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HISTORY OF
THE INDUSTRIAL CLUB
OF CHICAGO
History of
The Industrial Club
of Chicago
From Its Organization in 1905
To Its Merger With
THE COMMERCIAL CLUB
in 1933
Privately Printed
at The Lakeside Press
Chicago : 1 934
The Industrial Club of Chicago
GENESIS OF THE CLUB
IN the year 1 905 the commercial and civic Hfe of Chi-
cago was responding to the quickening influence of
"The Chicago Plan," to the advancement of which
an organization known as The Merchants Club was
pledged.
It was this spark which kindled, in the mind of Gustave
F. Fischer, a desire to create a similar organization and
arouse the interest of the younger generation, particu-
larly those engaged in the industrial life of the city, to
become active in similar civic undertakings.
The subject of creating such an organization was dis-
cussed informally by Mr. Fischer with Mr. Richard E.
Schmidt and Mr. Philip W. Seipp. Both were favorably
impressed with the project and lent their encouragement.
In discussing the best method of organizing such a
club, it was decided to submit the plan to their associates
who formerly constituted the Board of Directors of the
Germania Maennerchor, the prominent German social
organization at North Clark Street and Germania Place,
of which society Mr. Fischer had been President. At the
1 905 anniversary dinner of the Board of Directors of this
society the project was presented and unanimously en-
dorsed, and Mr. Fischer was instructed to proceed with
the organization. Accordingly, the plan of organization
was worked out and the members of the old Board of
Directors of the Germania Maennerchor became the
charter members of the new organization. They were as
follows:
William A, Birk Walther R. Michaelis
Gustave F. Fischer William H. Rehm
John George Graue Richard E. Schmidt
Albert F. Madlener Philip W. Seipp
The minutes of the first meeting of the organizers of
the new club read as follows:
Minutes of meeting held June i, 1905, at the Germania Maenner-
chor for the purpose of organizing a club on the lines of the Chicago
Commercial Club and the Merchants Club by the younger element
of Americans of German descent.
The following were requested to be present:
Gustave F. Fischer J. George Graue
Wm. A. Birk William H. Rehm
Richard E. Schmidt Charles V. Wohlhueter
Albert F. Madlener Edgar J. Uihlein
Walther R. Michaelis Philip W. Seipp
of which the following were present:
Gustave F. Fischer Wm. A. Birk
Albert F. Madlener Walther R. Michaelis
Richard E. Schmidt Philip W. Seipp
It was moved by Mr. Seipp and seconded by Mr. Birk that Gus-
tave F. Fischer be appointed temporary chairman, which motion
was carried.
Moved by Mr. Michaelis and seconded by Mr. Birk that Philip
W. Seipp act as temporary secretary; motion carried.
Mr. Fischer read the Rules and By-Laws of both the Mer-
chants Club and the Commercial Club, and the general idea of
a club was discussed informally.
It was moved by Mr. Seipp and seconded by Mr. Schmidt that
the club about to be organized should be called "The Industrial Club
of Chicago." Motion carried.
It was moved by Mr. Seipp and seconded by Mr. Michaelis that
Mr. Fischer proceed with the necessary steps to obtain a charter for
the Industrial Club of Chicago; motion carried.
It was moved by Mr. Birk and seconded by Mr. Madlener that
the temporary preamble of the Club should be as follows: "The
object of the Industrial Club of Chicago is to advance the public and
industrial interests of the community by interchange of thought and
association of its members." Carried.
Moved by Mr. Birk and seconded by Mr. Madlener that the
directors of the organization shall be composed of nine members,
from which membership they shall elect a President, Vice-President,
Secretary and Treasurer, the remaining five being on the Executive
Committee; motion carried.
Moved by Mr. Seipp and seconded by Mr. Schmidt that a com-
mittee be appointed to present a constitution and set of By-Laws;
motion carried. The Chair appointed Mr. Birk and Mr. Seipp and
himself (it being the unanimous desire of those present that Mr.
Fischer be on this committee) as members of this committee.
Moved by Mr. Michaelis and seconded by Mr. Madlener that a
committee of membership be appointed, which motion was carried;
the Chair appointed the following as committee: Messrs. Schmidt,
Madlener and Michaelis.
There being no further business, it was moved by Mr. Michaelis
the meeting be adjourned, seconded by Mr. Madlener, and carried.
Philip W. Seipp,
Temporary Secretary.
