On May 13, 1891, fourteen gentlemen signed an agreement to associate themselves with the intention of constituting a corporation to secure the union and co-operation of the citizens in promoting the business interests and welfare of the City of Malden and to provide for the establishment and maintenance of a place for business and social meetings. The following signed this agreement:
Everett J. Stevens, E.E. Locke, Asher F. Black, Geo. H. Woodruff, T.W. Brown, T.R. Howard, John E. Staples, J.W. Graham, L.J. Rodier, G.A. Murray, Will Everett Eaton, John M. Corbett, Jas. W. Webster, Jas. H. Waite.
The first meeting held in Pythian Hall on June 10, 1891 was called to order by Col. E.E. Locke. Everett J. Stevens was elected Chairman and E.e. Locke temporary Clerk, the oath being administered by Albert F. Sargent, Justice of the Peace. At an adjourned meeting on June 19, the constitution and by-laws were adopted. Everett J. Stevens was elected President; E.E. Locke, Clerk and Secretary; James W. Webster, Treasurer, and Asher F. Black and Jas. H. Waite, Vice Presidents. The first Board of Directors was: E.J. Stevens, J.W. Graham, T.W. Brown, J.E. Staples, J.M. Corbett, L.J. Rodier, W.E. Eaton, G.A. Murray.
The second meeting of the Board of Trade was in Pythian Hall in October, 1891 and the first application for membership was that of CC. Burpee. The Board of Trade had about the same troubles at that time that we have in Malden now. The telegraph system in Malden was considered defective and the Board tried to make an improvement. Attention was called to the fact that there was no platform at the Saugus Branch Station and that a young lady alighting from a train that evening fell into the Saugus Branch Creek. This was referred to a committee.
The next meetings were held in Room N. City Hall, in Corcoran Hall, an din January, 1892, they had a room in the Masonic Building over Yerxa’s grocery store. This room was rented to the YMCA, the Co-operative Bank and the Republican City Committee.
In 1893, the Board tried to have the Saugus Branch Creek put in a sanitary condition and a retaining wall built; also the purchase for a public park of the Corcoran and Turkey Red Works land was considered.
In the first part of 1894, one of the meetings had to be adjourned as the janitor had lost the key. Consideration was given to having Jackson Street built through to Pleasant Street, and the Board opposed the annexation of Malden to Boston.
The single tax question was up for discussion and William Lloyd Garrison addressed a Board of Trade meeting in Marcus Hall of the Brown Building, now the Masonic quarters, on this subject in 1896. Other speakers were Curtis Guild on “The Private Duty to his City, State and Nation”. Also, Atty. Gen. Knowlton on “the Public Duty of the private Citizen”. The rule was made at this time that all meetings close at 10 p.m.
John Haggkvist, F.T. Herridge representing F.W. Woolworth Co., C.P. Hicks representing C.P. Hicks & Co., George Horseman, Samuel E. Jordan representing S.E. Jordan Brush Co., Winfield S. Kaulback, Harding A. Kelley, Alexander Kerr, Edmund E. LeClair, P.J. McShane representing P.J. McShane & Co., E.E. Neal, Edw. F. Pendergast, Alexander S. Ross representing Cobb Bates & Yerxa, Walter Leroy Smith representing Malden Commercial School, Albert B. Tenney, Edwin Troland, Wm. A. Trucker, F. J. Walsh, Gilbert N. Ware, George Watson, Wheeler, Pollock & Wilkins.
At this time, Malden was still in trouble with its telegraph office being closed on Sunday and evenings.
In 1910, the Board considered a new City Charter, and also the question of having the Elevated cars come to a full stop before passing under the Western Division Bridge as there were many accidents at this place. On March 9th of this year, a Legislative Night was held with 230 present. The speakers were Governor Draper, President of the Senate Allen Treadway and Speaker of the House Joseph Walker. In May, consideration was given to the erection of a Board of Trade building but this was abandoned as subscriptions were obtained for only $10,000. Assembly Hall in the Auditorium Building was engaged for the regular meetings.
In 1911, the meeting place was changed to Odd Fellows Hall and there appeared before the meetings, Rear Admiral F. E. Chadwick speaking on the Newport Plan, and Congressman Ernest W. Roberts on the Doings of the 61st Congress; Horace Atherton, Asst. Postmaster General, on Postal Facilities, Representative Charles L. Underhill on “the Other Side”. In April 1911, the Malden News issued a twenty-four page paper as a special industrial issue and gave an account of Board of Trade activities. In October, at the suggestion of the Board of Trade, City Hall hours were changed from 8 to 12:30 and 2 to 4 to be 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. In that same month, the Board conducted their first Merchant’s Week which was a great success.
In April 1912, the building of Exchange Street was first discussed. In June, recommendation was made by the Board that there be more car stops in Malden Square. An outing was held on July 24 at the Brenton, Nahant. A Malden Carnival Week and a Malden Products Exposition were held in this year.
At a meeting, April 16, 1913, the speaker was John W. Weeks from the Post Office Department. In June, Gen. Leroy Sweetzer spoke on “The Militia”.
