Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1875-12-07
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE..
Regular Monthly Meeting-NeH Mem
beIs-The Texas Pacific Railroad
Question.
The Groeers and Provision Dealers TO
have n Pr1ce-Lfst-A Good Move
ment-Etc.

The chamber Of commerce met in
regular ssion at four o'clock yesterday after
/ noon, President Petut in the chair
| htssrs. W. W. 81 'Dowell and Thomas War
rem were admitted 10 mem Cership.
Judge =. Z. Lathm said that Judge Henry
q smith, chairman Of the committee on the
| southern Pacific railroad being absent,
| lac hoped the matter would be postponed until
| he could be here. A letter from Judge Smith
| says that ne thinks the action OF the ST. Louis
| committee should be satisfactory TO Memphis.
On motion Of Judge Latham the subject was
deferred until next Monday evening at three
o'clock. The subject was one Of imI o. lance,
he said, ana sho1ld receive prompt attention.
General J. q. FIzeT said that the merchants
| of Memphis found great difficulty in securing
the publication Of proper market quotations,
which was damaging 10 the interests OF the
| commission end grocery business. 4 COM
mittee had consulted with the leading papers
here, and the press was willing TO publish re
ulaT official mercantile e quotations. The mer-
chants wanted 20 publish the quotations OF
miscellaneous articles sold by grocers. in the
same manner as the figures Of the cotton ex-
change are published. The grocefS thought
they were entitled 10 as much consideration
rom the newspaper commercial reporters as
the cotton dealers received. T1is was q sub
ject Of mutual interest TO reporters and mer-
chants, and this was the on " way TO remedy
the errors complained of, and to 40 away with
reporting forced sales on the landing.
Mr. Louis HanRuer said that the prices OF
the sales made by grOCers should be obtained
daily by committee, and quoted on u Q
boards or the exchange in the same manner
as were the quotations of the cotton exchange,
and so 90 away with putting down forced
landing sales as regular trade Transactions,
General Fizer said that they cordially in
vited the cooperation OF all the newspapers
In the contemplated change, and he tn -refOre
offered the following resolution, and suggested
as he committee MeSSrs. L. banauer, n. Fon-
tame, John X. Speed, James PosJon and JAS
A. Hunt:
RESOLVED, That committee of five be ap-
pointed monthly by the president of the
chamber, whose duty II shall be TO meet daily
NfalF of ffasa
meTce, and TX the quotations for groceries,
provisions and produce for the current day,
which quotations shall be deemed the official
market report.
Mr.. VIM. Rosselle, commercial editor of the
APPEAL, said he protested against the aSser-
ton that the reporters had been guilty Ofquot-
ing forced sales or forced rates as regular meT-
camille transactions. The sales made at the
elevator were not at forced rates. but selling
there was one regular way OF disclosing of GER
tain commodities, as we have no chamber of
commerce exchange where such business can
be done The press reporters certainly under
stood the difference between forced sales and
regular sales; the former were never reported
on the footing OF the latter. But laying aside
this question, the speaker respectfully sug-
gested 20 the merchants ofthe city that 1t was
the custom in most commercial centers TO
make 1t appear that their market was, in spe-
cial lines OF trade, cheaper than any other; so
IL had been the custom in this city, Years
ago 1t commenced with the wholesale dry
goods houses here, whose pTOprietOrs offered
20 sell and deliver goods at the door of the pur-
cheaper than other and distant markets; and
il is their boast that that they have done
50. so the boot and shoe houses, the drug
houses, and provision dealers had sought
to make the impression that they could sell
goods in the country around US, cheaper than
could be done by dealers in distant cities. The
object of this resolution was to make the
Memphis store prices the official quotations.
- hat would be the consequence? In other
6eS tne %h0lesaig Plies ne are made Inc OF
will make the ''stOrehouSe prices" the basis
This would make a clash of prices, and one
not in our favor, for the drummers from st.
Louis, Louisville, Cincinnati and Chicago
producing the chamber of commerce official
list would say to purchasers: Here are the
official quotations OF The Memphis market
we will sell goods and deliver them at YOUR
store door cheaper than you can buy them in
the city of Memphis itself"
General FiEer said that the merchants were
fully alive to the interests of their own trade,
and the object was TO make the prices quoted
sausfac DRY, and they would do 50, as the com
mlttee would be imposed of N "a represent
ing different businesses. They did not under
stand why or how the market could be unfa-
Yorably affected If the facts were given. The
general price, and not the special sales, would
make the market. They wanted TO secure q
system and ontain reliable prices, The st.
Louis and Cincinnati papers quoted in some
respects ''StOrehOuSe prices" higher than the
goods are actually offered here. The object of
the resolution was merely 10 regulate the
matter, and it would have every interest rep
resented.
Mr.. Rosselle said that a commercial report
er repre- scented no party, neither seller nor
buyer, and mad TO take the prices and faith
fully report them as he actually found the
sales made. II the chambsr OF commerce
took the matter ont of the hands of the gro
GERS and produce dealers, and posted a list of
prices as official, then such quotations would
have to be published, and would be received
by the press with the respect due 10 the source
whence they came, but whether the pr oceed-
ing contemplated by the resolution was a wise
one; one calculated to advance the business
welfare and general interests of Memphis,
was qnes ion he respectfully submitted to |
the NEE ing before the resolution was put by |
the president
The ABOVE resolution was adopted, and the |
chairman appointed on the committee the |
gentlemen suggested by General Fizer.
Adjourned.