The charter and object of the club having been agreed
upon, securing name or title was the next matter of im-
portance. The title, "Industrial," had been chosen, as on
consulting the dictionary definition of this term it was
deemed most comprehensive in defining the scope and
character of the proposed organization.
An application for a charter for "The Industrial Club
of Chicago" was forwarded to the Secretary of State of
Illinois, only to be returned in due course because a
charter for an "Industrial Club" had been issued several
years before.
8
This was a surprise to the organizers as no such club
was known to any of them. Research revealed that while
there was such a club, it had not been active for a number
of years and but two of its members were still living.
These gentlemen made the necessary affidavits, and
complied with the other necessary legal formulae, to the
end that the Secretary of State might accept a surrender
of their charter and issue a new charter to The Industrial
Club of Chicago under date of October 2, 1905.
The Articles of Incorporation and the original By-
Laws are given on the following pages. In connec-
tion with the latter, it might be pointed out that two
membership classifications were provided for. Active and
Associate, the intention being to limit the number of
active members and, at the age of 55, transfer them to
the Associate Class, thereby creating vacancies in the
active membership for men of the younger generation,
that the work of the organization might be carried on
aggressively, yet without losing the counsel and cooper-
ation of the older members.
ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION
STATE OF ILLINOIS
DEPARTMENT OF STATE
James A. Rose, Secretary of State
To All to Whom These Presents Shall Come, Greeting:
Whereas, A certificate, duly signed and acknowledged, having
been filed in the office of the Secretary of State, on the second day
of October, A.D. 1905, for the organization of
THE industrial CLUB OF CHICAGO
under and in accordance with the provision of "An Act Concerning
Corporations," approved April 18, 1872, and in force July i, 1872,
and all acts amendatory thereof, a copy of which certificate is hereto
attached,
Now, Therefore, I, James A. Rose, Secretary of State of the
State of Illinois, by virtue of the powers and duties vested in me by
law, do hereby certify that the said
THE INDUSTRIAL CLUB OF CHICAGO
is a legally organized Corporation under the laws of this State.
In Testimony Whereof, I hereto set my hand and cause to be
affixed the great Seal of State. Done at the City of
Springfield this second day of October, A.D. 1905,
and of the Independence of the United States the
one hundred and thirtieth.
James A. Rose,
Secretary of State.
STATE of ILLINOIS,]
^SS.
COOK COUNTY.
To James A. Rose, Secretary of State.
We, the undersigned, Gustave F. Fischer, Philip W. Seipp, Albert
F. Madlener, Walther R. Michaelis, John George Graue, Richard
E. Schmidt, William H. Rehm, and William A. Birk, citizens of the
United States, propose to form a corporation under an Act of the
General Assembly of the State of Illinois, entitled "An Act Concern-
ing Corporations," approved April 18, 1872, and all acts amendatory
thereof; and for the purpose of such organization we hereby state
as follows, to-wit:
1. The name of such corporation is
THE INDUSTRIAL CLUB OF CHICAGO
2. The object for which it is formed is to advance industrial and
public interests through an association of professional and business
men and a free interchange of views.
3. The management of the aforesaid Club shall be vested in a
Board of Nine Directors, who are to be elected annually.
4. The following persons are hereby selected as the Directors to
control and manage said Corporation for the first year of its cor-
porate existence, viz.
Gustave F. Fischer, Philip W. Seipp, Albert F. Madlener, Walther
R. Michaelis, Richard E. Schmidt, John George Graue, William
H. Rehm, William A. Birk and Charles V. Wohlhueter.
5- The location is in the City of Chicago in the County of Cook
in the State of Illinois, and the postoffice address of its business
office is at Room 1626 First National Bank Building in the said
City of Chicago.
Signed:
GusTAVE F. Fischer
Philip W. Seipp
Albert F. Madlener
Walther R. Michaelis
John George Graue
Richard E. Schmidt
William H. Rehm
William A. Birk
STATE OF ILLINOIS,]
COUNTY OF COOK.
I, Elva L. Abbott, a Notary Public in and for the County of
Cook and State aforesaid, do hereby certify that on this sixteenth
day of June, A.D. 1905, personally appeared before me Gustave F.
Fischer, Philip W. Seipp, Albert F. Madlener, Walther R. Michaelis,
John George Graue, Richard E. Schmidt, William H. Rehm, and
William A. Birk, to me personally known to be the same persons
who executed the foregoing certificate, and severally acknowledged
that they had executed the same for the purpose therein set forth.
