Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1919-11-20
GRAT|OT CLUB
ELECTION HELD
Ezra l.. Smith Elected President
and DIR. i. J. Graham is
Made Vice President.
FAREWELL FOR c. F. BROWN
Former Member, Head of Board of
Trade and Editor Given
Fine SeudOT

The annual election of the Gratiot
club was held Friday evening at the
club, and in connection with this an
nual event, which resulted in the elec-
tion of Ezra L. Smith as president of
the organization. was the splendid
farewell given 20 Charles +. Brown.
late proprietor Of the Alma Record,
president Of the Board of Trade and
honored member Of the club
The election which was held from
ZOO p. m until 300 p. M, was a
well-contested event for the Offices
of president and vice president, Ezra
l.. Smith and Or. +. j. Graham being
elected to these Offices over J. ".
Blakey and A. W. Brunner Ernest
+. Seig, candidate for secretary and
treasurer on both the blue and the
white tickets. will hold nose Offices
during the coming year. The direct
ors were also elected at the Friday
evening meeting. these being as fol-
lows For two years-H. VI. Crooks.
Charles G. Rhodes and Francis King;
for one year George Ogden, Rev. J.
Frank Jackson, and Henry II. Soule.
Following the election, Charles f.
Brown, for many years one Of Alma's
highly esteemed business men and
citizens, was presented with a hand
some leather rocking chair by the
members of the club, the presenta-
tion speech for the club being made
by the Hon. William A. Bahlke, who
spoke as follows:
"Mr. President and Members Of
Gratiot Club and Friends:
II am greatly pleased to be your
spokesman at these exercises, planned
in honor of your guest, Charles F.
Brown.
"Mr. Brown came to this city when
it was small village in 1886. A
substantial number of our former and
present citizens came to Alma dur
ing the same year. At that time, 7
think we were a place of about 1900
population, although more were
claimed. There were only five brick
buildings then in the village, Wright's
Opera House Block, hen so called,
and the Wright House, were complet-
ed in 1884. The only other brick
buildings then in the village, were
this place, the former residence of
Hon. William S. Turck, now de-
ceased) and at present the home of
your club, the residence of the Della
vans on State street, and the Delavan
store now occupied by Mr. Proud, OF
Superior street. The old high school
across the river, was open for school
purposes for the school year of
1867 The Sanitarium was started
in 1886. Brainerd's Normal school,
now Alma College, three buildings,
were built in 1886 There were no
manufacturing enterprises in the
city. Until the advent of Mr. Wright
in 1882, our city was just "a thriving
cross roads country village. 1t had
struggled for an existence, but had
not succeeded in advancing beyond
little village, dependent entirely up
on agricultural pursuits for its ex-
istence. Into this kind of a commun-
ity come Charles +. Brown. and here
as editor, publisher, politician and all
around hustler, he has lived and de-
voted the best years Of his life.
81 think it entirely worthy of COM
ment that this occasion is the second
one of its kind, that has taken place
in this community in the past 35
years. The other occasion. was when
the citizens of our town, one after
q 4
and marched to the residence Of Mr..
Wright on State street. and present
ed to him there, a rocking chair, as
slight token of the esteem and re-
spect which our citizens entertained
for him, by reason of his life among
US and the prosperity and growth
which he had brought to us. This was
entirely worthy demonstration of
our people toward one eminently de-
serving the honor. Mr.. Wright gave
to this community, the benefit of the
material things of life, which he
possessed, and by it, he helped develop
this then struggling little village, out
Of its old ways into the new.
81 say that it is entirely fitting
that we should remember that occa-
sion of 20 years ago at this time
The fortunes of life have not brought
to Mr.. Brown, the material prosper
ity that it brought to Mr.. Wright,
but ! think that it is entirely proper
to say, and say it with careful
consideration Of the exact truth, that
while it has not been given to MIR.
Brown to give to this community so
much of the material things of this
world, it is equally worthy of com
ment, that no person who has lived
in this community during the past
"a years, has given so much of his
time and his effort to the develop
ment and betterment of his city and
service to his friends, as has Charles
+. Brown. do not know of higher
compliment that we could pay to any
person.
During all these years, whenever
and wherever it was necessary and
desirable, that effort should be made
for the upbuilding and Improvement
Continued on page four)