The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1873-02-11
Board of Trade.

A special meeting of the Board of Trade was
held Yesterday afte rnoon at four clock Presi-
dent Hersey in. the chair. i fE9FFE H8zrf
w. S. Small, John III. Davis Russell Lewis
and John w. Deering, proposed at a former
meeting, were elected members of this BOARD
The President said as this was the first meeting
of the Board since its annual organization he
wished to make a short statement. Under
the present arrangement, he would be unable
10 attend TO all the business of the position, es
peclally as the President of the Board of Trade
Is chairman of the Board Of Manufacturers, and
ne thought that change should be made in the
regulation. The two boards are in measure
different, and the craftsmanship of either board
should take up the entire spare time of one
man. If this change is not made there is moth
ing left but for me to retire.
Many remarks have been made about the
failing business of the city and much discour-
agement occasioned thereby. This is all wrong
and needless. have taken especial pains TO
investigate, and find that the business of the
city is steadily increasing. The influence of
the Board of Trade has always been in favor of
progress, of judicious, liberal policy and has
been felt The Board of Trade is doing much
good for the city, and I think lis destined to
be still more important
The President also urged the necessity of pro.
viding published report of the statistics of the
business of the city 1t is burning shame that
this has not been attended to since the fire.
Many have spoken of it, and he trusted the
matter would be looked after.
He further urged the necessity of more
cutab1a fnr Merchants Exchange and
thought that committee should be raised to
look after the matter and when building Is
being built in suitable locality, that rooms
should be provided therein for Merchants Elk
change, where the merchants of this city may
meet every day for the transaction of business
He said that this would be great convenience,
as he had in his own experience, been obliged
to run all about the city to find men, whom, if
this arrangement had been in practice, he could
have found without difficulty.
Then in regard to the Board of Manufacture
ers, he thought that some action should be
taken at once. 4zirr-ts.r.I Ell
A vote was passed that the matter be refer
red to the managers of the Board of Trade.
Mr.. Dana thought that as many slurs have
appeared against this Board of manufacturers,
to furnish capital for new manufactures, but to
act as sort of Reception Committee to meet
men who came here proposing to establish a
business. The Board had not met with the
success it expected, but there have been several
reasons for this. One is the high taxes of the
city. 1t is not only that those who establish a
new enterprise here are exempted from taxa
ton for five or ten years, but they generally
have mere capital which is taxed. Another
reason is the competition that is raised by 9TH
er towns. The fever spread nearly all over the
State at the same time we began here. The
Board received from the city about 5000. We
spent some $3.50, and have about $500 left.
Mr.. G. w. Woodman said that the hoop
skirt factory, an outgrowth of the Board of
Manufacturers, were occupying a room in his
new building ON Middle street, 9Ox12O feet in
size, and We're at present working about 100
girls, and he thought they were increasing rap
idly. He afterwards spoke of the repeal of the
bankrupt law, and thought that the Board Of
Trade should demonstrate against it.
Mr.. A. K Shurtleff said that when he first
heard of the repeal he thought he should favor
it. What he would have was an insolvent law
He agreed with Mr.. Woodman in wishing for
some law to bring people to the mark. In the
bankrupt law it takes the greater part of the
assets of bankrupt to get his estate settled.
If the bankrupt law is repealed let us have an
insohent law
Charles I'll. HASKELL Esq, said that he agreed
with Mr.. Woodman in his views, and thought
that we should not have the bankrupt law re-
pealed, in the hope of getting an insolvent law.
We tried that once in the matter of the Recip-
rocity Treaty, the abrogation of which was the
greatest curse Congress ever put upon Port
land. He thought the bankrupt law had just
been got into working order and should be con-
tinued, and closed by offering the following
resolution:
ResolUed, That this Board hereby enters its
protest against the repeal of the bankrupt law
by the Congress of the United States, and that
the members of Congress from this State be
requested to use their influence against the
proposed repeal of the General Bankrupt Law
as it now exists.
Mr.. Woodman seconded the resolve.
Mr.. Shurtleff contended that the present
bankrupt law is bad, and had better be repealed
unless it is amended
Mr. Haskell again urged in favor Of the bank
rupt law.
Mr. w. S. Dana thought that the benefits of
the bankrupt law were not great enough to
warrant the law.
The resolution was passed,
Adjourned.