In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal the
day and year above written.
Elva L. Abbott,
Motary Public.
10
Original By-Laws
ARTICLE I
OBJECT
The Industrial Club of Chicago is formed to advance
industrial and public interests through an association of
professional and business men and a free interchange of
views.
ARTICLE II
MEMBERSHIP
Section i . The Club shall consist of those by whom it
was organized, and of such other members as shall be
hereafter admitted, in accordance with its By-laws.
Sec. 2. The membership shall be classified into active,
associate and non-resident members. The number of
active members shall in no case exceed sixty, and no per-
son over fifty years of age shall be eligible to active mem-
bership.
Sec. 3. Applications and recommendations for active
membership shall be made to the Executive Committee
in writing, and signed by not less than five active mem-
bers. When a candidate for active membership is unani-
mously approved by the Executive Committee, it shall be
the duty of the Secretary to send a printed ballot contain-
ing the name of such candidate to each active member of
the Club. Each active member may thereupon vote upon
the election of such candidate by writing "Yes" or "No" 1 1
opposite the name of such candidate and returning such
ballot to the Secretary within two weeks from the date of
such ballot. Two negative votes shall exclude the can-
didate.
Sec. 4. Every active member upon arriving at the age
of fifty-five years, or whenever he shall in any way be-
come unable to attend the meetings of the Club, may,
with the unanimous consent of the Executive Committee,
become an associate member.
Sec. 5. Whenever in the unanimous judgment of the
Executive Committee, it shall be deemed necessary and
to be to the interest of the Club to make room on its
active membership list for one or more desirable appli-
cants for admission, said Executive Committee may re-
quest and put upon the associate membership list one or
more of its active members who may be over the age of
fifty-five years, beginning with the eldest.
Sec. 6. Any active or associate member, who by re-
moval from the city, shall cease to be a resident thereof,
may, by a unanimous vote of the Executive Committee,
become a non-resident member.
Sec. 7. In the admission of members, due regard shall
be had, so far as practicable, to the branch of business in
which they are engaged, so that the various industries of
the city shall be fairly represented in the Club.
Sec. 8. Whenever, in the judgment of a majority of the
Executive Committee, determined by a vote at any of its
regular meetings, any member shall be deemed to have
disgraced himself, or it shall be held that his further con-
tinued membership would disgrace the Club, said Exec-
1 2 utive Committee may expel such member.
ARTICLE III
OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS
Section i . The officers of the Club shall consist of a
President, a Vice-President, a Secretary and a Treasurer
and five Directors, who shall be elected at the regular
annual meeting in April in each year, and shall hold
office until their respective successors are elected. The
officers and board of directors shall constitute the Exec-
utive Committee, in whom shall be vested the govern-
ment and management of the Club.
Sec. 2. A nominating committee of five active mem-
bers, shall be selected at the regular meeting of the Club
in March of each year, and it shall be the duty of this
committee to prepare a list of candidates for the respec-
tive offices and directors of the Club, and cause the same
to be mailed, by the Secretary, to each member entitled
to vote, at least two weeks before the meeting at which
the annual election shall be held.
Sec. 3. Any ten or more active members may nomi-
nate other candidates for the same office or offices; pro-
vided, however, that such nomination shall be made in
writing, and signed by the members making them, and
filed with the Secretary; provided, further, that such
nominations are made and copies thereof mailed, by the
Secretary to each member entitled to vote, at least five
days prior to such annual election.
Sec. 4. Any vacancy occurring in the Executive Com-
mittee, for any reason whatever, may be filled by the re-
maining members thereof. The person so appointed shall
hold office until the next annual meeting, or until his
successor is elected. ^3
ARTICLE IV
MEETINGS
Section i . The regular meetings of the Club shall be
held on the Third Thursday of each month, from Novem-
ber to April, inclusive. The Executive Committee shall
have authority to change the day whenever it deems it
advisable to do so, and shall at all times designate the
place of meeting.
Sec. 2. Any member may, with permission of the
Executive Committee, invite one guest to attend each
meeting of the Club, but no guest shall be present on the
invitation of the same member on more than two occa-
sions during any one Club year, except by special invita-
tion of the Club itself.
Sec. 3. Absence by any active member from three suc-
cessive regular meetings of the Club, without satisfactory
explanation, shall be considered as a withdrawal from
the Club, and the name of such member may be stricken
from the membership roll by the Executive Committee.
