Scope and ContentIn the fall of 1924 Dr. W. B. House took once as president of the Saugatuck Chamber of Commerce. His address at the annual banquet, printed in the October 23, 1924, Commercial Record, is full of the history of things as they were, and the hopes and philosophies of Saugatuck as a resort. --- Friends and Neighbors: This Chamber of Commerce is an organization formed by the citizens of this community to promote the economic and moral welfare. As I said when elected to this office of responsibility and honor: "You put me into a bad fix when you did it, and put yourselves into a worse fix -- but I thank you. Taking the situation as it is, however, I trust and believe that we shall work together harmoniously and successfully for a cleaner and better home town; a more beautiful and attractive resort; a more inviting and advantageous location for manufacturing industries, and a more wholesome and moral place in which to live and bring up our children. We live in a rapidly changing world. It is very difficult for us who are moving along with it to realize how rapidly -- and even abruptly -- old things are passing away and all things are becoming new. It is important, though, that we keep up with developments and improvements in matters essential to our own interests. Let this apply to our resort business, which, as now developed, can hardly be compared with what it was but a few years ago, with a few summer boarders around town, and here and there a cottage; sand roads, almost impassable except where covered twice a year with shingle sawdust or tanbark. Now we have modern roads such as our fathers never dreamed of; the finest of transportation, by lake, trolley, bus and auto -- to be followed soon, no doubt, by aeroplane; splendid and adequate hotel and restaurant accommodations; the Big Pavilion; the West Shore golf links; the best of city water; a number of splendidly equipped boat liveries, and various other modern devices, all of which, combined with the most luxurious natural setting of river, lake and forest, and a wide awake, progressive community, have made this, probably without exception, the most attractive and satisfactory resort in Western Michigan. Thus the works of God -- the old Kalamazoo river, with its marvelous scenery from the mouth to New Richmond and beyond; the great lake, with its wonderful bathing beach; our forested hills and bare dunes, together with a most salubrious climate -- these, combined with the works and devices of man, have made this really the one ideal resort. But there must be PROGRESS! No other resort is going to lag behind to accommodate us, nor will any of them wait while we ramble along at an easy pace. There is a general speeding up all along the line. The tourist and resort associations, the chambers of commerce, the city councils and the town boards of most resort sections are stepping hard on the gas, using every available device to attract the trade. And this mammoth cash business, here on our great M-11, passing through our very fingers, is going to be corralled by us just in proportion to our ability to convince these multitudes of splendid people, with their millions of money, of the facts concerning this one truly finest resort in the state. Most of the resorters leave their homes with Saugatuck as their objective. They have been here before, and know the unusual attractions of the place, or have learned of them in other ways. But of a vast number who pass over M-11 it may truly be said, in the words of Shakespeare or some one, "They don't know where they're going, but they're on their way" -- ready to stop and spend their money at the most inviting places along the highway. And this class of travel is one of our greatest resources, and is the one that is the most undeveloped. These people want to be attracted. They have money to spend and are going to spend it at whatever resort appeals to them most invitingly. It is now up to us as a community -- not simply as a chamber of commerce, nor as a village or town board, but as a community -- to so invite and attract this vast source of revenue that thousands more shall enjoy our delightful surroundings and, leaving, shall realize that they have been cordially and generously entertained in Michigan's most beautiful of popular resorts, and shall have a fixed determination to come again. There is, however, one matter of very grave importance that should be of deepest concern to us all. I refer to the necessity of encouraging the highest possible grade of decency and morality among our resorters. We all know, and know too well, that there is a class of young people coming in here every season whose immorality is simply unspeakable, and whose habits of moonshining and profligate licentiousness are a disgrace to our municipal control, a dishonor to the entire community, and the cause of turning away and keeping away many respectable resorters. And it is a matter of serious concern that there are three or four boarding houses here that seem perfectly satisfied to harbor just this class of damaged goods. To secure the results we are going after -- to raise the standard of life of our own people and to attract an increasing number of respectable resorters -- there will be much to consider and many things to do. Very much has recently been done to improve town conditions and increase resort trade. The construction of M-l 1 through our principal street has given us a most enviable location on Michigan's greatest highway, and the building by the village of ten feet of concrete on either side of the state concrete through the business portion of the town was a notable piece of work. Concrete roads also have been built by the village on Allegan hill and the Hoffman street hill, and between these two points, around the school house; also a fine piece of concrete through the park to the G. & M. dock; and this year the concrete road, from Butler street to the ferry, and the 100 rods of cement roadway from Dr. Walker's to Mr. Till's besides a large amount of grading and graveling on various other streets -- the improvements on Pleasant avenue and from the ferry through Baldhead Park being specially worthy of mention. Roads outside of the village are now in far better condition than ever before. The road to Fennville is fine. The gravel road from the village limits on Allegan hill to the Manlius town line, put in last year, is in good condition, and is rapidly being completed from there to New Richmond. The gravel road in Douglas, from the golf links to the lake, put in last year, gives much better access to the lake shore. The appearance of Butler street has been much improved this year by a number of very excellent electric signs put up by our business men, adding greatly to the brightness and attractiveness of the street. Let us hope that others may be added next year, and also that there may be no unnecessary delay in putting in a right up to date boulevard lighting system. And in this connection may I suggest the erection at both the north and south entrances to the village of electric arches, bearing the words "Welcome to Saugatuck" on one side and "Mizpah" or some other slogan on the other -- something really attractive and worth while, and something out of the ordinary. Attention should be given, and we should be kept posted regarding any proposed change of the routing of M-11 that might cut out the villages of Douglas and Saugatuck. Continued improvement is going on, and our village board should be encouraged in any plan to give us an adequate roadway from the ferry to the beach, with adequate bathing facilities there. And what of the Village Park? Divided into four sections as it is and intersected by the two finest driveways in town, containing many wonderful shade trees, and right in the center of the village, it is and always has been very attractive, but it ought to be, and can easily be made, the most delightful and inviting spot in town. The beautiful new church building and other recent building improvements, the fine new flag pole, the soldiers' memorial, and the tennis court have improved the general appearance very much. Now is needed a smoothly graded and well kept lawn, and the whole embellished with a number of beautiful flower beds. A number of places along the river front are very untidy, and possibly the owners would be glad to make a general cleanup if their attention was properly directed to it. Still better facilities are needed as landing places for skiffs and other small pleasure boats. These and various other important matters assure us of abundant opportunity for our best ideas and our heartiest co-operation with each other and with the Hotel Keepers' Association and our village, township, and school boards.