The Portland daily press., 1881-01-11
BOARD OF TRADE.
ANNUAL MEETING OF THE CORPO-
RATION.
Resolutions of Respect for Hon. John B.
Brown.

ino auHudi ileetlnS Oh lne DOarQ OIL Irado
was held last evening, but owing to bad
weather the attendance was small
The meeting was called to order by Presi.
dent Anderson, and the records of the last
meeting read by Secretary Rich, were ap-
proved
The secretary read a communication from
the New York Board of Trade asking that the
members OF the Portland Board sign memo
rial to Congress to prevent the adulteraton of
food or drugs. A copy of the memorial accom-
panied the communication
1t was voted to place this memorial on file in
the Merchants Exchange and that each mem
OF the Board of Trade be requested to sign it.
A communication from the Boston Board of
Trade was read to the effect that the Portland
Board again pass resolutions favoring recip-
rocal strade between the Canadas and the
United States. Accompanying this were cop
les of petition to Congress recently drawn up
by the Boston Board, which were sent to this
Board for signatures. This petition is that
Congress will pass a resolution in favor of the
appointment of joint commission to fix upon
a basis for bringing about reciprocal relations
between this country and the Canadas.
The members present thought favorably of
the petition and all present signed it. 1t was
voted that the petition be circulated by the
secretary among the merchants for signatures.
The name of G. j. Harrington was proposed
for membership, and, the rule being suspend
ed he was balloted on and declared o member
of the board.
The annual reports were then presented as
follows:
sECRETARY's REPORT.
To the Officers and Members Of the Board of
Trade:
Your secretary would respectfully re-
port that there have been held during the year
22 meetings; II of the managers and five meet
ings of the full board. Five meetings were
adjourned for went of quorum.
Seven persons have been admitted to mem
bership and two members, Cyrus S. Clark and
Hon. John b. Brown, have died during the
year. Mr.. Brown was for nine successive
years the first president of the Board. The
Board now numbers 154 members, against 152
last year. have received for admission fees
and assessments $437 and have paid the same
to the treasurer. The Merchants Exchange
has at this time 17S members, against 1853 last
year.
The receipts for subscriptions to the Ex-
change have been 1892. So making the aggre-
gate receipts from all sources for the wear
$1759.50
Full market reports by telegraph have been
kept up and all the marine news bulletined
that it has been possible to obtain or all at
least that is bulletined at the Merchants Ex-
change In Boston. L am advised by the super
lntendent there, and the Western Union Tele-
graph Company have promptly and faithfully
transmitted the kilograms and rendered their
services IN cheerful cooperation with the in
terests of the Merchants Exchanges rooms
and its patrons
The improvements inaugurated in the Ex-
change rooms last spring have made the rooms
mora attractive and convenient and have metthe
general acceptance of the members, but the di-
rectors are disappointed in not having larger
accession to membership, after the efforts put
forth to provide SO nicely appointed quarters.
and hope that another year will witness more
general interest with the business people to aid
IN sustaining business home which can be
made of SO great an advantage to them.
The business of the city while some branches
OF trade have been quite prosperous, has
not on the whole met the expectations of
many, though the improvement has been
steady yet SLOW as compared to other cities
possessing no better advantages of location.
Various reasons have been advanced by our
people for this sluggish condition of affairs,
such as "nigh taxation" "discriminatinp
rates of RAILROAD freight" obnoxious laws,5
and want of public spirit.
The want OF public spirit regret to say is
too manifest in the small numbers of this in
stltutlon, which should have membership of
not less than 500 upon its rolls, not to believe
that there is not that public spirit there
ought to be to insure our real business pros
perity. Yet the lookout for the future is in a
more hopeful condition than it was wear
ago. this l think is especially applicable to the
manufacturing industries of the city, to which
1t has been my duty as Special Agent of the
Census Bureau to flu ly investigate during the
past summer for statistical information and the
NJ.
1st OF July last was conceded to be the dullest
year ever experienced here by most of those
now engaged in the manufacturing business
and some branches, among which might
name that of carriage building and the various
branches connected herewith, as well as that
of shipbuilding and its incidental interest, of
sail making, rigging, caulking, boat building,
NC, are steadily waning if not already hope
lessly lost to u.s. and yet the statistics of manu-
factures in Portland present some very inter-
eestlng and pleasing features which 1
hope to have opportunity to give to the public
very soon.
Some idea of the magnitude of our city's
business industries may be formed when [
state that visited 306 manufactures doing a
business OF $500 per annum and upwal ds of
which there are 93 distinctive branches, in
which are invested capital of $46S8, IT'S, en-
ploying S,147 hands and 100 steam engines,
and paying 81 $50, ,796. .16 in wages annually,
the aggregate product of which was last year
S9,oIz,zoo, an actual prOht from the small
manufactures in THIS city of nearly eight mil
lion dollars, after allowing six per cent inter-
est upon the capital invested.
Surely our home manufactures should be
always patronized, encouraged and fostered in
every possible way, and Jealous care taken
to relieve them of the too over burdened tax
alton to which many of them are subjected,
and which | believe now exists to consider
able extent.
Navigation nor real estate as yet show little
If any improvement here, though hopeful
feeling is INDUCED for the future
Respectfully submitted,
M. N. RICH, Sec'y.
TREASURER'S REPORT.
Charles S. Fobes treasurer, in account with
Portland Board of Trade:
DIR.
Balance from old account. ........., ...S331732
Cash from membership Board of Trade. 437 700
Cash from membership Merchants Ex-
Cash from interest. OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. 141.72
$5,21S.54
Cash charged to investment account. 50 87S so
Caen Pa!!u leio :..'''.... ...'............ IOOOO
Cash paid commissions ........... 1926
Gosh poid