Sec. 4. Meetings of the Club shall take precedence of
all social engagements, and whenever any active member
is unable to attend any regular meeting of the Club, he
shall send his reasons for not attending, in writing, to the
Secretary, in ample time to reach him on the morning
of the day on which such regular meeting is to be held.
ARTICLE V
INITIATION FEES, DUES AND FINES
Section i . An initiation fee of Twenty-five Dollars shall
be paid by each person upon admission to membership.
14 Sec. 2. The annual dues of active members shall be
Forty Dollars, payable upon admission to membership
and at the beginning of each year. The fiscal year shall
end with the regular meeting in April.
Sec. 3. Any active member who shall fail to give a
reason satisfactory to the Executive Committee, for his
non-attendance at any regular meeting, shall be fined
the sum of Five Dollars.
Sec. 4. Associate and non-resident members shall have
the same privileges and duties as an active member, but
shall not be entitled to vote at any election, nor be
eligible for office, and shall be exempt from the payment
of dues and fines, other than such assessments as the
Executive Committee may levy for any regular or special
meeting of the Club actually attended by an associate
or non-resident member or for any such meeting that he
has expressed an intention of attending.
Sec. 5. Any member may be dropped from the mem-
bership roll for non-payment of initiation fees, dues,
fines or assessments by the Executive Committee, when-
ever, in its discretion, such member has had ample no-
tice and time within which to pay the same.
ARTICLE VI
AMENDMENTS
These By-laws may be altered or amended by a two-
thirds vote of the members present at any meeting of the
Club, provided notice of the proposed alteration or
amendment shall be given at a previous regular meeting
of the Club, and a copy thereof mailed by the Secretary
to each member of the Club at least two weeks before
such meeting. ^ 5
The First Year, 1905- 1906
As has already been recorded, The Industrial Club of
Chicago was officially incorporated on October 2, 1905.
The following officers and directors were elected:
OFFICERS
GUSTAVE F. FISCHER, PRESIDENT
WILLIAM H. REHM, VICE-PRESIDENT
ALBERT F. MADLENER, TREASURER
WALTHER R. MICHAELIS, SECRETARY
DIRECTORS
JOHN GEORGE GRAUE RICHARD E. SCHMIDT
CHARLES V. WOHLHUETER
THE first year of the Club's existence was devoted
largely to the selection of its membership. Many
informal meetings were held at which policies
were discussed and new members were introduced. It
was a period fruitful in new friendships, which have en-
dured down to the present among those who have sur-
vived. That little group of early members became imbued
with the spirit of civic service and laid the foundation,
that first year, for a Club to the influence of which Chi-
cago came to owe much in the years which followed. I /
Membership was both a pleasure and a privilege from
the first.
To relate in detail the story of The Industrial Club's
twenty-eight years of useful service to Chicago would
indeed be an ambitious undertaking, scarcely justifying
the labor involved in its preparation or the time required
for its reading. Instead, this modest volume has been pre-
pared, in compliance with a resolution adopted by the
members at the last Wilson Dinner, to preserve in a single
volume a brief outline of the outstanding events and
developments making up the Club's history. In the pages
which follow a year-to-year history will be presented, in
capsule form, with the names of the officers and directors
for the year. An occasional digression will be made to
amplify the story of some special project.
i8
The Second Year, 1906—1907
OFFICERS
GUSTAVE F. FISCHER, PRESIDENT
WILLIAM H. REHM, VICE-PRESIDENT
GUY V. DICKINSON, TREASURER
GEORGE H. HIGH, SECRETARY
DIRECTORS
HARRY B. CLOW JAMES KEELEY
GEORGE E. MARCY ALBERT F. MADLENER
WALTHER R. MICHAELIS
THE second year started with a membership per-
sonnel that assured the future success of the Club,
and with a definite program of civic betterment.
The work of improving the Jury service in Cook
County was the first major undertaking. Thousands of
citizens — business men, professional men, laborers, labor
leaders, judges, lawyers, politicians, and men engaged
and versed in jury duty — were circularized and inter-
viewed, and a thorough canvass of opinion in connection
with this important civic duty was made.
The members of the Club pledged themselves to jury
service and agreed to compel, so far as possible, like 1 9
service by the thousands of their employees. The first
objective was to make it possible to have a time fixed for
service by the individual when it would least interfere
with his business, or his daily endeavor of making a
living for himself and his family. A comprehensive study
of facts and experiences, and of jury laws in this country
and England, resulted in the drafting of a new "Jury
Commissioners Act" applicable to Cook County. To
anticipate, efforts were made at each session of the Illi-
nois State Legislature thereafter, but not until twenty-
five years later, in 1931, was the objective realized.
