The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1869-10-14
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
ANNUAL MEETING.
INTERESTING REPORTS AND STATISTICS.

A meeting Of the Board of Directors was
held on Tuesday afternoon ALr. Ordway, to
whom, as committee of one, had been re-
terred, with Instructions to lay it before the
City Council, communication from II. W.
Tyler representing that the wash from
Bloody Run was fast filling up the wharf
between the creek and the the Baltimore
boats landing, made report that the
engineer of the city has ordered that the
stacks be increased in height, which will
remedy the evil complained OF.
A communication was received from Mr.
T.G. Peyton, Chairman ofCommittce on In
land Trade, enclosing letter from General
Malone DENYING the general accuracy Of the
complaints made by two commission houses
against the Virginia and Tennessee and
Richmond and Danyille railroads Of delay
in the forwarding of freight, &c.
On motion of Mr.. CrenShaw, the Secre-
tary was instructed to inform Mr.. Dibrell
and Messrs. Scott Il Boiling Of the contents
of General Mahone's letter.
Mr.. OrdWav inquired whether any steps
had been taken by the Chamber to secure
the cooperation Of the National Board OF
Trade with the view to the obtainment OF
aid from the United States Government for
the removal of the distractions in James
river. And thcrcupon, on motion OF Nlr.
L urcpll, IL WIS IpSbiNcu llldt CD1iIuIhtli'ti-
ton from the National Board Of Trade re-
ollirino that subjects to be brought before
their annual meetin@muS be communicated
to their Secretary before the 2lst OF Octo-
Der, be referred to Il committee to consist
of McsSrs. Burr, Ordway, and McCance, to
consider and report such subjects As they
NAV deem it advisable to have brought be-
fore the National Board by the Richmond
Chamber.
The annual meeting Of the members Of
the Chamber Of Commerce was held yester-
dav in the rooms Of the association over
tn" National Exchange Bank.
On motion of Mr.. Burr, General Joseph
Il. Anderson was called 10 the chair, ana
=. G. Coghlan appointed to act rs secretary.
Mr.. Burr then submitted his annual re-
port as follows:
PRESIDENTS ANNUAL REPORT.
In presenting their annual report your
Board Of Directors would like to Introduce
it bv representing the Chamber OF Com
mcrce as prospcrously and actively purSu-
inc the ends for which it was established.
But this, unfortunately, is not the ease.
The enthusiasm which attended its birth
Two wears ago seems, to large extent, to
have subsidized, and during the past year
even the moderate sum needed for its sup
port has not been supplied
II appears from the IreaslrerS report
(appcnQcd hcreto) that the collections from
members have not been equal to the eN-
Den&es during the year. About II 800 i re-
Gtlirpd To meet indispensable demands an
Iuallv, reducing these TO the most economi-
cal basis. The membership on paper was
lust about 30O-suiiicicnt TO realize this SUM
at the subscription Of Sj-but only 200 OF
his number have paid, ana the result Is 4
- - .ti,n ~
constitution provides that all who fail 10
nav prior to the first "Wednesday in ccto-
her cease to he members, and in cOnSe-
Quencc the membership is now reduced to
go.
In view Of this condition of things, and
the plain necessity for Il more certain it,
come. your Board adopted Il resolution
some time since submitting to this meeting
The proposition that The annual subscription
Jc Increased to ten dollars. They believe
that ut least $50 members appreciate the
necessity for organization, and can be re-
lied on to pay this sum, and thus place the
association on Il permanent footing ana
give it renewed life and influence.
1t win scarcely Ice OF much avail to rcite-
rate here all that has been urged heretofore
unon the industrial interests of Richmond
Nv wav of mprc>>ing upon them the nccc>-
sitv Of organization tor their common pro-
lection and prosperity. ii al! The many IN
nuenccs which atlcct. for good or evil, their
commerce and manufactures and property
can be safely LCft 10 chance, without amy
share on their part III conlolliny them, then
this Chamber OF Commerce may az well be
diSbandcd. II, however, the contrary he
true. then it plainly becomes obligatory on
ALL engaged in these pursuits to aid N sus-
tanning an association formed for the pur-
pose Of directing these influences lor The
common benefit.
1t is true that adverse fortune has afllicted
our city with calamity and adversely III va
rious forms, through many years past, and
she is now slowly recovering from the shock
Of these miSfortunc:. Yet, so much the
more reason for using the powers left to her,
especially as the prospect brightcns and the
future begins to look more promising.
With the expectation that the good sense
of those concerned might bc relied upon to
sustain this association, Il charter was OBJ
tained on the 18th Of November, lSGS, troln
the circuit court, incorporating 1t under It's
present title: and we yet hope 1t may thus
be pcrDctuatcd to do good service whenever
thr commercial interests OF Richmond call
for its aid or interference.
The various committees of the Board have
been during the year more or less actively
employed Ill their respective spheres. he
mutiplicity of matters ealing iOr thclf III
ycstigatons forbid any detail here. Cues
tions connected with taxation and le"lSla-
tion-with inward freight and the general
policy and management OF our connections
with the intefOr-With outward freight and
the distractions to the channel OF the river
with regulations in the daily transactions OF
trade and such kindred SuhJccts-arc con-
stantlv arising, and us they arise are exam
med and reported upon hy the appropriate
standing committee before action OF the
Board. 1t cannot be repeated too often that
this Board invites communications lrom
every department of business whenever any
grievance calls for d remedy or any propo-
Sition is suggested which may be oI adyan-
ta9e.
The tariff regulating rates Of storage, COM
missions, &C., adopted two years ago, has
been in constant operation since, with gem
eral acquiescence, and may be now conSid-
cred rs having acquired the force and au-
thOrity of custom.
The Committee of Arbitration has now
no case on its docket left undecided. Its
record shows that the cases Of difference
have been but few, and its decisions have
been readily acquicSced III by all concerned.
Tht Committee on Manufactures and the
Committee on Mines have both been for
some time engaged in collecting information
and statistics with reference to an extended
report on these important branches OF III
duStry and large sources OF wealth. The
mere enumeration Of the establishments,
with description Of the character, extent,
and progress. of the various enterprises OF
this sort in our city, and connected with it
as Il depot. will be of great value i'll attract
ing the attention of the country to the facili-
ties for producing and for purchasing which
this region affords. Its expected that these
papers will be ready for presentation with
this report.
The Committee on Inland Trade has been
constantly at work in the endeavor to pre-
serve entire the advantages to ha expected
4 .