The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1885-01-13
HOARD OF TRADE.
Annual Meeting-Fscper,- and Election
of Officers.

oil OMcers.
The annual meeting Of the Board was called
to order at 7S0 O'Clock by President George P.
Wescott. There was good attendance.
The records were read and approved.
Messrs. Payson Tucker and P. 8. Nickerson
were elected members Of the Board.
The following reports were made:
sEcRETARY's REPORT.
To the officers and members of the Board Of
Trade:
beg respectfully to report that there have
been held during the year 10 meetings Of the
managers and of the full board; three meet
iDgs were adjourned for want of quorum,
one person has been admitted TO membership,
and three members have died, viz: Samuel E.
Spring, Edmund Phinney sDd John B. Coyle.
The Board nowsnumbers 143 members against
ITO last year.
have received during the year:
For admission fees and assessments. .... .S432.O0
From Board of Underwriters for use OF
Groom. ,......... -.. ..s:g...,.s,........... 4O.OO
The Merchants Exchange has at this time
181 psyingmembers.
The receipts from subscriptions to the Ex-
change have been 81 1873, making my aggre-
gate receipts from all sources for the year
81 ,851, all ofkwhich has been paid to the treas
urer:
The persistent efforts OF oIr citizens through
this board has resulted in the restoration of
Portland Head Light to its former height and
magnitude of power, notice thereof having
been alreaGy officially issued by the depart@
raent, to take effect on the 10Th inst.
Other matters submitted to the board, OF per
sonal grievances, or by correspondence on top
ics OF general public interest, have been quiet
ly and prndently considered, and the co-opera-
tion Of this board given in all judicious meas
ures calculated ~ promote the common inter-
ests of our city, State and country.
In all its good works caunot but feel that 1t Is
a shame and reproach to the business people
of Portland to have TO again admit that this
board does not receive the support and interest
that is due to an organization that Is 30 con-
stantly laborng to promote the common inter-
ests OF its citizens, and do hope that more
hearty and generous cooperation will be ex-
tended to the board than there has been in the
last few years, else it will lose its power and
prestige for good in the future. .
The hopes entertained by many Of the busi-
ness men at the commencement OF the year
have not been fully realized, yet the trade OF
this city and throughout the State has been
fairly active with few exceptions, and the
small proportion OF failares OF country mer-
chants, considering this steady depression OF
prices of nearly all commodities is the best in-
dication of the healthful condition to which
the business of our city and State has subsided
under more conservative and careful methods.
Hence, while collections have been slow, mon
ey has been pleLty at q moderate rate OF per-
centage throughout the year.
The various industries in this vicinity have
been as prosperous as any other section OF the
country, and artisans and skilled labor more
generally employed, and the fact that while
merchandise, including all the leading staples
and necessities, have declined fully 48 per cent
in the past twelve years, labor in that time
has suffered decline aversging throughout
this State scarcely eight per cent; an analogy
which cannot be expected nor scarcely hoped
for in the future; but the general harmony
that has always existed between capital and
labor in this State, will no doubt work out the
problem without serious jar to their mutual it,
terests.
In the face of the continued depression of
business throughout the world, the transports-
ton lines of this State have moved more mer-
chandise ths past year than during any pre-
vious year in its history, and there was
entered and cleared through this port the first
week in this new year merchandise to the
value OF more than million dollars. Many
of our leading industries, such IS the fisheries,
the canning Of goods numbering, etc have
steadily increased in importance; and our great
machine shops and foundries are fairly sctive,
and laboreis generally we'll employed, while
the city shows steady increase in wealth and
valuation. In view of these facts, there ap-
pears to be no tangible cause for dependency
nor croakings in this vicinity, but rather an
inspiration 10 greater courage and enterprise.
Respectfully submitted,
M. N RICH, Secretary.
Portland, Jan. II, 1885.
PORT wARDEN's REPORT.
The Port Wardens, Capts. BENZ. W. Jones
and Thomas Ingersoll reported they had visit
ed A steamships, all foreign; % barks. Amer
ican and IA foreign; Is brias, IL American and
foreign; % schooners, II American and 5
foreign; and IA American coasters; total of
121, slight decrease from last year The car
goes were mostly in good order and we'll stow
ed. The steamers are landing their cargoes in
better order this winter as they have been bet
ter slowed and cared for.
METEOROLOGICAL REPORT.
Mr.. Farley of the meteorological committee
reports the views of the committee have un-
dergone no change, and those expressed by the
majority and minority require no repetition.
He refers TO the cold wave signal which has
been added since the last report, and to the
fact that reports from thirteen signal stations
are now given. He pays high compliment
to Sergeant Eichelberger, who has retired, and
to Sergeant Lebmann his successor.
TREAsURER's REPORT.
Charles S. Fobes treasurer, in account with Port
land Board of Trade.
Balance ,Io9.l1
Cash, membership Board of Trade, ,....... 432.o0
(" Merchants Ex.......... 1,379.0O
" Board of Und.. ........ 1000
interest '.....s..,......'.....s.. OOUO