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Show 1 THE COMMERCIAL CLUB f I OF SALT LAKE CITY The Commercial club of Salt Lake City was organized February 11, 1902, under a call sent out by Gov. Hebcr M. Wells to one hundred prominent business men of tho city. It started with fifty-five charter members, all residents. Today the club has 850 resident resi-dent and seventy non-resident mem- i ber9. During the year 1904 the net gain In membership was about ono hundred. It was the Intention when the club was organized to expend $3000 In the equipment of quarters, but the original Idea grew until now more than , $20,000 has been expended for this pur- j-.se. The club has met with marked success suc-cess from the start. In addition to providing pro-viding a common meeting-place for bunlness and professional men, where valuable acquaintances are formed and questions of mutual interest may bo discussed under the most favorable auspices, aus-pices, tho club as an. organization has proven invaluable to the community in taking up matters of public interest, pursuing intelligent Investigations and upon the findings made presenting rec-ori rec-ori jnendatlons which are always of uncommon un-common Weight. As a m Ltter of fact, no public question ques-tion of importance has arisen In the last few years in which tho Commercial Commer-cial club has not taken an active part. Its policy is to thoroughly investigate and discuss questions from the standpoint stand-point of every Interest before reachlr-g a conclusion, ?.nd then avoiding Interference Inter-ference with legislative bodies furLher than the making of suggestions. While the club has no power to enforce en-force its conclusions except by the creation cre-ation of public sentiment, it has worj a reputation for conservatism and fairness fair-ness and the going to the bottom of questions! which guarantees tho utmost respect Cor its recommendations and. Which gives it an Influence of untold value. W'lih much of the club's work of a public character the public Is familiar, but a great deal of work has been done bo quietly that little has been heard of It on tho outside, there being always questions arising wherein a still hunt Is more effective for good than would be violent agitation. An example of this Is found In tho campaign for the abatement abate-ment of freight rate discriminations, which h&Ve operated dlsodvantageouuly to Salt Lake City Jobbers For three years the club has at all times had committees at work endeavoring to solve this problem, over which even local lo-cal railroait nien have not had- full control. con-trol. Audi It is only witliin a few weeks that the club's efforts In this direction have been crowned, with success. It is now assured) of the adoption of a revised re-vised tariff schedule, which will Inure greatly to the benetlt of Utah business men and Incidentally to the consumers in Salt Lake City's large trade territory. terri-tory. Tho club has taken a great interest In the question of Government reclamation, reclama-tion, realizing us It does that the exterv-elon exterv-elon of the area of rich cultivable land adjacent to the city must add wonderfully wonder-fully to its resources. Work along this line has Included the education of land owners to an appreciation of the desirability desir-ability and necessity of conforming With the requirements of the Government Govern-ment to secure irrigation aid, as well as to direct the attention of the Government's Gov-ernment's agents to the great Held hero for extension, of Government work In this direction. One of the accomplishments accomplish-ments has been to pecure the location In Salt Lake of the Government's reclamation recla-mation headquarters, which is In charge of Engineer George L. Swend-sen. Swend-sen. A Center of Interest When capitalists come to the Hty with the view of Investing 1 any enterprise enter-prise the first place visited by them, usually, Is the Commercial club, as the place where reliable Information may be the most easily obtained. This was the case when the promoter of the 1260,000 cold storage plant. Just completed, com-pleted, tlriH came to the city, as it was when Mr. Woodcock was looking up the chances for building a half million dollar dol-lar hotel at the Hot Springs, and when B Mahler came to Inaugurate the building of a system of inter-urban railroad rail-road lines. Another great work Is done b.v tho club through the medium of correspondence corres-pondence Aside from the communications communica-tions addrewed directly to the club, all letters of Inquiry received by the postmaster, the Mayor or the Governor are turned over to tho club for replies. Then every year a book Is Issued setting set-ting forth the adrvantagea and resources of the State and city, with the progress being mado In Important Industries, such as mining and agriculture, and thee aro circulated through various mediums. A feature which Is of great advantage to members of the club are reciprocal arrangements enjoyed) with twenty-five twenty-five other similar clubs In prominent cities of the country- A card of membership mem-bership In the Commercial club presented pre-sented at any other club with which thc-so arrangements exlit entitles the holder to every privilege of the club visited, with the single exception of the voting privilege A work In w hich the Commercial club has been quite successful Is that of organizing or-ganizing special Interests to their distinct dis-tinct advantage. The Real Estate association as-sociation and, the Hay and Grain Dealers' Deal-ers' ex.hango are direct results of the efforts In this line, while Important aid In the organization of the Utah Credit Men's association was given, by the club. Among the organizations which meet regularly In the club's apartments, In addition to those Just named, are tho Salt Lake County Medical society, tho American Institute of Bank Clvrka, the Druggists' association, arid others. The dub is accumulating as rapidly as possible a very valuable library, which will be greatly extended with the enlargement of the club's quarters. It also gives great encouragement to local lo-cal artists, some of the bent productions In tills line beirug found upon the club w-alls. It is Intended to very ooon collect col-lect a complete display of Utah minerals miner-als to havo on exhibition for the benefit bene-fit ot visitors. In fact, . the club Is constantly con-stantly extending the scope of its work and its Influence for the city good, and Is ready at all times to take up and promote any question which af-fects af-fects tho material welfare of Utah and Salt Lake City. Its membership Includes In-cludes representatives of every busi ness, every profession and every Indus- I try In the State, and every Interest Is I always given the samo careftul consld- !! eratlon, aid and encouragement. The j club Is always prepared to help any J good cause or resist any evil Influence. 1 |