The Belding banner-news. (Belding, Mich.) 1918-1973, 1920-05-19
BELD|NG BOARD OF
COMMERCE ENJOYS
ANNUAL BANQUET
MEMBERS MAKE MERRY-GOOD
SPEECHES AND MANY
FINE REPORTS


The fifth annual meeting and BAN
suet of the Board Of Commerce was
held last Wednesday night and the
committee in charge under direction
Of Secretary Byron F. Brown ana IN n,s
efficient assistant, Mr.: marry et
mes arranged the details ana lhe
together of the members IN su.n
way as to make the occasion Tnors ,
delightful and interesting one tad
were more than one huhereu ara,. ss
tha hanouet tables when supper
,.'a. called at $50 o'clock and wheh
tha diners had donned the Nation-
~ s naner hats provided for every
81 esnest the scene was unique ana
sslaasing one. especially when the col-
iored blow pipes laid at each piaee
were put into comm sslon; ch.;st
The ladies of the Church OF Cnrlse
sa,vad the banquet and an exceileh.
80 The menu hit the appetite 10
Darfaction and the ladies of the cnurcn
ara entitled to much credit 1or theii
;nnortant part of the program
Hale,s orchestra furnished music
"a anlived the dinner hour and pro-
Gram with number OF seieeClons
Ss,,h;ch were received with applause
Pav w I Rookie besides favoring the
nser hars with a couple of solos dr.
actaa the community singing when
S,.n,,gbt ont a lot of music and song
frono the men who entered into tne
..,;r;t of il with zest. The community
songs were written especially Tor 'niS
Howard Hall at the close OF the
feast called to order and was SoaSS
master In his introduction OF the
new nresident, he spoke of the ap55
nrec;ation he felt for the hearty ana
ioval support accorded him ourins iIs
his connection with the Board as i.s
president and the hopes he had ior
its future progress ana eliciene'
hoped the members would give tne
new president the same cordiai sup
mort and wished him success. ~.
Letters of regret at not Deihg aDle
to accept invitations to be presen'
were read by assistant eSre.aay' G
Harry Holmes, from Gen. freq a GIesa
of Ionia and A. P. Johnson oil 1ranu
Rapids. .,. ,,,e,.a
received: Wilford Bricker, X. n;
BROWN. Ed. Covert, Lyle Totten, Wiii
Malone. Harry Trull, DIR. 4. !. MOL
fet and Ansel Johnson.
The report of Secretary Byron 4.
BROWN showed that in the two years
of his incumbency of the office the
membership was increased 10 lzo,
that there had been substantial ana
nrooressiye improvement in the city
which the board had encouraged and
boosted. He thanked the members
for their loyel support and his timely
remarks were heartily applauded.
Glenn r. Wortley, chairman OF the
housing committee, reported a fund
of sol .645 already pledged TOWARD
forming a housing corporation.
meeting of subscribers TO the stock
was ordered to be called to formulate
plans and complete the organization.
The nominating committee by ITS
chairman, Clyde A. Knapp, reported
their nomination Of the following ON
GERS: President, Adelbert II; Hall;
Vice President, Byron f. brown;
, Treasurer, Elvon G. Lloyd. Directors,
w. p. Hetherington, II. }. Leonard
and Merton Smith. They were elect
ed by acclamation on motion OF Guy
d. Weter. Replying briefly to the
retiring presidents introduction tne
hard for him to fill the place so effl-
GENTLY held by Mr.. Hall but asked the
hearty cooperation and support OF
the board in his effort to do so,
Lee HI. Bierce. of Grand Rapids,
Sec'y of the Assoc alton of Com
merce and father of the Belding
Board was present on invitation and
made a fine speech putting every one
in good humor with his ready wit and
pointed stories He congratulated the
association for its growth and pro-
press, explained the work of the Mich
igan Traffic League, how Grand Rap
ids was melting the housing problem,
talked about the road situation be.
tween Belding and Grand Rapids and
also of the railroads relative to the
equalization of freight rates and the
effort being made to have the Traffic
League wirk i'm unison with the Pub
lie Utilities Commission to secure
equalization. He said that sixty per
cent of the revenues was taken by
ID roads of the u. S., that 5 of the
roads were Michigan roads and that
Michigan had not bene granted the
lower rates to which it is entitled. Mr..
Bierce's speech was real business
mans talk, giving facts that every
man wants to know and was most
thoroughly enjoyed.
non -. W. nofue, tne youngest rep
resentative in the state Legislature
from one of the Kent county districts
was present and made a bried adj
dress. He urged the Board of Com
merce or any of its members to al
ways keep in touch with the Legisla-
ture and cooperate with that body.
Asst. Sec'y, Byerly, of Grand Rap
ids. Association Of Commerce, also
spoke briefly.