The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-10-20
LOCAL MATTERS.
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE..
Annual Meeting Interesting Report Of the
Presi,ient Election of Officers SC.

The annual meeting of the Richmond
Chamber of Commerce was held last even.
ing at their rooms over the First National
Back.
On motion of MIR. D. J. Burr, seconded
By Mr.. E. 0. Noting, Mr.. I. w. McCancc
was called to the chair, and on motion oI
Mr.. Noting. p &. Coghlan was appointed
secretary to the meeting.
David J. Burr, Ed, President of the
Chamber, read the following
ANIMAL REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT AMI
BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
The recurrence OF another anniversary iu
the history Of this Chamber of Commerce
makes it incumbent upon the President
and Board Of Directors TO present to this
meeting the customary annual report.
In comparing our present position and
condition with the past we have abundant
reason for selt-conGratulation All things
considered. it may re safely said that at no
former period has this body been more
prosperous within, or eXerted q more
wholesome influence without. Whatever
| may have been the doubts as TO its u. etul.
| ness or its success at the time Of organic /.
tion, they appear now all to have been dis.
PEELED; and the sentiment seems to bc
| universal that its maintenance is indiSpen.
sable 20 the proper care and protection oil
the commercial interests Of the community
AS to its internal condition, the report oil
| the treasurer exhibits sound state of the
l finances; the list Of membership shows Il
| general desire to cooperate in the laborS
which pertain to the association; while
there is increased life and energy in prose
| cutting the objects for which the Chamber
WIS organized.
| In looking over the records Of the past
year 4 multiplicity Of reports Of more or
less importance, communications from
| members and from other commercial DO.
dies, and Ike III .tters connected with the
ordinary routine of the busiGcsS of our
monthly meetings present themselves, OF
which 1t must be supposed that members
are generally informed either bv personal
participation or from the published pro-
eeedin2s.
Moreover, the "Reporl on the Trade and
Commerce Of Richmond for 1871, and seye.
raj years preceding, compiled for The Cham.
Der of Comra7.cc by &c. Cogh!an. Sccre.
tarv," contains some OF the most promi-
uent and valuable of these reports, and
renders special reference to them here un.
necessary. This compllatjon, L printed so.
lume of 203 pages, is the first attempt 10
emUOdv in perrnanent iorm the results OF
any of the work OF our committees or to
collect statistics hy which to measure the
future progress of our trade and mauutac.
lures. A copy has been placed in the hands
OF each member and sent TO corresponding
Boards Of Trade. it Will be found to he
well worthy of pe!usal by all who take in
tereSt in topics and figures which relate t.
the material prosperity of cur state and
city. a glance at It's " "ipdeX" will give IN
idea Of the extent aud variety Of this class Of
information contained in its pages, md how
much we are indebted to toe perseyering
industry Of our Secretary, under many dis
advantages, for this compilation.
at different periods there is apt to be ono
or more subjects connected With CONNER
elal affairs which especially excites aLten-
tion and proyokes discussion to lhe eXcltl-
sion of others for the time. Not many
years since this pic was the unequal tax
alton of the commercial classes. how hap
ply set at rest uuder the new tonstitu-
tion. Then the usury laws, now also bu-
ried for the present, but likely, from all the
signs, to be reSu;rected at no distant day
as q fancIed means of making mouey more
abundant by fol lbidding the community to
pay the market value for lis use. AT this
moment, perhaps, tue most absorbing
question with US is the muafi :ation Of the
pilot laws. Nj orc than one report, and u
host Of communications relating TO them,
have engaged the thought and attention OF
YOUR Board Of Directors during the year,
and committee is charged with the pro-
secution Of important amendments to the
present law before the next Legislature.
Perseverance in this endeaYnr will no
doubt result in restricting the pilots
to their proper sphere. To allow this
law to remain as it is simply subjects
whole communities to burdens and OBJ
structions in their trade for the pri.
yate benefit of few citizens. The law
was made hefore the general introduction
of steam vessels, and before the channels
of our rivers were thoroughly surveyed and
staked out and buoyed, as they now are !;
and the reasons for many of its provisions are
now obsolete. The great object with
our cities on the rivers Of the Common
wealth Is to promote their commerce by
deepening the channels Of these streams
and making the navigation over their SUR
face as rapid and as cheap as possiole.
THIS is Indispensable to the growth OF their
commerce; and In this growth I'll parts OF
the Stale are deeply concerned. We admt
the pilot to be a valuable and useful MN
in his proper sphere, and that he should
be encouraged to pursue his vocation IN
and out to and from sea, but insist that
HO piiotaSO s1io''o ~ wv
on the rivers and interior waters, where
the steam-tug is in these days The lndtspen-
sable auxiliary of trade, and .r: charges
OF pilotage are useless obstruction To IT,.
TO bring about the recognition of these
views OF public policy is now one of the
most important objects to wa!eh we pro-
pose to direct our energies for the good of
this and other communities.
The improvement of the anne! Of the
river is another great object 10 which all
ewes are directed; and there is every rea-
son to hope that this will be etiectually &C.
complished. With the small appropriation
made by Congress Ito be probably 1n-
creased hereafter) and the large appropria-
ton made by the city, under The enllght-
ened management OF the joint committee
OF that body and this, aided by The skill
and energy of the distinguished engineers
ia charge, the progress made In this work
augurs most fayorably for its successful
completion. !
What hus been done cannot be reclted
within the limits of this report, but may be
seen by reference to the compiled report OF
the secretary, before referred TO, on pages
195. 6. 7, 8, and 8; and this; in connection
with tho further improvements projected,
will inspire new hope that ere long our mar,
ber may be safely reached by shlps ano
steamers Of the largest class needed 1or Ior.
eigu or domestic trade. Such IN event
would place Richmond upon tue highway
Of commerce, from which che has been so
long exeluded and when the great through