The Portland daily press., 1886-01-12
BOARD OF TRADE.
Annual Meeting and Election of
Officers.

Annual Meeting and Eiecs'on OF
Officers.
The thirty-second annual meeting of the
Board of Trade was held at their rooms last
evening.
The meeting was called to order by Presi-
dent Blabon.
The secretary read the records OF the last
meeting, which were approved
The annual reports were read and APPROX
ed and placed on record.
sEcRETARY's REPORT
To the 06acers and Members Of the Board Of
beg respectfully to report there have been hold
during the year thirteen meetings OF the managers
and three of the full board. -Four meetings. were
Three persons have been admitted to member
shin and one member has died during the year,
VIZ .'ex- President Hon Charles H. Haskell The
board now numbers 100 HeihpeTS, against lob
last year. ,.,...
ments, and from Board Of Underwriters for use Of
room, $4,000.
members on the rolls, 30 of which have not paid
dues for the current year
The receipts from !, subscription to the Ex-
change have been $l21S, making my aggregate
receipts from all sources for the year ST ,822, ali
Of which have been paid to the treasurer
The powse anu nd usefulness OF the board is still
able apathy and want OF interest on the part OF the
business people Of Portland. So many measure
profit obtained from the slight cost of its annual
membership, and which is to be personally real
ized as business investment rather than by
LOOKING 10 the common interests of the city which
VIII be promoted through a Capitalization of such
interests In one organization to more effectively
yield greater power for the common good of all,
tnat our opportunities offer for trade, traffic and
al the varied industrial pursuits AS evidence of
fO cfafn That pArAI
Board OF Trade is one of the Oldest in the country,
It's annual fees are less and its membership the
smalest OF any kindred organization existing In
ter results for the Board in the near future since
such condition is reproach to the public spirit
on our people
The trade of our city for the past year has been
very fair More goods have been sold and more
merchandise transported to and from this market
than ever before though smaller profits have been
realized yet losses from bad debts have been less
frequent, and business is on better footing than
the decline and now almost total failure of the
cooperage business with the West Indies is seri-
Gus blow to very important industry that has
hitherto given employment to many vessels and
should receive earnest efforts to secure relief
through Congress since it is of large national in
terest.
Shipments of lumber have continued to be an
important and profitable interest, with good pros
poets for the future
steadily improving, and will probably reach $12,-
100000 in value the present year. and in view OF
the prospective large increase OF this great bust
ness at this port it was timely effort ON the part
of this board to obtain sufficient appropriations
from Congress to further deepen the harbor to
give free and unobstructed access to the great
steamships bearing this commerce to our shores.
Business with the lower maritime provinces has
been well served by the International Steamship
Company, which had It's origin in this Board, and
which corporation has, to It's credit ever conduct
ed its business in the interest Of our people.
The coastwise trade, especially in the eastern
section Of the State, has not been SO wei accom-
modated OF late, and much of the valuable BUSH
ness in that section may be diverted from the
State II good facilities for transportation are not
speedily furnished. 1t may be well for this board
to take such measures as may be necessary to re
tamt this trade where it naturally belongs.
The interior commerce of the State Is well ac-
commodated by the Maine Central and other lines
of railroad, as the various new industries open
ing up throughout the State and the enlargement
and Improvement of the older ones are evidence;
and one %. Of the most gratifying features of the
prosperity Of our people is the fact that most all Of
employed at fair wages, while so many are idle in
other communities. Hence we have much to en-
courage and inspire renewed efforts for the fu-
ture Respectfully,
M. n RICH, Secretary.
METEOROLOGICAL COMMITTEES REPORT.
We have only to report the removal of the office
from the Custom House to better quarters In the
First National Bank building, where the signals
are more conspicuous, and the instruments better
exposed to wind and temperature. A code of
and snow. and changes in temperature We
thought the display of so many signals would
cause CONFUSION, and did not advise it, The chief
signal officer has expressed his regret at this dis
cusson and as it is proposed to display them, not
at the office but at some other point in the city,
we withdraw our objections and they will here
after probably be displayed. Last summer Lieut..
Weber was sent here from Washington to in
quire Of merchants and see what was needed to
improve the service at this pert. The nature of
his report is not yet known. We have made our
usual visit to the office and report that it was
never better conducted than at the present time.
n Il n n TRa 1GH Committee.
PORT wARDENs REPORT.
We have visited officially during the past year
80 steamships, all of which were English; 70
sailing vessels, 40 of which were American and
81 forelgn-a slight falling off from last years
report
During the year most of the cargoes have been
landed in good order The steamships arriving
tanned full freights home. Two steamships of the
Dominion line are this winter running from this
port to Bristol and we hope are succeeding so
well as to make it a permanent line.
There has been limited amount of molasses
brought to this port the past year, and it seems as
ant to THIS city, was gradually declining especial
ly in our exports.
We do not feel at liberty to make any sugges-
ton In regard to this matter but trust that wiser
heads than ours may take up the subject at an
early date and see if something cannot be done
to revive this once prosperous business at this
port. BENJAMIN w. JONES,
THOs. INGERsoLI.
TREAsURER's REPORT
;, Charles $. Fobes, treasurer, in account with
1885. DIR.
E Balance. 1880; 81, 964.03
Qrd of