The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-08-07
MBER OF COMMERCE.
xsgRwHNes aE TIE EXECUTIVE COM
wnTTEE LAST NHGHT.

III
Chamber Of Commerce met at the store OF
Messrs. Howard g. Preston, No Ill Poydras
street.
The meeting was called TO order at 7:3O
osclock. Present: Messrs. Howard chair
man, Tupper, Schrieber, Burwel and Ray
mond.
The minutes of the proceeding meeting were
read and approved.
Judge BurwelI, the secretary, stated that
the object of the meeting was to decide
whether an appropriation Of 500 could be
made TO defray tho expenses Of the conven-
tfUn, which Is TO assemble here in December.
Judge BuIwell stated that Gen. Bussey had
written to ask for this appropriation. After
some debate. IL was decided that, according
60 the constitution Of the Chamber OF Com
mefce. no sum Of money could be appro-
priated except for The expenses of the Chamber
itself, but it was thought a loan could be made,
and, on motion Of Mr.. Schrieber, seconded by
Mr.. w. G. Raymond, the following
RESOLUTION WAS PASSED:
Resolved That the treasurer be instructed
Go paw to the order Of the chairman OF the
finance committee of the international Con
vention, to assemble in this city on the third
OF December 1878, the sum OF 500 by way OF
advance, towards the expenses of the conven-
tton, TO be accounted for In the settlement OF
fIle financial accounts Of the convention.
Adopted.
The subject Of the rigid
QUARANTINE
now in existence In other cities against this
port was then taken up and discussed at great
length. It was thought that as there had
only been five deaths in the last twenty-four
Hours that the disease was on the decrease
and 1t was also thought that the disease was
not SO great as in 1874, and then 1t WIS not
considered epidemic, and the majority of the
members did not believe it was epidemic now
or liable to be. and did not think there was
any more yellow foyer here now than there is
every year at this time, The president
thought 1t was the duty of this committee to
publish the facts and let the world know
what the opinion Of the Chamber of Com
merce was on this subject They owed it, he
thought to themselves as merchants, and to
their fellow-citizens.
MI. Raymond moved that committee Of
three be appointed to draft resolutions aud a
protest against the quarantine now existing
liz other cities against this city.
The following resolution was presented by
Mr. Raymond:
BIZ Il resolred That a committee Of three be
appointed charged with the duty of prepar
ing and publishing q respectful protest
against the unreasonable and unnecessary
quarantine proclaimed against this city by
numerous cities, hamlets and villages
throughout the South and Southwestern
States against the city of New Orleans.
Adopted.
The president stated that he would defer
the appointment of the committee to some
future time
The president then requested that MT Thos.
Tupper. who, together with Gen. Bussey. had
been appointed TO memoriaize Congress reIa-
live to steamship mail service between this
7ity and South and Central American ports,
would make a statement to the committee as
~ what he had done. Col. Topper then said
Hr. President and Gentlemen:
At the December meeting of this Chamber
I was appointed chairman of the committee
59 lnelnOralze Congress for steamship mail
service from this city to Central and South
America. The memorial was prepared and
presented.
IT was deemed advisable and I visited
Washington to urge the passage of a bill in
accord with the views expressed in said
memorial, and remained there during the en-
ire session Gen Russey, as representative of
HE Cotton Exchange, Joined me in the early
BART of January. and again in May, and we
lid our best to secure the necessary legisia-
ion. You are all familiar with the result.
While In Washington-by resolution of the
.thambel--we were instructed to render what
assistance we could In securing appropria-
lions for the Improvement of the Mississippi
ind Red rivers, and the protection Of the
aarbor Of New Orleans. Our members OF
Congress were SO active in these matters but
little was left for us to do.
As it may be OF advantage to. those who ID
Ehe future represent this Chamber in Wash
Dgton, [ will state some OF the difficulties in
what was DONE and some of
The stumbling blocks in the way of success in
Che other measures, which we hope to have
favorably considered at the next session OF
Congress.
The questions before Congress which most
Interested our people were:
/. The rebuilding and strengthening OF the
3. The building of the Texas Pacific Rail
road.
g. The steamship mail line to Brazil.
4. Reopenng the Mint III New Orleans
s. The protection of the New Orleans har
Dor.
6. The improvement of the navigation of
The last three mentioned of these measures
received favorable consideration-th Mint
the harbor, and Red river.
The difficulty of securing these appropria-
tIUEc NdS Ill LIS ldCb bilhL bllb tultSb
engineers estimates were not received until
the Committee on Commerce had made up
their report and had printed the river and
harhor bill. 1t was therefore necessary to
have the question opened and all our repre-
sentatives went before the committee and
brought about the favorable consideration al
luded to.
Now as to the measures that did not sue
eeed: L. The levees 2. The Pacific Railroad.
5. The Brazil mail steamship line. Let me
mention some of the difficulties which operat-
ed against these measures, and you will see it
Nas no easy task to accomplish what we de-
signed and no fault OF our, congressman that
we did not receive all we desired.
First, as to the ieuees. [ have even heard
some of our citizens express doubts as to the
right Of the general government appropriate
ing money for rebuilding levees for the pro-
lection OF our alluvial lands. Congress has
never in the past done SO, and many here and
elsewhere question the constitutional right,
but all agree that if it can be shown that the
levees tend to improve the navigation of the
Mississippi river then the work becomes legit-
imately under the direction of the national
government and should be provided for by