Wilmington daily gazette., 1873-10-07
rREAsuaxn's REPORT AND OTHER BuslNrss


OF Trade was held last evening, in the Board OF
Trade rooms, Masonic Temple Joshua L. Heald,
Esq, III the chair. The attendance was rather
small, owing, doubtless to the stormy and disa-
grecabIe weather.
After the transaction of some ordinary business
| the Secretary, Geo. w. Stone, Esq, read his an
| nual report. 1t was as follows:
The report opens with hopeful allusi On to the
| condition OF business, aud states that notwth-
standing the present depression nothing has really
| occurred which will lead to a doubt for this fu-
tnre. The. business OF the past year has been at
tended by frequent fluctuations In all parts of the
country, and the recent calamites may be regarded
rs the result of causes that have long existed,
and feeling of relief seems to be very generally
manifested that the shock is over and that it is
no worse.
! Wilmington, however, has not especially suf-
| Tered from these fluctuations and calamities nei
ther has it felt as kecnly as many other places
| the depressions which nave so frequently occurred
in business throughout the country generally
| Nearly all our measures for public improvements
have been steadily carried dforward-many of them
| to completion. None of them have bGen entirely
| abandoned
| The secretary then reviews the work of the
| year-that which is completed and that which is
under way. Among the completed work he men
tions the W. ~ w. Il, X Z, the new hote the ex-
tension of the Water Works and the widening of
| Water street. OF those now in progress. the
opening of street to the Delaware Is spoken OF,
while OF those which have not vet been suceess-
lui IL uiGulIoHNu tuC purchase OF q public marx.
the binding of a union depot the removal of the
County buildings to this city and the erection of
a City hospital
FERRY To NEW JERSEY.
The subject Of the establishment Of a ferry with
the towns opposite, in New Jersey, is considered
at length, and is regarded the next thing which
: should be done. " The merchants Of Wilmington
particularly should interest themselves in pushing
this enterprise to an early completion. A careful
investigation OF this subject must convince any
intelligent man that there is no direction in which
transportation facilities can be furnished with less
outlay. ana with greater promise OF profit to the
, merchants of our city.
There are opposite US a numhsE OF small vii
lagos ana thick y-settted farming country, inhat
ited ny thrifty, vigorous and active population
that only needs to have the facilities for tFanspor
| tatlon provided them to induce them to sell thei
products to us and to take our merchandise in ex
5 change therefor. 1t Is only by making invest
ments OF this kind that we can hope to attract
people to us to buy our wares and bring US thei
products for use.
1t is then sought to enforce this idsa bv a ref
u erence to the older ami large cttiss and tbs dis
II position to look for the establishment OF such en-
i terprises by capitalists and of wealth are ad
. velted to and, by inference, discouraged" :" /
l. may rs well la understood" says the report, Is
;, the outset, that all this kind OF work must b
1t done by the active business men OF the city, an
;, not for patriotic purposes but for the direct an
2, immediate profit it brings them. 1t is not tina
. We want tosee our city grow, but that we wan
TO make our business prosper in our hands-tha
we want to sell more goods, and thereby max
e more money" IL will not only turn this way th
trade OF the population, convenient to the landin
7 on the Jersey shore, but will give us communics
l. ton with the commerce OF the Delaware rive,
s. and encourage the growth OF the city in that d
rection, and the occupation OF the Delaware iron
1t will then begin.
J RECORD OF THs PAST YEAR.
Y The report next numeRates the important mea
ures of State legislation, which failed to pass II
Legislature tOr various reasons, the principal OF
} being the remarkable aud unfair System of rspr
sentatlon IN force IA our state. The city has
u little representation in the State Legislature th
l. 1t Is pogerless 10 enforce proper consideration
II its wants and needs fact fully illustrated in Il
v matter OF tho removal OF the County Building
81 during the last sessions. The failure of the bi
1t TO pass the House, although amended so as to sui
I, NIT the question to popular vote, 10 noted al
the opinion expressed that each Legislature whiC
IS chosen should have the responsibility of decl,
t. ing upon this question until the change, so ev
n IDENTIFY just aud proper, shall be made It Is
: question which should not he delivered up TO Il
, politicians TO be made party issue but should
"' decided a Inatter OF business, Of convenien
- and Justice to the greatest number and econom
" TO all.
n The repeal ofths Usury Laws and the failare
ed pass "a General Incorporation Act, Is also nc
IN ed.
The report then turns to consideration OF b
work OF the Board. The subject of an appropFi
,a ton was obtained, but not sufieient to DO Wh
A0 needs very much to be done.
An EFFORT to establish daily meetings OF 1
AZ Board was successful for teW moaths, but ait
lingering through the winter finally died in t
IS Spring time.
The subject of an expostionl was discussed, l
= ferFed to committees, and finally abandoned.
% Geo. II Sellers had in an address on the l0th
December, given an emphatic assurance that w
Dt mington Is good location for the manufacture
Z. iron. Che address, at the time Of its deliver
tO was reported UsrbatiHs in these eOIamns.)
n The return of the Revenue Cutter TO this st
tion was obtained at the request OF the Board, b
y 1t was short one, although its crnlalng ground
p thirty-tive miles nearer Wilmington than Phi
dephia, its present station, and although there
We nothing to impede Its entry 10 our port.
nj The subject OF the RhiladelphiA Centennial
position had been referred 10 q committee viii
had reported in favor Of calling public meetll
"a on the subject, but no action had since been
are ken.
our RISDusfRIEs-IRoN SNIP BUILDING.
Whatever depression may have bean felt
SO, other branches OF our business this one has b
to uniformity active and snclassfals our yards ha
to been coaslaatly and fally employed, and ths pr
Mt, peet is good for the faluFe.
nd Wilmington has cause 70 be proud Of the snee
Fill OF her iron ship builders who we're the aFsk in
q held in this country, and Who have hssn unifOI
ns ily successful in baildlng ships that have In
ne emergencies proved themselves etauneh and Eel
cir BILE. From q comparatively amAll beginning
has grown TO be one Of our largest and most Q
rd- esssfal industries. With Ice prosperity ne b
a pFospsFeds and when Il has been dull tas Il aeld
ara hasl Our ether business has tets it decidedly
M namber Of mechanics and tFadesmen engaged
"a building and supplying these steamers y 90 y
and Ea5led that the Interest IL tho success %