Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1868-09-29
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE..
Annual Meetfng---Address OF
President Nelson.
Election OF Omcers.

at three o'clock, for their annual meeting ah'
election of ofdcerF.
The meeting having been calledto order D,
ia Nelson, Esq, President, he proceeded Il
read the following valedictOry:
GenAemezr- As this is our annual meeting, 1
may not be amlss Tor me TO detain you a lev
minutes while l lay be ore You the cendltion o
this chamber, and briefly such matters as pre-
sent themselves to my mind as affecting tne in
terest OF the chamber and our commercial com
munity. Our association during the past yea
has had Its depressing trials and emoarr1ss
mests in common with our peopfe, but l ali
pleased TO say that its nnaacial cunditionel
GOOD and thai II OWES no debt whichf it canine
meet at an early day. Notwithstanding Somi
who we're enrolled and We1H Illegally memDeri
! and wfrs honor ably bound to pay theig dues
/ declined doing so, assigning as a reasohe1ne1n
action OF the Chamber in doing those tnfng'
which they thought ought 70 De done an4tt
the accomplishment OF Whlch Jnsy dld mo-
even contribute their presence at ourmsetings
and In many cares caused q failure In having &
quorum present, 10 transact such business a.
ought TO hsys been attended to. BY your order
a COMMITTEES was appointed at our last meeting
| TO revise the list OF memDarsi and st1ke from
the roll such as refused to contributor TO the sup
mont of the Chamber. Bat, thanks 10 thost
members who came forward in our time o.
greatest distress and relieved cur pressing
vents and kept US alive. GrsRt p ase Is duekt
two OF our Vioe-Presidents, Mr.. Samuel n
Ga'es and Mr.. Levi Joy, in This behalf, and il
( AFFORDS me- great pleasure to testify 10 tueir &C
| ttyitv in assisting our Secretary in collecting
the dues of MEMBER
It is believed, seuLemen, that the Chambel
] mas nASsNu klIbAA,h AAEA y I g4Ib ddN A2AN
mat sne is no " in ire ascendant, and Will EOOu
show that igor end Influence which sheshOuid
possess. Iappeal to the members tosdstaln the
! Chamber by their presence at all regular OF
/ called meetings. Let US have no more OF thoSs
| faSureS in having "A quorum which have SC
{ Ia ytaIv contributed 10 tG9 III. satisfaction OF
association, and which las caused so much NOR
1 udcation to the Officers OF the Bear
IN mind that yCur officers cannot make q Ire
Chamber without your presence on al proper
| occasions, and your active co-Op=ra ion JOlhat
end. Let US all hereafter discard those feelings
of sefshness which have kept Us away from our
dutV 10 the Chamber, ana each lend q helping
hand in sustaining and making useful aO tubtts
tution witch is OF sGcn vital Importance to orr
/ prCsparitv. as well rs the prosperity OF every
merchant, property owner OF mechanic in our
CITY; escn OF whom sbolld apply Tor member
shin contribute MS dues ana presence 10 the
saccegs and activity of Our association.
Notwithstanding the depressions through
which we nave passed during the past year, our
efforts for the common good nave NOS bean
~ithout many good results. We feel thar the
Memuhis ChEmber Of Commerce was the first
to demonstrate against tue Odlous tax on cot.
Ton and II is beloved that we contributed
lArzely TO the repeal OF the law BESIDES this,
we have f0stered the commercial interest of our
city, as best we eould, feihohAttAte3 against
algn rates OF freight ana insurance, when az
ffcted our prosperity, and l am pleased to Soy,
IN many instances. vita satisfactory results.
We have fOstered and cared Tor the interest OF
our railroads and packe ltnes-havB done Rll
in our power 10 encourage the completion of
.he Lille Rock road, which is OF such vital
AElDgIs ZIG ~ thD EAC-bN-- y "a SAA NpEAu =
nave encouraged in every way We could, the
building OF the TOsd known az the Mississippi
River Railroad, running norm 10 Union City.
We have encouraged by our counsel and IN.
dorselnent, all immigration schemes calculated
to briyg into the surrounding Cvuntry q good
manifestations population. either frotd Edrope
or the Northern 5JHtGsOf our common country.
We have shown the great advantages Of our
civ AS a pace for msnufaciories, and the profits
which would arise therefrom. II is believed
that The 80 bread which we have cast upon the
waters,n viii return to us ana pToducs results
7 which will gladden. the hearts Of our people.
While we have done something. yet much re-
mains 10 be done. The chamber Of Commerce
IS the proper plscs where We should rally.
