Wilmington daily commercial., 1874-10-06
board of Trade Annual Reports.


THE sEcRErARY's SUMMARY STATEMENT FOR THE
YEAR-TREAsURERs REPoRT-LIsT OF MEMBERS.
The following reports were presented at the
Annual Meeting of the Board of Trade, last
evening -
The year which has Just closed, as you are all
well aware, has been one of great depression.
Every one of our industries have suffered more
or less except possibly the morocco INTEREST,"
and we close the year without any immediate
prospect of better times. This is not the place
to discuss the causes Of this general depression
nor do we feel competent to suggest any remedy
The only comforting feature we have to call at
tenton to is that the depression is not local but
national, that the cause did not originate with Ills
any more than with other and larger business
centres. Various causes are assigned, the prin-
cipal ones being National and individual ex-
trayagances; dsordered and imperfect financial
systems and overtrading, or too rapid commercial
and manufacturing growth. Many remedies
are suggested, among them a speedy return to
specie payment, decrease Temporarily of the
amount of manufactured goods (this is being
done in New England and elsewhere in cotton,
woollen and iron trades) and third greater
economy i'll conducting the business OF both
government and individuals.
Notwithstanding the great depression in bust
ness, we are gratIhed to be able to record the
fact that but a very small number of enterprises
falling OIL in the gross amount Of the value of
goods produced and a considerable reduc-
ton in prices, but there has been no decrease of
facilities for production but rather an increase.
We have very considerable addition to the Iron
interest IN the new mills of the Christiana Iron
Co.. the Mccullough iron Co.. and also the ex-
tensions of Messrs Pusey, Jones Il Co., John
Marshall & Co.. of Newport, practically in Will
mington. Since our last report, also the Edg-
moor Iron Co. has commenced production.
nj V,sal lls4
for business when it shall offer. And when the
Iron trade does revive, Wilmington will be in
| shape TO nearly. If not quite, double the value Of
her annaa production of that material This is
very gratifying, and the same might be said in a
less degree, perhaps, of nearly all our industries
Among the items of interest is one more en-
couraging than the rest. The morocco interest
| has at least "held its own" during the past year
this year comparing fayorably with any prece-
| ding year. About the usual amount of business
mas been done at about the usual profit, but it is
only Just to refer to the fact that this business
| suffered severely for several years when iron
and other branches of trade were generally pros
| porous. Cars and carriages and the kindred
! branches have been very dull and Improbable.
1t is not thought advisable to prepare
any extended statement of the business of
the city for the past year, as such a
statement as is usually made in this report would
necessarily be very imperfect and unreliable and
therefore unsatisfactory
general rule, and finds it necessary to economize
in the matter of expenses, and will therefore
omit this year recommending the publication Of
any Annual Report.
DoINGs OF THE BOARD.
AT the first meeting of this Board OF Mana.
gers, committee was appointed under the fol-
lowing resolution
Resoiued, That committee be appointed to
consider the best means of securing the estab-
llshment of ferry from some point on the Del
aware front Of the city to the Jersey Shore
Ihls committee succeeded in securing parties
TO undertake the running of ferry boat be-
tween this city and Pennsgrove, and the boat
has been running during the season.
On Oct. 10th, 1873, the President and Secreta-
| ry were chosen as delegates to the National
Board of Trade, held at Chicago. They attended
the meeting and represented this Board during
that session.
On the 29rd of Dec, 1873, Nlessrs. Jenkins,
Head and $. Bancroft, Jr,, were appointed del.
egates to the American Cheap TRANSPORTATION
Convention, held at Washington, Jan 18th.
Several resolutions favorable to the Centen.
NAL celebration to he held at Philadelphia in
1876 were transmitted to Congress during its
session.
Resolutions and petitions to Congress asking
for appropriations towards the Improvement OF
our harbor were passed and were, we believe
Instrumental IN aiieeting the purposes for wllicl
they we're made. The appropriations was mad,
and the improvements are now being carried
forward.
The Board also took action with reference t,
The Bankruptcy Law, and discussed several othe
laws pending in Congress, and EXPRESSED itsel
in the form of resolutions which were sent te
our Representatives IN Congress- for their con,
slderation.
There are also several matters OH Legislative
subjects which were laid over by this Board 70
! the consideration OF the new Board, to be elect
ed this evening, action ON which should be hal
during or before the session of our State Legs
lature.
Resolutions urging our manufacturers an
IluHens TO take part IN the Fair of the Franklin
Institute and the AIiddletown Agricultural an
Mechanical Fair were passed in September o
this year.
The subject of the erection OF grain eleya
tor has been before the Board several times an
a committee of the Board il now engaged i
collecting statistics of the amount of grain ac
tually received and shipped in this vicinit
and estimates of what might with proper effol
and facilities be done in this line together wit
probable cost OF an elevator. We earnestly II
n quest the new Board to take up the considers
4 ton or this important subject at the earlies
possible moment, and il possible to push it .
and early completion. The commercii
interests OF the city or should be yer
IA deeply interested in the enterprise, as it wi
serve to increase our trade with the Peninsul
and the West very greatly. With our commercl
interests once placed on as sure a footing as OF
manufacturing interests now are, we shall d
able to take rank with any city of orlr size in I'll
country in every respect
As closing remark there Is now no cause fC
encouragement. We are as well off as any {
our sister cities and better than manv W
- must coon have revival of business, and let 1
leave no means unused to be ready to move il
Il stantly when that time arrives.
Is Respectfully submitted for the manager
GEO. W. STONE, Secretary.
LIST OF MEMBERS.
The following is list of the members of IL
Board during the past year Pussy, Scott
Co, S. Bancroft, Jr., W. z. Bancroft, Cha
Warner Co., VIM. Lea & Son, James Bradfor
> Harlan Hollingsworth Co., Walton, Whan
y Co., Geo. W. Bush, t. 4 A. Belts, f. i. Jane
s Seidel a Hastings L. Brnghurst, Granvill
Worrell, W. NJ. Kennard, Lobdel Car Whet
Co, Gregg & Bowe, Eli Garrett, Diamor
State Iron Co., ]. T. Head, Pusey Jones
Co., Francis Barry Capclle a. Bro, A.
y Elliott, d. II. Kent Il Co., NJ. NJ. Child
Co., Benjamin Nields, Samuel NJ. Harins
ton, Croasdale d Cameron, Woolley and Var
Trump, II. NJ. Jenkins, r. E. Robinson
VIM. Candy, P. W. &. b. r. II. Co., II. s. Nj
Comb, w. II. Swift, Harlan Cause, Charles Bairt
I. y. de Normandie, j. p. Doughten, E. Brint
t hurst & Co., II. F. Pickles, James Morrow Wn
i Ferris, Gawthrop & Bro, j. X. Adams, c. /
I johnson, W. 4 Il. II. r. Co., Hilles a Jonel