The Club, in the meantime, secured some improve-
ment in (a) the care of jurors while on duty; (b) the
treatment of jurors by Judges and Bailiffs; (c) sanitary
conditions of jury retiring rooms. For a time periodicals
were furnished by the Club for use in jurors' waiting
rooms.
Much criticism had been made because of the char-
acter of hotels selected for the housing of juries sitting on
Criminal cases, and food supplied by such hotels. To
meet this condition and supply a remedy, through the
eflforts of our member, Mr. Edward J. Brundage, who
was the President of the Cook County Board of Com-
missioners, the entire sixth floor of the old Criminal
Court Building, at Dearborn and Michigan Streets, was
remodeled with suitable rooms for the housing of these
juries at night. Comfortable furniture, clean beds, sani-
tary lavatory and toilet facilities were installed, and all
protection for the jurors and safeguards against tamper-
20 ing with the jury were provided for. One of the most
memorable meetings of the Club was on the night when
these rooms were opened to public inspection and dedi-
cated.
Portable ovens were installed in the basement of the
building by Kinsley, who was engaged as the caterer,
and as good a dinner as any prepared in a fully equipped
kitchen was served.
To anticipate again, these rooms were finally dis-
carded by a subsequent administration, but the informa-
tion acquired by the Jury Service Committee of the Club
was applied in designing and laying out the Jury build-
ing assigned to the housing of juries in the present new
Criminal Court Building.
The formal dinners of the Club began in its second
year.
The first dinner meeting was held on January 19th,
1907, when, appropriately, its first undertaking, "A
Better Jury Service" was discussed. Hon. Albert C.
Barnes presented the views of the Judiciary, Hon. John
Barton Payne those of the lawyer, and Mr. Charles H.
Wacker those of the business man.
The second was held on April 4th, 1907, when the sub-
ject of "Industrial Insurance" was discussed by Governor
Charles S. Deneen, Mr. Herman A. Schumacher, Uni-
versity of Bonn, Germany, and Mr. Edward T. Bent,
Illinois Coal Operators' Mutual Employers' Liability
Insurance Co. This meeting was of particular interest
because of the pending legislation, which resulted in the
enactment of the original Workmen's Compensation Act
in June, 191 1. 21
On February 22, 1907, Professor Starr of the Univer-
sity of Chicago, gave an illustrated talk on his trip to
Africa, at a closed dinner. A series of lantern slides of
the members, in caricature, by Mr. John T. McCutcheon
with appropriate verses on each member by Mr. Angus
S. Hibbard was an interesting feature at the final meet-
ing at the close of the second year.
Other closed meetings during the year were held
November 24, 1906:
English Jury Service Judge Marcus Kavanagh
Better Jury Service Mr. Mason B. Starring
December 10, 1906:
Industrial Insurance Professor Henderson
The golf outings of the Club, which later proved to be
of great interest and pleasure, and became a regular
feature, were started in the summer of 1907. A "Gabel
Friihstiick" at the Germania preceded the first tourna-
ment, held at Exmoor Country Club.
The honors of the tournament were won by the
following:
Champion, Guy V. Dickinson
President's Cup, John H. Wood
Club Trophy, James R. Baker
22
The Third Year, 1907-1908
OFFICERS
GEORGE M. REYNOLDS, PRESIDENT
GEORGE P. RINN, VICE-PRESIDENT
RANDOLPH ORTMANN, SECRETARY
WILLIAM F. JUERGENS, TREASURER
DIRECTORS
HARRY I. MILLER FREDERICK H. RAWSON
JOHN H. WOOD WILLIAM H. REHM
GUSTAVE F. FISCHER
WITH the work in jury reform well started, dur-
ing its third year the members turned their
attention to a variety of other subjects, local,
national and international, the breadth and scope of
which are reflected in the subjects for addresses on the
following dates by men of a calibre which only a club
with the standing of The Industrial Club of Chicago
could command as its speakers:
August 8, 1907:
Proposed Legislation Mr. Harrison B. Riley
November 7, 1907:
Parcels Post . . Postmaster General George von L. Meyer 2^
January 21, 1908:
The Hague Conferences . . . Honorable Jacob M. Dickinson