Tho,e OF pnr merchants, prQperty-hoiders,
tradesmen, etc, who are not members, should
at once apply and become so. LIST us show a
united front, mako a strong pull altogether, for
supremacy ia prosperity, anu that enterprise
which alone can build up g great city. Let Il
encourage all enterprises which will ada TO our
ana population, and let those who
have the means to do 50, not show a miseriy
hand ia contributing TO them, but that liberal
Ity and enterprise which should 2ctuate every
f5T-eaeinE and ltbsral-mindtd man. Memphis
Is cur home, ana here maUy of us will stay. II
Is our intsrest to discard those feelings o. self
iShnsss into Which we have dIilted, and take u
coz prehensive view Of tbs situation, and the
happiness which II ALL dhoTd US, ten or twen-
" years hence, when We rehect IN what we
have done to make memphis a large ana pros
porous city, numbering lis hundreds OF thOuS-
ands Of PROSPEROUS and hEppyp people,,
csnnOt too strongly urge on you, gentlemen,
the proprety AID Ereat necessity Tor Our COM
llDh GODA1 " = thh A4ANSl
packets, to the exclusion Of all outside boa q. II
Is they which Guild up our trade and add TO our
prosperity. Leok, II yea please, what some OF
our sister cities g!e doing 10 take from u That
which OF right belongs 70 us. Many OF us re
member that before The war We had two hne
packetE running 70 Nicksburg, and S5Imlng 3
semi-waekly line. Now We have none! We
remember tne laTs6 amount OF freight which
:hey rough TO ana carried from our city,
on them, and brought their cotton
and purchased our merchandise, encOur-
aged cur hotels, and ola msny things
which added 70 our welfare. How is it
to-day? Not a packet running from our
wharf TO Eicksourg.. Way IS this 1t is
because Of the suicidal policy Of our own mar
chants. In declining To give that pledge to the
owners OF bOEt5 vino propose 10 e. abIish q line,
II the merchants pledge themselves TO give
them all their freight for Vioksburg and inter
mediate FoiBts. There is now plenty OF busi-
ness to keep Two boats en- the line. They ask
no bonus, rs Is pledged by 81. Louis 10 her
FiaksESrg line, hat they only ask 2 pledge Of
your freiEhi, at current anu reRsOnEbis rates
For months past you have been giving your
freight 10 the y Louis and NtcksbHTg line of
boats, and enBORrsging thDm 70 take o as
that which ye WiSh % retain. When, ! ask,
has one Of those boats leit an order at Mem,
phis to be iiIeu Tnen 49, - -, nz-o.
carrying il TO 81. Louis? l venjurs to say,
.eUef. HyoEr line OF policy is continued, gem
tlemen, yon May rest assured that tns Gay is
not far distant when You will have no freight
to ship 10 Nicksburg and intermediate points.
because the ii. LOnts ana Louisville boats viii
draw al the orders to those cities, and soon
thereafter he cotton which you now sell will
90 where the orders are nlied. ask, IL a Gin
cinnat boat could gOtOSt. LOUIS aud get q hum
dred tons Of freight for points between Mem
pnis ana NickSburg, even at half price? No,
sir 1 venture 10 say that she could net get a
pound. why cannot we have the same con-
cert OF action in sustaining that which affects
our interest: And Why do 1--WE furnish sticks
to break our own heads with ?" What l have
said, gentlemen, in regard to this line. viii ap-
Ply with equal force to other lines. / exhort
o to look 10 your interest and the interest OF
ErRW TffE in This Fraffnr hafnFa ~ 4G ton a 80 a-n
assured 10y two teamhoat owners, in when we
all have great confidence, thatifour merchants
agree TO patronize them, 10 the exclusion OF out.
S do boats, mat they VIII, at an carly dsy, put
two boats IN the line 70 NicEsburg and continue
them there. Surely we win not refuse 10 grasp
that which Is so important 10 our prosperity.
80 soon AS the patronage is SUFFICIENT,
you may rely on getting fire. gnLs,
at rates which will DEFY competition
but until then, whether a week or a month
YOU must not let undertaking influence you
in your patronage. II circumstances require It..
pay any excess Of ireight out Of your own
vaults. II Will return TO you an hundred fold,
at an early day.
The effect Of Lhe ~conJinuapce of ~ arfboats at
our landing, in detecting the establishment OF
packet lines, is a matter which 1 leave to your
better Judgment, although my opinions al . de-
cided on mat point. It's a matter over which
we have no control, end our "City Father 5"
must DO what seems best, for cur welfare.
l have assisted, IN common with MANI Of you,
and nave zone all | could TO encourage the re-
moval OF the Dry Docks from Cairo TO this city.
II IS a source OF deep regret TO every one rom
whom 1 have heard an expression. that our
Board Of Aldermen refused 10 extend the meager
assistance which was asked in ENCOURAGING an
enterprise Of such vast importance 10 the IN
terest OF every props rty owner, merchant and
mechanic, in our city. Sucn narrow sighted
policy may be best IOr our common good, but l
do not see it in that light. notwithstanding
the cold water which our " city fatheIs" have
thrown on the enJerpTte {, l am happy to say to
you that one OF the principal owners OF the
docks has been IN our city within the last week,
ana another is perhaps now hsre, and a good
effort on your part viii insure their establish
msnt amongst ~. TIE owners OF the docs S
des re that our people bacOaae Interested with
them in the bus ness. This IS more for the pur-
pose OF having your influence and good will
tnen your money. Still the owners, as l ain
advised, would 70 glad to nave goa take $4,000
or more OF Stock. You will be called on IN a
day or two 10 that end. II you can take SlCO0
OF stock do 50. II not take $500. II YOU
can't do That then lake SlOO. The
main object Is 10 get your Influence and iden-
thy Won with the enterprise. l deem il almost
unnecessary TO call your attention to the great
benefits which our people would receive by
having nifty or a hundred boats. in a wear.
placed in docks here, repsinted, RENTED, and In
many respects made alIp0 new. IL would in
crease our population, give work to our me-
chanics, customers TO our hotels and mer-
chants, and add 10 our general thrift aud DOS
Derity. / respectfully call your attention, and
the especial attention OF The respective stand
ing committees on railroad freights," to the
rates OF cha ges on lOoaf ire ghts. IknOW the
em oarreEsments under which cur railroads
nave lRbOrtn, slnc9 the war. but they must re-
member that what affects the trade and in-
terest OF Memphis affects them, not only for
the present OF next four years, but for many
succeeding years, and probably for scores OF
years. They must also remember that when
The trade OF our city is INADEQUATE 70 the sun
port of the merchant he can vino up his BUSH
ness and go elsewhere. Not SO with the rail
-nal II runnnT aftOrd Ia fazE NJ ~. - -