The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1875-10-20
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT.
Election of .omeers and nirec.ors

The annual meeting Of the Chamber o.
Commerce was held yesterday evening, Mr.,
Thomas w. McCance in the chair. The
president, General Joseph r. Anderson, read
his annual report, giving" an interesting re
sumo of the operations of the Chamber du'
ring the year, and showing that the organI.
zation has done much to advance the inter
ests of the trade and commerce of the city
In concluding the report, General Anderson
said:
Having enumerated the principal subjects
that have occupied their attention during the
year. the Board desire to unite with their
predecessors In expressing their strong con.
viction Of the importance OF maintaining 10
full vigor such an institution as the Chamber
o. Commerce. In their opinion, rs well
might great army lie ia front Of its foes
without guard surrounding its walls or Its
encampment as city to attempt to reach
great prosperity aud growth in its
friendly warfare with its active and sleepless
competitors without some organized body
not only to represent it rs q commercial and
manufacturing community, but to be at all
times on the lookout for Whatever may in
any way affect its interests.
When the late disastrous war closed our
people had before them anything but a pro-
missing outlook-a great portion Of the city
in ashes. almost all personal securities worth.
less, no currency. no banking capital, and but
little individual capital left. Our merchants
having little ability to grant credit, many of
their natural customers were attracted to
other cities, where merchants, not having
been crippled by the war, were in condition
to offer inducements. In addition to this,
railroads have been so located as to
draw from us much of the country
that supported our business 10 former
years. But the men of our city did not
despond, but eyinced a courage equal
to the occasion. Only ten years have elapsed.
and We find the burnt district long since
built up with better buildings. A consider
able amount of banking capital has come to
our aid, our City Council has used the credit
of the city to improve the navigation Of our
fine river, and Congress has come to aid in
the good work so that we have good rea-
son to expect that we shall soon be able to
ship our products destined for coastwise or
foreign market-our tobacco, grain, &C.,
&c.,-direct FROM our wharyes, and to offer
to our importing merchants the advantage
of receiving at their doors direct from the
foreign port all that their trade requires
of foreign production. In the mean time
Tue elup.OfetleulO VI OliI llf el IL ouGlfBS ltCft-
monG as the nearest port to our friends in the
West, and encouraging the completion of
railroad lines by which we will be able to
offer them inducements to send US their
wceat, their tobacco. &C., &C., for shipment,
after supplying the large wants of our own
mills and factories, and also to distribute or
own importations over large breadth of
country, unsurpassed on the continent in
fertility and productions.
The report was adopted. -
The Chamber then proceeded to elect off,
GERS for the ensuing year, with the following
result: President, Joseph R. Anderson !;
Presidents, David j. Burr and E. o.
Noting; Treasurer, j. II. Montague Seore-
tary, 2. G. Coghlan. .......
A committee, consisting Of John Purcell,
n. NJ. Wilson. and George Lee, was ap.
pointed to nominate directors. They submit
ted the names of the following to constitute
the Board R. E. Blankenship, j. h. Chill
drcy, T. NJ. Logan, Thomas Potts, A. L.
Elicit, George Lee, c. D. Hill, j. Pendleton
Rogers, Franklin Stearns, T. S. Bruce Moses
MllIhser, s. Fl. HaWes, ]. G. Spots, j. 81.
Capers, 2. w. Grubbs, and Asa Snyder.
The report was adopted.
The condition of the Chesapeake and Ohio
railroad was discussed by Mr.. W. L. Cowar'
din and General Anderson, and both gentle.
men agreed that in certain contingency il
might be to the interest OF. the city to exert
herself to purchase the road.
Adjourned.