The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1927-06-09

CluU WHICH was OISdilZcu 20 years
ago, farmers were brought into the
membership. The change of name
to Community club was effected.
At first the club met in the back
room store. When these quarters
were outgrown, the club took over
the second floor of the city fire
hall which originally had been the
city hall. Clubrooms were con-
structed, and the Indebtedness
thus incurred was met by the sale
of memberships which brought
$4,000. Memberships never have
fallen below 100 and range up
ward to 200, varying somewhat
from year to year.
A boys room was equipped for
the free use of the children of the
city. Pool tables were installed and
the club rooms furnished for COM
forts of members and for large
dinners and other gatherings,
whenever they might be held.
In the World war, Mr.. Parker
was captain of home guard COM
pany. The members wished a per-
manent place of meeting and the
city desired an Armory that
would provide an auditorium for
large gatherings. To get the Arm
DRY, the city had to have a Nat
ional guard unit. Mr.. Parker
joined the National Guard, became
captain of a machine gun company
and took leading part in procur-
ing the Armory for the home
town. The building was erected at
a cost of $4,000, and soon it is
to he raised a story to provide
officers quarters and other needed
space.
The Community club policy has
been to get behind every worthy
public movement in the town and
surrounding country. Among other
enterprises it has actively sup
ported has been good roads. It's
leaders say that, had the club not
worked for it the present inter-
section here of State Highways 8,
and 20 probably would not have
been obtained.
From the inception of the Bah
cock road plan, the club has been
among it's active supporters. When
the road from Holdingford is
brought here, the city will hav.
within it's borders seven roadiJ
carrying state aid.
The Community club also has
interested itself in the Fargo rail-
road rate case which jobbers wish
ed reopened. Sank Centre will be
given hearing in June before the
State Railroad and Warehouse
commission.
Among community enterprises
the club has furthered is a boys
band directed by an experienced
band leader engaged on a salary
for that purpose Band concerts
are given in the summer months
under contract with the city.
Before the city had it's present
excellent water supply, the water
was hardly fit to drink. Then it
was proposed that a pipe system
and reservoir procure supply
from a spot near the city where
many springs bubbled forth. Again
the Community club gave support
to the project, and the municipal
water system now in use was es-
tablished.
One of the factors in the early
growth of the club was the intro
ducing, while Mr.. Parker was
president of the club, of a monthly
dinner at which the members and
their friends gathered to discuss
various topics of civic interest.
For every dinner speakers were
brought from the Twin Cities and
elsewhere to give the principal
talks which usually had to do with
community movements.
The officers of the club now
are: President, w. M. Parker,
flour mill owner; first vice presi-
dent, DR.. A. F. Moynihan; second
vice president, DR.. ]. A. Dubois;
secretary-treasurer, j. H. Hansen,
banker.
"The cooperating feeling that
the Community club has kept a.
live" Mr.. Parker said, t'has been
a strong factor in steadying bus
mess here in a period of depres-
sion. Our three banks are sound,
while within a radius of 20 miles
some of the banks in neighboring
towns have had to close. The rea-
son we have been able to weather
the disturbed conditions is that we
have been getting together to talk
over conditions and to steer a
course that would keep US out of
the breakers"
Sank Centres municipal light
ing plant is worthy of special men
ton. In 1916 the city bought the
electric distributing station. Two
years later new charter provided
for a commission to operate the
plant as a separate unit of the city
government.
The commission was to be ap-
pointed by the District court. All
service both public and private,
was properly charged for. The
plant was paid for through lean
by the city of $4,000. Today the
city has on hand money enough to
cover the purchase price, and yet
in accommodating that amount it has
been able to provide service at 10
cents a kilowatt for house lighting
and 8 and one quarter cents for
cooking.
Furthermore, many improve
ments have been made on the plant
and lines. The estimated value of
the plant has increased 100000,
which ranresents the profits in / 1