Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-12-17
THE BUSINESSMEN.
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
MEETING YESTERDAY EVENING.
Colonel Rufln's Visit to the West-Pilot
Lsws-s spanish TradsvNsw
Members Elected, &c.

o'bfe' N niurh's Pit'tb@'Nf
Dunlop, first v,ce-presideut: George l..
Christian, second vice president; N. W.
Bowe, A. ii. Christian, Jr., N. d. Har-
grove. John ". Cringa1, j. j. Montague,
r. +. Williams, and J. II. whitty. Anex-
cuse was made for the absence OF Mr.. $. II.
Hawts.
COLONEL RuFFIS's VISIT WEST.
Mr. II. +. Williams, chairman Of the Com
mittee on Outward Trade, submitted a let
ter written by Colonel Rnffin, dated Chi
caeo, December 14th, saying:
I met the Board Of Trade OF this city
yesterday at 2:30 p. NJ, having previously
met the Boards of Trade OF Louisville, Cin-
cinnati, and Indianapolis on the same
errand. and am prepared to leave here by
the 5:15 Washington train this evening,
whence, after seeing Mr.. George ID. Wise,
/ shall go straight home and report to you
/ iu person.
At every place have been received with
courtesy as the representative OF the Rrh.
mond Chamber OF Commerce. At Cincin-
natl and Louisville / met their Boards OF
Trade directly. AT Indianapolis and this
place my conference was informal. | ex'
plained TO all Of them that we desired Their
aid IN getting an enlargement OF the APP
preparations to the Improvement OF the
channel OF James river according to the
scheme adopred by Congress, and In ali oi
them was happy to find hearty concur
renee in our views and disposition to
adopt whatever measures we might think
conducive to our ends
They all suggested that we should indl-
cate, in the shape Of definite resolutions,
the precise form Of action we desired them
to take; which resolutions they would con-
slider and report them 10 their Boards
who, they bad no doubt, would pass them,
Of course with such amendments as they
might see fit to adopt. But j did not feel
authorized to submit such resolutions with
out the instructions OF our Chamber OF
Commerce, which / told them would pro-
cuie at once.
In all my interviews / have used. for
illustration, the charts and maps OF the
United States engineers, and for text the
memorial presented to the Committee on
Rivers and llsrbors last spring by
the Councils Committee on james
River; ana they desire that this piper may
be presented to them as the record basis OF
their aclion. But, as II was prepared on
very short notice and contains numerous
misprirts and some errors OF omission,
which consider il important to correct,
have thought It better 10 reprint 1t. Ac-
cordingly, sent MIR. Burgwyn last night
such paper as / send you to-day, with the
request that he would have 1t printed on
my responsibility and have 1t ready In slips
10 await any correction your commlttea
may think IL necessary to make IN 1t. This
| did 10 save time. which is important, and
sent IT 10 Mr.. Bnrgwyn, not IN derogation
OF your authority, but because OF bis
grc ater familiarity with all the details oil the
business; all Of which / hope viii be salts
factory 10 you.
Very respectfully your friend and obe-
drnt servant, FRANK G. huFFiN'
The Committee on Outward Trade were
instructed to give the further attention TO
the matter needed and as suggested by
Colonel RufliD.
NEW MEMBERS.
The following was submitted and
adopted:
The Committee on New Membership re-
rort that under their direction the secretary
las mailed 800 postals (of which a copy is
Lereby appended) to the business and pro-
fessional-men OF the city not now members
Of the Chamber, and the result is that sev.
enteen new members have been obtained
and several other parties are holding the
matter under favorable Amusement. II al,
members OF the Board and Chamber would
interest themselves among their business
acauaintances-an thus follow up the
work begun by pos'als-no doubt very
much larger addition TO our membership
could be easily made. and we recommend
the adoption Of that course.
Very respectfully,
GEORGE A. AINSLIE,
Chairman Com nittee.
The following new members were then
elected: Messrs. A. Guust q Son, T. L.
Leake, Jr., FRY & Sons, raliaferro Co +,
T.. L. Crump & Co., j. l.. Taiiaferro, L.
". Wood & Sons, Harvey Wilson. A. u.
| ElIett, .Jr Preston Belvin, G.. Z. h. Bar
gwyn, II. Schwarzchild, Richard l.. Many,
j Il. johnson 4 Co., Mcclure d Elicit,
James Alfred Jones, and A. l.. Shepherd.
TIE PILOT LAWS.
c. A. Bohannan, Esq, laid before the
| Board petition, as follows, which he asked
| the Board to endorse:
Whereas a bill Is now pending in the
| House OF Representatives which has Tor its
| Object a Federal control Of the subject OF
| piIotage; and whereas the sIid subject has
| been under The control Of State authority
| from the foundation OF our Government
until this day, without detrlment TO the
commercial interests OF the country. there
| fore we, the undersigned citizens and busi-
ness.men OF this city, respectfully repre-
| sent to your honorable bodies [the two
| houses of Coneressl that we ARE satisfied
with existing legislation in this regard, so
| far as the said legislation leaves the subject
| within the control and supervision OF State
| authority.
Nr. Bohannan did not insist that the
| Virginia pilot laws are all that they should
| be: what nc urged was that legislation
| should be by the State as now, not by the
| Federal Government "a proposed.
The bill he refers to l. the DInglcy bill.
| which proposes to exempt from compulsory
| pjlotage American coastwise saillng-yessels
which have masters OF mates competent TO
| pilot them.
The subject was discussed by Messrs.
Cringan, WiIlisms, and Dunlop, and was
,hen referred to the Committee on Outward
Trade-R. +. Williams, Esq, chairman.
AMERICAN CENTENNIAL.
The question whether this Chamber
should be represented in the Board OF Pro
motion OF the American constitutional
Centennial Celebration to take place in 1889
at Washington. ID. c., was referred to the
Committee on Finance-II Henry Bodeker,
Esq, chairman.
The Chamber is invited 10 appoint two
delegates on the Board Of Promotion.
SPANISH TRADE.
A communication from ii. r. BildwIn,
ESD, Vice-ConsuI OF spain here, enclosing
one from the Spanish Consul at Baltimore.
was received. The latter wishes to know
what Spanish goods can be imported here
With profit, and the best way to extend
spanish trade with this port. Referred to
| The Committee on Commerce-R. A. Dun
Iop, chairman.
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS.
Hon. George l.. Christian and Mcssrs. X.
A. Dunlop and j. j. MONTAGUE were ap,,
pointed committee to take charge oil and
put in proper form the constiutionalamend-
meuts, which are 10 be acted upon at the
Janusry meeting Of the Chamber.
Adjourned.