Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1919-02-27
BOARD Of TRADE
ELECTS OFFICERS
Meeting Held Tuesday Evening
at Home Of the Grati0t
County Club.
BROWN IS AGAIN PRESIDENT
&. II. Washburn and ID. l.. Johnson
Reelected as Treasurer and
Secretary.

At the annual meeting OF tne
Alma Board of Trade held Taeday
evening at the Gratiot County club
Aouse on South Gratiot avenue, the
directors and officers for this hust-
ling organization for the coming year
were chosen, c. +. Brown, ID. l..
johnson and c. II. Washburn again
being elected as the officers.
Various other meetings held around
the city Tuesday evening kept the
attendance at the annual meeting
down considerably, much to the dis
appointment of those who attended
as the meeting was one of the hnest
that has been held in years, addresses
being given relative to the good roads
amendment to the constitutions
better packing and marking of ex-
press shipments, and to the income
taxes.
When the directors Of the Board of
Trade were elected some twenty TO
twenty-five business men Of the city
received votes from those who at
tended. Those who received the most
voters and were elected as directors
were c. F. Brown, Jotham Allen, Hen
ry II. Soule, Otto Sanderhotf, Fred
Slater. John c. Chick, Carl II. Wash
burn, Harry Gerber, ID. l.. johnson,
Albert p. Cook, w. W. Cushing,
and Chas. G.. Rhodes. John c. Chick,
one of the hustling young business
men of the city, is the only new mem
Der Of the board of directors.
Following the meeting of the mem
bers of the board, the directors We're
called together by President c. +.
Brown for the election of the officers.
1t was only matter of moments to
elect the officers, they being reelected
unanimously by the directors.
C.. +. Brown, who has been presi-
dent of the organization for the past
nine years, during which time Alma
has budded forth from a struggling
little country village into lively,
hustling business-like city, was re
elected as the head Of the board
d. l.. Johnson, secretary of the
board, who has held this Office for a
period as long as Mr.. Brown has been
president, will continue during the en-
suing year while Karl II. Washburn,
who has held the Office of treasurer
for four years, will continue in that
capacity.
During the time that these men
have been officers of the Board of
Trade, this organization has done
much for the betterment Of the com
munity, the officers, with their di-
rectors, having been most alive in
. the securing Of industries for the city
and taking an important part in other
questions which vitally affect the wei
fare of Alma, such as the agitation
very recently against the proposed
addition to the depot, which would
project out into Prospect street if il
had been constructed by the rail
roads, according TO the plans which
they had made in this respect.
After the members of the Board o.
Trade had cast their votes for the
directors for the coming year. Car
II. Canright, deputy collector of in
ternal revenue, who was in Alma tn,
first of the week, aiding those wht
needed assistance in making out theil
iDsbme tax reports, gave short tail
on the income tax, and told the mel
that he was ready 10 answer an!
questions in this regard which the!
cared TO ask. Some were put to hin
Immediately.
President Brown then introduces
Mr.. Lille of the American Railwa,
Express company, who gave a yer.
interesting and instructive talk u
the men on the campaign which tn
express companies of the country ar
waging for better packing and bette
marking of shipments. The addres
was full Of good wholesome though
for the shippers and interested tn
business men greatly.
He was followed by Mr.. Bryant o
the Michigan Good Roads commission
who went into details on the pro
posed amendment to the constitution
known as the good roads amendment
Under the amendment il would b
possible for the state TO bond for u
10 S5O,0O0,000 for good roads, h
stated, but that it-was the plan I
only use such a sum as could b
wisely handled between the variou
sessions Of the legislature. He stat
ed that this amount would probabl
be in the neighborhood Of $5,OOO.OO
yearly
He also stated that il was the pres
ent plan. if the amendment carrie,
to connect up the various links {
the good roads of the state first, an
to build the best roads that engineer
ing skill could construct.
He also told Of the millions Of do
lars which the United States was z,
ing TO spend for roads in the countr.
and that il would be necessary fC
Michigan to be able 20 match up wit
the government, il it secured il
proper share of this money.
The present townshipN system i
vogue in Gratiot county was con