Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1880-11-24
,MILWAUKEE'S PRIDE.
The New Chamber of Commerce
Building at Milwaukee Open
ed to Trade.
An Imposing Ceremony of Dedication,
and an Imposing Company
of Auditors.
(From the Evening Wisconsin,

lfrom the EVcnln6 wisconsin,
Thursday, November 18th, opened
bright and beautiful with clear sky and
cold, bracing temperature. Nature did
her best to make o perfect day in which
the "bulls and bears" of Milwaukee
might open with fitting ceremony the
new chamber of commerce hall.
To the minds of old settlers in this
city will recur vivid pictures of the early
life OF the organization which to-day
takes another step forward in the path
OF earnest progress. As the memory of
former trading rooms used by the Mil
waukee Chamber of Commerce associa-
ton comes up to the minds of older
members, the contrast with tie spacious
and elegant quarters first occupied to-
day, will provoke q satisfied smile, with
which will come thrill of pride ut the
healthful growth of the unpromising in
FAINT of years agone.
The Chamber of Commerce building
an admirable cut of which heads this
column-isi imposing and costly, while the
fittings, and furnishings are tasteful and
elegant; an honor to the builder and
compliment to the commercial men of
the city.
Not strictly according to the pro-
gramme OF exercises hereto fore laid
down, the holders of reception tickets
for admission to the new chamber of
commerce began presenting them fully
an hour before the exercises were to
commence, and by three o'clock the gall
leries and halls were packed with the
elite and fashion of Milwaukee. Car
off 1C1 ~
entrance, and deposited it's fair load of
feminine humanity, till the building
overfowed with it's crush of elegant
visitors
The floor of the chamber was filed
with members and holders of regul3r
tickets to the floor. Among these was
liberal sprinkling of newspaper men
and other visitors from abroad.
Until haE-past three o'clock the sole
business of the assembled multitude,
thoroughly pleasurable to all, seemed
TO be that of greeting friends and point
ing out especial beauties in the appoint
ments or finish of the rooms.
Promptly at $50 o'clock order was
called In the handsome hall, and when
quiet mad been secured President Bod
den of the Chamber of Commerce asso-
citation, said:
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN-We have assembled
On this occas ion to celebrate a great event in
the history of the Chamber of Commerce as
ISOLATION; the formal opening Of cur new Ex-
change building, Which has been erected by our
honored citizen, Hon. AIexa1 der Mitchell, ex-
pressiy for that purpose.
The formal delivery of the Exchange rooms
will be made by Mr.. Mitchell. through his reDre-
a. 10 I'm,
ton of MIR. Mitchelts necessary absence from
the city Is furnished in the dispatch which I
now read
New YORK, November 16. 1880.
Hon. M. Bodden, President, and w. p. Nc
Ld''en, Chairman arrangement Committee:
deeply regret that important business here
from which cannot escape, will prevent my being
with you on Thursday at the opening of the
new rooms for the Chamber of Commerce. I
trust the new quarters will not be found un-
worthy of the chamber to the members of which
Milwaukee is SO largely indebted for its bust
ness prosperity. Be good enough to convey to
the chamber my fraternal regards and to say
that my nephew, John Johnston will represent
me on the occasion. ALEX. MITCHELL
now have the honor of preoentin to you,
Mr.. Johnston.
Mr.. Johnston as the representative of
the building owner being thus called
out, formally presented the keys of the
chamber to President Bodden, and upon
delivering them said:
Mr.. PREsIDENT-Mr. Mitchell desires me TO
express to you. self, the members of the chamber
of commerce, and the ladies and gentlemen
here assembled bis deep regret that important
business in Now York prevents his presence
upon this interesting occasion.
The inauguration of this new chamber of
commerce, believe, marks step in the steady
progress of our young and beautiful CITY. There
are men in this hall who remember when the
cabin of Solomon Juneau was the only exchange
room OF which Milwaukee could boast, and It's
only trade was the bartering by that old pioneer
OF calico. wampum and similar commodities for
the furs of the Red-man. Then, the only ave-
MUGS OF communication were Indian trails OF
Which four important ones centered here. Two
started from the South Side, one going to Chi
cago and the other to the Fox river; one from
the West Side to Green Bay, and one from the
East Side to Port Washington. After this when
the farmer took the place Of the Indian, the
street, the tavern and the store became The
arenas for the exchange of the products of the
soil for those needed to supply the farmers
wants.
Wisconsin, little over thirty years ago, raised
hardly enough of wheat for its own food and
seed, and the means of conveying anv local
surplus to market were very deficient. There
were as yet neither plank-roads nor railroads.
Ihe price OF grain scarcely justified the hauling
of it by wagons over ungraded roads, unbridged
streams aud undIalned sloughs for distances
varying from twenty to seventy miles. and
many pioneer farmer can tell how on his re-
turn home from journey to Milwaukee with
load OF wheat he found that the expenses of
the Journey had exhausted the money he re-
ceived for bis grain.
"a Racme county farmer informed me the
other day that at the time when the cathedral
was being built he hauled wheat to Milwaukee
and sold it for thirty-fve cents per brlshel. The
nrst load OF wheat which ever entered Milwau-
kee Tas received In 1889, and brought fifty cents