Walter C. Farrar, executive vice-president, gives the following interesting account of the activities of the Wilmette Home Owners assocation:
"Back in the early months of 1931, a handful of Wilmette citizens got to discussion the welfare and the future of Wilmette.
"First of all it was learned that the residential or home portion of Wilmette represented an investment of approximately $60,000,000, while the business interests including railroads and public utilities, represented an investment of only $3,000,000.
"The significance of that is, that the business interests have, and rightly so, their strong organization, the Wilmette chamber of Commerce, through which all legislation, national, state and city, affecting business, is given careful study and support or non-support as the circumstances seem to warrant. And that is only one of the many ways it operates for the good of members. The Wilmette Home Owners association was organized in March, 1931, to render a similar service to the home owners of the village, and while only five years old, can boast of considerable accomplishments, from which home owners are deriving benefits whether they support the association or not.
"For example, a few years ago we had a certain J. L. Jacobs as County assessor. The absolutely insane things he did to New Trier real and personal valuations (as well as the rest of the county) for taxing purposes is well remembered. The unjust taxes were unpaid to such an extent that the whole county faced bankruptcy.
"The Wilmette Home Owners association rolled up its sleeves and entered into the fight with other organizations and won the battle for taxpayers, so that now the smalleest home owner in Wilmette is saving many times the annual dues of th association in his annual tax bill. Taxes are being paid and our governing bodies are out of the red.
