The Washington times., 1919-10-30
CITY CLUB HEARS
/ REP0RTS0N TOUR
Building Committee Members
Tell of Trip to Get Ideas for
New Clubhouse In Capital.

The need Of planning the local City
; Club on a large scale TO prepare for
a phenomenal growth that is inevita-
BILE was emphasized by members OF
the clubs building committee in ad-
dresses at the weekly luncheon of the
club, held yesterday. afternoon at the
clubhouse on Farragut square.
James sharp, chairman OF the COM
mittee. and e. c. Graham, another
member, reported on the committees
tour of the clubs OF four cities, just
completed. other members of the
COMMITTEES were 10 have spoken, but
time would not permit.
=. A whitfield, president of the
club, who presided. said that the COM
mittee visited the Philadelphia Manu-
facturers' Club, the Pittsburgh Ath-
letic Club. the Cleveland Athletic Club,
the Detroit Athletic Club. and the
Detroit Golf Club. The Detroit Ath-
letic Club was declared the most
artistic, most magnificent and best
arranged club visited.
Mr.. Graham went on to Chicago,
where be visited the Chicago Athletic
Club, which has-a active membership
OF 1000. with 5000 on the waiting
list
Members Enthusiastic.
Members OF the committee are
more enthusiastic than ever over the
City Club idea after having made the
trip" said Mr.. Sharp. "a hint that
the club should take as a result of the
committees observations is to plan on
a large scale, for the City Club idea
Is spreading like wildfre. and there is
bound to be a constant demand from
all sides for admission to the club.
AN interesting observation was
that none of the clubs visited started
as auspiciously- as the Washington
City Club has. None of them had such
large initial memberships. In none of
the clubs were the dues as low as in
our City Club. The lowest dues dis
covered on the trip were $50, and our
dues are only $50 year. Some of the
clubs had considerably higher initia-
tion fees than we have. All of the
clubs have waiting lists.
Not one Of the clubs visited had
enough bedrooms to meet the de-
mand, the numbers ranging from
fifty to eighty. Our club will take
the hint and provide a much larger
number, at least 100. The rates
charged for these rooms were con-
sfderably lower than those charged
for similar accommodations at hotels.
Most OF the clubs have life or per-
ual.-memberships, similar TO the
plan that this club has Adopted. These
memberships are regarded as choice
Assets, Ealing insurance policies.
When a member dies, his estate inn
rnediately can collect the principal
from the club. But tethe policy at all
or the clubs Is gradually to diminish
the number. of life memberships; and
as this process goes on. naturally the
value OF these memberships increases
This should be q tip to the members
OF our club to invest in perpetual
memberships soon-as the oppor--
tunity is offered" -. ~,-y-,-s
Tel of ssky Lease.s ~
Nr. Sharn told-vf the Cleveland
Athletic cabs unique ssky lease,
the club ovsning only the upper floors
OF an office building.
Mr.. Graham said that most Of the
clubs had found IL necessary TO throw
the club facilities open to women at
AZ hours, He said the local club has
shown Its wisdom in making ample
provisions for the families OF men,
bers- An attractive feature that ap-
peaIed TO Mr.. Graham and which prob
ably will be adopted here was pro-
vision for numerous lockers in which
members might keep clothes for quick
downtown changes. arrangements
being made for the pressing and
meuding of suits