Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1871-11-29
THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
Regular nontnIy needing Yesterday.

~
The member Of the chamber of commerce
held the regular monthly meeting in their
room, Commercial place, at three O'Clock
yesterday.
In the absence Of the chairman, Colonel
Pinson, Mr.. W. r Moore, viee-president, occu-
pied the chair.
The secretary read the minutes of he pre-
vious meeting, which were approved.
The following names were handed in a. can
didates for membership:
Wynn; Bernard, bowling & Co.
Under a suspension OF the rules they were
elected.
THE MERCANTILE
The secretary read the following communi-
Library association, from the hRmbe COM
mittee appointed some time ago:
nj. Hrestdent-fou committee, aPpolnted
tablishing q mercantile library, beg leave 10
report, that much delay was necessary in or
der TO procure IN order from the ehancery
court granting a charter, but that such order
has now been issued, and the Mercantile Ii
brary association of Memphis has a legal ex-
istence. But q legal existence viii avail but
little unless the good people Of our city come
forward with material aid In money and
books, and give the institution real NE anna
permanent existence. There can be no two
opinions Us TO the necessity OF the library.
Here we have a city of fifty thousand inhabi-
tants, which has no place for the mental I'M
prOvement of our young men, a matter-We
should not underestimate, even from a busi-
ness point Of view. Remove the young m n
from temptation, place within their reach the
means of obtaining knowledge, and you rem
der them more efficient, more reliable, and In
every way better worth the money you pay
hem Of you put the question in that form
than at present. In other words, the library
will pay as an Investment; because 1t viii
give yon employees possessed of more informa-
zion, larger views and better habits. 1t is said,
and probably with some truth, that a sum
equal TO nearly $4,000 per annum is expended
by citizens Of Memphis In gambling-half a
dozen Keno halls are thronged nightly by hun
dreds of people, good, bad and Indifferent,
who waste, money, time, health and respecta-
bility for the want of something better to do.
Shall we not find them other and better en-
ployment for their evening? Show them the
road by which they may acquire that RnOwl-
edge which is power, and at the same time
husband their stock of deeency. There are
also In our city something over two hundred
drinking saloons and beer halls, giving EN-
ployment TO at least i've hundred men, and
having a daily revenue Of not less than ten
thousand dollars. Here we entertain visiting
strangers, and we fear many of ourselves.
Whilst it Is probably no part OF the duty Of
your committee to write sermons, yet we con-
cefve 1t but proper to show that when so much
is lavished upon vice, we should at least be
able to afford something toward lending aid to
virtue.
must have. We want 1t in large sums from
those who are able TO give largely, and In
small sums from the clerk and apprentice
Moral support is also an excellent thing, and
we ask the churches to give us a helping hand
as, under Gods Providence, we viii be able
to do q vast amount Of skirmishing with the
devil. And the ladies must not fail to make it
their own institution and their pride. Asa
matter Of course, we bespeak the great tniu-
Of this chamber, we urge that large subscrip-
lions be given by the individual members,
and for the reason already given, All Of which
GEORGE W. GIFT,
For the Committee.
On motion of Hon. Jacob Thompson the re-
port was received and filed.
THE TAX COMMITTEE.
Mr.. Moore, the chairman pro tenn. on the part
Of the committee appointed to go to Nashville
on behalf Of the chamber, In the interest Of the
likely come up for final action to-day Tues
day) and although he anticipated considera-
Bile opposition from some quarters, yet it
would not be Of sufficient momentto have any
serious effect on the legislasure. He had no
doubt but the bill would pass substantially as
1t had been read before, and approved by, this
chamber.
METEOROLOGICAL AND CROP RRPoRrs.
Hon. Jacob Thompson submitted the fol-
lowing resolution:
Resolved, That this chamber Of commerce.,
approving the general system of international
meteorological observations and crop reports,
as set forth by Commodore Maury in his late
speech delivered before the Memphis Agricul-
tural fair, do appoint a COMMITTEES Of three
persons, consisting OF the president and first
and second vice-presidents, to petition the
president of the United States 70 take early
measures 10 call the attention of other nations
to this subject, and thereby bring about a
meeting Of the leading eteOrOlOgisis Of differ
emit nations, so as to devise q uniform system
of observation and crop reports, and secure
their publication for the benefit Of m
and agriculture throughout the world
Resolved, That IL shall be made the duty OF
the secretary OF this chamber Of commerce TO
send a copy of Commodore Maury's speech TO
the president and secretaries of the different
hamber of and boards of trade
throughout the country, and invite their CO. |
operation and kind offices In petitiOning the |
government to take the lead in bringing about
the united action of different nations On the
the subject.
He said he believed It would be a success, and
he wanted TO have IL said that this was a
Memphis movement. It is a subject of vast
Importance, and the leading men Of the coun-
try were alive 10 the necessity OF a general
plan, such as Commodore Maury had devel-
Oped in his address before the Agricultural |
and Mechanical association at their recent
fair. !
The resolution was unanimously adopted.
sTEAMBOArMEs.
Captain Lightburne sent In a communication
to the chamber on the part of the steamboat
men, asking that all masters, clerks and pilots
Of steamboats, navigating the Mississippi |
touching regularly at Memphis be made hon |
Orary members OF the m He dWelt for |
some time Upon the beneficial results of such
a movement. |
The chamber took a favorable view Of Il, |
and adopted a resolution offered by Mr.. Lacey, |
by which said classes were made honorary |
members of our chamber of commerce.
A motion was made 10 send Hon. Jacob
Thompson as a delegate 10 the nexHsneeting OF
the national board of trade.
Mr., Thompson declined, upon he ground
that he was p'e-engaged to attenfa an agricul-
tural congress at selma. ID 4