The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1923-04-19
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
BANQUET LAST THURSDAY
At Which Were Present West
Penn and City Officials

The Board of Directors of the Oak
land Chamber of Commerce held a
very successful get together" meet
ing at the Manhattan Hotel on last
Thursday evening, the program open
ing with a sumptuous and well APP
pointed banquet served by Mr.. Chas.
D. Bosley and his capable corps of
assistants.
The guests of honor were Mr.. ]. D.
Mahoney, of Pittsburgh, Pa, repre-
senting the general Offices of the West
Penn Power Company; Mr.. H. I. Bah
bitt, superintendent of the West Ma
ryland Power Co., of Terra Alta, w.
Va; Charles w. Gray and A. L. Law
ton Of the local power plant of the
company; Mayor McComes, and the
following members of the city coun-
Gil: Messrs. Lawrence NJ. Fraley, r.
T., Thayer, James P. Treacy and H.
A. Loraditch.
Immediately after the banquet, Mr..
Walter W. Dawson, who acted as
postmaster, introduced Mr.. Henry
Lauer, president of the Chamber of
Commerce, who made all welcome and
stated briefly the objects of the gath
ering. He was followed by Mayor
McComas, who cited instances of sew
eral cities nearby which had grown
from small towns in comparatively
short while as a result of cooperative
effort on the part of their organiza
tons such as the Oakland Chamber of
Commerce, and who pledged his hear
ty support to help in any way to
boost Oakland.
Mr.. Ralph T. Thayer, representing
the city council, pledged the whole
hearted cooperation Of the officials
of the town in everything that would
be a help towards the progress and
development Of this vicinity and its
resources, and stated that a number
of coal operations nearby had already
made preparations for extensive i'm
prov elnents in the manner Of mining
and handling their cGtput as soon as
electric power IS available.
States Attorney VIM. R. Ofutt cit
ed the vast possibilities within reach
as soon as the power company gets
its lines completed, an6 called atten-
ton to the transportation facilities
over both railroad and the system Of
State roads in this section.
Mr.. Offutt was followed by Mr..
Mahoney, the principal speaker Of the
evening, who gave a most interesting
and very practical talk upon the de-
yelopment of towns the size Of Oak
land, calling attention to a number Of
instances within his own knowledge
of remarkable developments where
the proper methods were employed.
He outlined at length the massive
program the West Penn Light and
Power Company is now engaged upon
for the extension Of its service and
pledged the support of his vast or
ganization to all worthy projects en-
tered into by the Oakland Chamber
Of Commerce, stating that their gen
eral offices stand ready to furnish eX-
pert assistance at any time called up
on.
Mr.. Mahoney's talk was most en-
Tightening and did much to encourage
the officers of the Chamber of Com
merce in work already started and
more extensive efforts to be made in
the future.
Mr.. Mahoney stated that his COM
pany expects to have its high tension
line in Oakland by July LIST, but that
in the event a considerable demand
for day current be made, the local
power house may furnish the same
for limited time, and that after the
high tension wires are put in here the
power will be unlimited and at rates
that will compare favocably with any
other section of the country,
Mr.. Charles T. Riley, secretary of
the Chamber Of Commerce, then made
few closing remarks, in which he
advocated the boosting of Oakland at
every opportunity, and the meeting
adjourned with everyone resolved to
get up" and "go-get- EN- with re-
newed pep and vigor from now on.