"About the middle of September, the distress said to exist among the Wall Street employees, who had lost their positions as a result of the war in Europe, prompted Mr. C. E. Knoblauch to suggest that some concerted action be taken to meet this emergency, if only as a temporary expedient. A number of informal discussions of the subject with fellow members of the Exchange, and further evidences of the existence of a wider field for the work than was at first realized, culminated in a call for a meeting in the office of Tefft & Company and immediate organization. "Officers having been duly elected, the personnel of the Committee was declared to be as follows:--James B. Mabon, W. H. Remick, Graham F. Blandy, R. H. Thomas, W. W. Price, G. V. Hollins, C. E. Knoblauch, C. J. Housman, G. M. Sidenberg, Townsend Lawrence, T. F. Wilcox, Erastus T. Tefft, Chairman; Charles L. Burnham, Secretary; Edward Roesler, Treasurer. "The title of the Committee was formally agreed upon as 'The Wall Street Employees' Relief Committee.' "Through the courtesy of Mr. Clarence Mackey, the offer of a suite of rooms on the second floor of the Commercial Cable Building, 20 Broad Street, for the use of the Committee, at no charge for rent, was gratefully accepted, and arrangements for occupation were made at once. Mr. Oswald Villard, through a member of the Committee, evidenced his interest by offering temporary use of rooms in the _Evening Post_ Building for the purposes of the Committee. "It was determined that the principal object of the Committee would be to act as an Employment Bureau, to find positions for unemployed and to relieve distress where it was found to exist. It was understood and arranged for, that any Wall Street employee who had lost a position as a result of the war was eligible, and that no fees whatever be charged. A circular letter was sent to Stock Exchange members and firms appealing for subscriptions, and the matter of selection of a depository of the funds was referred to the Treasurer with power. The work of receiving and recording registration blanks commenced with a rush, over one hundred and fifty were filed the first day, and in a few weeks they numbered over one thousand.