The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-03-01


known architect and builder, who, beside
The handsome structures that 6eaunh,s ny
and adSrn r1,a,, our oMy' city olcSupied lnU,ppds BY
that loyal and patriotic institution. tne ~ ented
League has recently been fUrther lnis
by the adoption upon the psrs oi Of plans fur
nished by him for the new buildings o 'uo 'usnn,S
Department at Washington, soon W w eAe0'ou
nj a cost of several million doIlars. - -
ks You doubtless perceive, MIR. Orump has
| completed his contract with the ChamOer OF
Commerce In o most substantial ana workmsb-
| ike manner and with entire Satisfaction 10 the
| com mittee OF gentlemen who nave supervisor
The whole building is heated by means OF he
| improved steam heating apparatus OF Andrews,
Harrison q Co., including two Harrison ooilers
~ JnnTteen horse power each. The work is
done neatly and substantially, anfA gives the
most satisfactory evidence OF perfect success
The room we occupy, as | have already indi-
Gated. is intended solely for The use of the
Commercial Exchange, and ,e especially adapted
to their wants IA Lhe e,, fOs'ITm and furniture are
Crump. The treseo.ng, most striking and
beautiful feature Of the hall, with appropriate
emblt matte designs, including those OF Com
merce, Navigation, Industry, and Agriculture
tastoiully sketched upon the ceiling and walls
is the production OF Messrs. Walter & Boulsy.
The gas fixtures were manufactured by Cor
neus IL Baker, and, as usual reflect great credit
upon that enterprislng firm.
The plumbing, which Is Of an unusual char
acter, has been most satisfactorily completed
by McFetridge d Brown, successors to Wright
d Hunter, and the curtains and haugiugs by
| the welEkDown firm OF Sheppard, Van Harlin.
gen a. ArrsoD. The best skilled artisans and
mechanics have been employed in the various
departments, and the whole work is of the most
con- rlete and satisfactory character.
have thus given you an outline of the in
| cep ion and completion of this beautiful struc
| ture referring more particularly to that oortion
Of the building to be occupied by the CONNER
| Cial Exchange, for the twofod purpose of
making you familiar with what we conceive to
| be an important feature in the future history
| OF the trade and commerce of our city, and
thus publicly to express to you our unqualified
| appreciation of the successful and satisfactory
completion of the work by the various parties
having it in charge.
Another piece of music was. then given, after
which came the folio wing
Address by Il. Harper JeGries, Esq.
Ladies and Gentlemen :--Some fifteen years
| ago twelve gentlemen connected with the -four
| and gIan trade OF this city met at the residence
of Mr.. Henry Budd, and there interchanged
views respecting the propriety and feasibility Of
founding an exchange where sales could be
made of -four, grain, and seeds. From this
| private conference sprung the Corn Exchange
| Association" of Philadelphia. Colonel william
B. Thomas, large manufacturer of -four, and
highly esteemed citizen, was elected the first
President of this organization.
Its history from that date Is familiar to most
OF you. AS years rolled on it grew in numbers,
in influence, and in vital Importance to the
trade of the city, until now in this our day 1t
embraces in Its membership more than five
hundred firms. Its usefulness and influence
were largely increased by the admission of
representatives from all branches of trade
shippers, railroad companies. manufacturers,
provision dealers, banks, bankers, ETC., and
when thus comprehending every feature of the
business interests OF our city, the more compre-
hensve title OF Commercial Exchange became
necessity. Its popularity among the active
business men of the community has been
stimulated, and, per consequence, greatly added
to its usefulness as the organized centre o!
: | Philadelphia trade.
into community an active, progressive spirit
that concentrates the energy of our eight
hundred thousand population, and makes thi:
3 actively felt in the far West, in the remote
South, and, indeed, all along those avenues o
3 trade which have an outlet at tide water.
Even across the Atlantic the importance o
| Philadephias trade is now sufficiently recog
nIzed by sagacious English firm to justify
them in establishing permanent line of four
} steamers, running regularly between Liverpool
and our city.
, 1t is not my purpose to eulogize the character
of the thorough man of business nor to draw
invidous comparisons between those engaged
in trade and others who till the soil or adopt
other ayocatioLs IN either professional or in.
6ustral life. But we all know that to buy or
sell on 'Change is the work of moment, and
takes fewer words than use in my feeble way
OF explaining the process. IL take it, or ut ia
yours,n closes the contract as fully and unalter-
ably and inexorably as though the transaction
was reduced TO writing on parchment: Thus. in
an instant sales involving thousands of dol.
lars in amount momentarily occur; and
, 1t is so rare thing for either party to prove
: delinquent, that amaZement and contempt
, follow any failure to fulfil the brief agreemenl
4 10 buying or selling. In all ages and all coun
r tries the merchant has been ambitious to attain
| "gilt edged" prominence for his name. And
y | whether il is the Asiatic selling his silks and
spices from the panniers of the camers back
t | the savage OF the Western Hemisphere closing
out his pack OF furs, or the cultivated man o.
y business operating in the commercial centres
of Europe or the United States each keep!
!, uppermost in thought the talismauic word, the
: foundation OF all business success and pros
peIity, INTEGRITY.
, Cramped for room in the building over the
r way, known the city over as the "Corn EX
y change" few wealthy and public spirited
e | business men cpnceived the idea of erecting
IT structure commensurate with the growth anC
importance of our association. To their energy
q aided by the Hberality of friends, do we oW
rs the erection of this magnificent building. w
o can now boast OF a Change where merchant
e "most do congregaten equal in capacity an
y whilst we should be proud Of this Temple O
d Commerce, as an ornament to our noble cit,
)f and substantial and elegant monument of th
e thrift OF its merchants, manufacturers, an,
)t shippers, let 1t likewise be our pride that M
transactions within its walls shall ever tarnisl
i the tar name now so universally accorded US Il
ts rival commercial citiee.
d The history OF our association Is not on
II the history OF commerce, of progress, but Q
ID hberality which has been exemplided in con
u trlbutions to charitable objects. When the cr
tt OF starvation came from across the waters, gu
members sent food 10 the famishing operative
Or OF the Green Isle. When a great part of tn
he nourlshlng city OF Portland, Maine, was laid II
ashes, It's people received munlicent sum froI
te our ASSOCIATION. When the great fire from Goa
nh a ~