The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1874-12-16

The adoption of the following re-
port was the principal business trans
acted at the special meeting of the
Board of Trade, Saturday evening:
Mr.. PREsIDENT:-The select COM
mittee appointed to devise a plan for
collecting business statistics of this
community, and to suggest the best
method for making such statistics
most available for the business ad-
vancement and prosperity of the city
and its vicinity have given the subject
consideration, and beg leave to report:
That there can be no doubt that
there is great need of a complete and
classified statement of the business
transacted in this city. A correct
statement of this kind would probably
surprise a large majority of our citi-
zens by conveying to them knowi-
edge of the character and extent of
our manufactures, the amount of cap
ital actually engaged therein, the
large sum that represents the annual
sales of these establishments, and the
number of persons to whom they give
employment. Add to this the num-
Der of people engaged in the grocery,
dry goods, leather, boot and shoe.
meat, drug, hardware, painting, jewell
ry, clothing, fancy goods, book, livery,
stove, furniture, tobacco, liquor, mil
linery, real estate, bakery, insurance,
| sewing machine and other business,
and the amount of capital employed,
and sales made; then, not only would
it surprise our quiet citizens. but it
would be to them a source of honest
pride that they were part of such an
active, important and prosperous COM
munity.
Such facts would be the theme of
conversation when our friends came
to visit us from abroad, as we'll as
when we should 60 to visit them
They would be written about in let
tiers and published in the papers, and
thus proclaimed far and wide-would,
like bread cast upon the waters, re
turn to us after many days, bringing
the enterprising citizens of other To-
calities to become a part of us, and in
crease our productlveness and pros
perity.
Suppose some party wishing to en-
gage in some new business enterprise
in a live, active, Hourishing town
should write to you, Mr.. President
for accurate information in regard ia
the number of people. and the amount
of capital engaged in the several lines
of business carried on in Richmond
could you give the party the informa-
ton asked for? Could anybody give
it? Is there any data anywhere with
in reach of yourself or others that
would authorize an estimate tina,
would approximate the truth in this
direction? Your committee have nc
knowledge of the existence of such
data: and yet it is quite obvious tha
the absence Of such information nigh
send away an enterprise. because
logical man wishing to inaugurate tn,
enterprise might nationally infer tina
where there was not public spiri
enough to know what business wa
done in a city, there was not likely t.
be private energy enough to conduc
much business.
Besides this, the spirit of the age
the genius of the people, and the &C
tivity of surrounding cities in thi
J same direction, make it incumbent OF
us, IL We WISH u Keep hlcnmOlt
abreast with the progress of the times
to gather together the facts of the ex
tent and success of our business activ
! ity, and have them in shape and man
t ner such that all who wish may Sc
and understand.
Your committee have full faith tina
if the attention of the business peopl
of this city and vicinity should b
properly called to the value of full an
accurate statistics of the business in
dustries of this communite they woul
= most cheerfully lend their aid, an
second any efforts the Board ma
make to collect and publish such sta
tistics.
To carry these views into practica
Y effect your committee recommend tina
I circular be printed at once settin
forth the purpose sought to be attain
ed, and asking the assistance of a
: persons interested. And the way {
render this assistance should be point