
ity.
E. e. Wood spoke in a most inter-
esting and pleasing vein giving his
tory of the Webb City Chamber Of
Commerce, how it had emerged from
a useless club affair for a few men
who would meet and play pool. and
pitch, into live and powerful body
which in the past year had secured
two or three good factories, establish
ed correlation with the farmers and
altogether had made a live city out
of an almost dead one. Mr.. Wood was
strong for the Chamber of Commerce
and hoped that the business men
would all get behind it and thereby
increase its influence.
Before the principal speakers were
introduced the toastmaster called up
on several gentlemen for short talks
on pertinent topics. Prof. A.-G Ter
rill, explained the purpose and work
of the vocational school which has re-
Gently been established by him in Bax-
ter, Riverton and Galena, under the
provision of the federal Smith Hughes
law. This subject has been explained
in the Citizen on different occasions
of late. Mr.. Terrill won the approval
of his audience by the clearness and
of his talk and impressed
all with the Importance Of this new
educational movement in this COM
as well as elsewhere through
out the country.
Ira Perkins, of Galena, county COM
from this district, explained
the concrete road situation very clear
Iy. Regarding the proposition of the
Galena people to build q road, under
the federal aid plan from Galena west
through RivertOn to the road running
south from Columbus to Picher, de-
clared that It would cost about $780,
900 to bridge Spring river, and the
total cost would be greatly in excess
Of the meximum Of $4,000 of which
the government gives half. He infer
red that the high cost would prevent
the success Of Galena's plan. He de-
clared himself In favor Of the pro-
posed concrete road from Galena
through Lowell TO Baxter Springs,
thence west from Baxter on the Che
topa road to the west county line, and
be hoped the promoters would be sue
cessful.
l. L. Cardin spoke briefly on the
progress Of the Dairy Products plant
and assured the people that the plant
would soon Be IN operation.
Z. n. Richardson, when asked 70 ~
fCsutiun.l a l.ss psssl