Wm. H. Taft, Secretary of War.
The Speaker of the House of Representatives.
The American National Red Cross,
Washington, D. C., January 1, 1906.
Sir: In accordance with the act of Congress entitled “An act to incorporate the American National Red Cross,” approved January 5, 1905, I have the honor to make the following report of the proceedings of the American National Red Cross for the part of the year 1905 during which the corporation has been in existence.
By virtue of the act above referred to the American National Red Cross was incorporated, succeeding to all the rights and property which had been hitherto held and to all the duties which had been hitherto performed by the American National Red Cross as a corporation duly incorporated by act of Congress, June 6, 1900, which act was repealed and the organization created thereby dissolved.
The President of the United States appointed William K. Van Reypen chairman of the central committee, and Francis B. Loomis, Charles Hallam Keep, George B. Davis, Louis A. Pradt, John C. Boyd, Mabel T. Boardman, Cleveland H. Dodge, Samuel Mather, H. Kirke Porter, John Sharp Williams, and Frederick H. Gillett members.
The first meeting of the board of incorporators was held in the diplomatic room of the Department of State on February 8, 1905, and the following-named officers of the corporation were elected: President of the board of incorporators, William H. Taft; treasurer, Charles Hallam Keep; counselor, Louis A. Pradt; secretary, Charles L. Magee. As members of the central committee, Redfield Proctor, William Alden Smith, Walter Wyman, James R. Garfield, Hilary A. Herbert, and George H. Shields.
The treasurer subsequently appointed as assistant treasurer Henry H. Flather, assistant cashier of the Riggs National Bank.