Wichita eagle., 1888-01-20
BOARD OF TRADE.
REPORTS OF PRESIDENT. SECRE-
TARY AND TREASURER,
Giving Facts Concerning the Work
OF the Board Showing a
Marvellous
Growth of the City During the Past Year
Election of Directors for the En-
suing Year Directory
Organized.

| hays ana u. L.. Rouse, Jr.. were elected
members of the board of trade. The board
then adjourned and Immediately the board
of trade was called to order by the presi
dent. The event was the first annual
meeting and the president delivered his
annual address, which is as follows:
! To The Members of the Board OF Trade.
| GENTLEMEN:-On the 10Th OF April, 1887
| reorganization OF the board of trade was
effected, on the 23rd of April, the officers
were elected, the different committees aD-
! pointed, and the board prepared to com
mence active work Wichita then had 80
600 people, during the previous six months,
she had enjoyed unparalleled prosperity,
$50, 900 to $4,000 of real estate had changed
hands. Every department of business was
| fiourishing. The previous year our city
had increased in population 1900. Not
withstanding this satisfactory condition of
| affairs it was deemed expedient to organize.
The wisdom of thismeasure, we think, has
been demonstrated to every member of this
board and to a large majority of the citi-
Zens of Wichita Wichita then stood at
, the very head of all the cities OF Kansas,
commercially, and in population. She was
becoming known throughout the country
as one of the coming cities of the west.
The only question the most prudent and
conservative stranger could ask
was, what have you to sup
port large populations? and call
attention to our blocks of manufactures.
Acting upon this suggestion the board
went to work, the whole city became Ell
Unused, and the result is that in eight
months Wichita gained more manufactur-
ing interests, in number and in the amount
of capital stock ever befo re gained III the
same length of time. This is possible, and
only SO, when an organized effort is backed
up by the people, as this board has been
during the past year. In keeping with the
above statement we refer with pride to the
amount of money expended in buildings
in our city during the past year, which in
proportion to our population is not equaled
by any city in the country. Nearly &c.,
1000 was expended in fine homes. hand
some business houses and educational
structures. The year 1857 has been a
grand one for our city. We all realize
that the foundation is laid for a
large city here, but we must
not delude ourselves with the
thought that our work has ended and that
the future will take care of itself. On the
contrary, that the degree of our continued
success depends upon the effort we put
forth. Favored as Wichita is in having so
many progressive, energetic and liberal
citizens, it only requires that they organize
and work unitedly to carry TO success any
measure they may undertake. In this
connection | want to say that this organ
iZation is not near large enough. , We
ought to have 800 members, and when we
get into our new quarters, which Will be a
credit to any city, | hope there will be such
an interest taken that the business men of
Wichita will feel it incumbent upon them
to become members of this board.
The committees deserve the highest
praise for the faithful work they have
done. The manufacturing committee has
been a Woodworking one, and so jealous
have the members been that in some in
stances they have subscribed the stock or
paid the bonus themselves to secure indus
tries they thought we needed In the mat
ter of railroads, the Chicago, Kansas &
Nebraska built into and through QUE city
during the year, and the Midland built
from Wichita to Ellsworth, thnS adding
very materially to our shipping facilities.
The transportation committee have at all
times kept our Importance as a shipping
point before the different roads and ac-
cOmplished as much as was possible under
the existing laws governing railroads.
The advertising committee point with
pride to the fact that Wichita is the best
advertised city of her size in the country
The immigration committee claim to be
responsible for the large increase in our
population. The legislative committee
have taken care of the business that came
before them in a commendable manner
would have an easy time and commenced
by having one man do all the work and
ended by having nearly every able-bodied
man in town working on their committee
In conclusion, desire to thank those who
have in any manner assisted IN the work
of this board.
The following is the secretary'S report:
To the board of trade, of Wichita, Kansas,
for year ending January 18th, ISIS.
Mr.. President and Gentlemen of the Board of
Trade:
have the honor to submit this annual
report for the fiscal year just ended.
While it would, perhaps, be expected
that | should treat of the work properly
belonging to the secretary's Office, l can
not consistently fail to briefly mention in
Il general way, the immense amount of
work performed and the grand successes
achieved by the board of trade as an organ
ization, SO ably assisted by our generous,
gallant and enterprising citizens, who
have nobly responded to every call and
hastened to endorse and support every
promise made or obligation assumed by
our organization and thus given
their sanction of its undoubted zeal and
sound Judgment.
The results of the past eight months
work cannot, in my opinion, be too fully
appreciated at this time, nor are they now
so apparent as they viii be in the near
future, for the reason that they are only
just beginning to assume tangible shape,
and their direct influence upon the com
merce of the city and its tributary terri
tory will not be so noticeable to US now
upon casual thought as they will be after
- II,
fuences upon the present and future Of
this city and section.
When, less than year ago, our rapid
growth began to attract capital and imnli-
grafton in degree that utterly surpassed
ever witnessed in any place but
mining camp, the press and public geneC-
ally were skeptical and said, without in
trepidation. What is there that will
make or sustain a large city heres'' and
The answer was, "Oh. we'n ger things here
after awhile that viii keep up this city
At first we began 10 get colleges. one
after another, until almost every denomi
nation was to be represented by noble
institution of learning. With what a
degree Of consistency these
promises have been and are being rapidly
UTILIZED, should DC matter OF pride to all
II Us, as We see on every hand rearing {
heir majestic proportions. The nine col 1
eyes, academies and universities, which /
nave earned for Wichita the title OF The I
Athens of the West" and are OF them /
elves enough to make quite city. With /
he colleges come miles of horse and motor 4
inc street railways, all either on paper or /
,nheard OF a year ago. but now, thanks TO /
he enterprise and integrity characteristic /
# Wichita, these promises have also been /
nlfiIied with accuracy never before at