Los Angeles daily herald., 1889-02-15
THE ANNUAL ADDRESS

THE ANNUAL ADDRESS
pf major e. w. Jones, Of the Chana-
Der Of Commerce.
Following is the annual address OF
Major E. w. Jones, President OF the
Chamber of Commerce, delivered at the
meeting on Wednesday last:
To the Members of the Los angeles Cham
Der of Commerce:
GENTLEMEN: 1t seems somewhat late
to offer the annual address, which prop
erly should have been presented at the
annual meeting in January; but, as you
are doubtless all aware, there was neither
time nor opportunity at the annual meet
ing for making the address. will now
be as brief as possible, consistent with
the importance of presenting statement
Of matters which should receive the at
tention and awake the interest OF every
member of the Chamber.
We have reason to congratulate our
selves that the Chamber has accom-
plished as much as it has, and which
below, shall attempt to show has been
. great deal, for the good OF this COM
munity, without, thus far, asking its citi-
xens to contribute dollar towards its
expenses. All that we have done has
been paid for out OF the small admission
fee and trifling monthly dues paid in by
our members, except the bill for printing
our pamphlets. It is true We might have
accomplished still more had the means
1t our disposal been larger, but it has
been thought best to postpone asking the
public to provide any portion OF them up
to this time. This, however, should no
longer be done. AS time passes, the op--
portunity for using them offers less and
less advantages in some particular lines
of our work, and as time passes, also. the
public may think that since we get along
20 we'll without its assistance, We do not
need it.
We have built up . large organization
of more than two hundred mem bers.
We have many of the best men in the
community in our ranks. The great
pity is that not many take lively per-
sonal interest in the work and the few
must do it all, taking all the odium of
mistakes and shortcomings, without any
other reward than the consciousness of
doing some immediate or ultimate good
for the community and, through it, for
themselves.
I will give, as briefly as possible, q
history Of the Chamber and an account
of the work in which we have been en-
gagged. The first meeting looking to its
formation was held on October 18th, last
year, and that resulted in its practical
organization on October oath with 126
members. The standing committees
were got into effective shape as soon as
possible thereafter. On November 18th
DR.. Widney delivered his address on the
Improvement of San Pedro harbor, and
General Vandever, Congressman from
this district, also addressed the meeting.
A resolution was then adopted to invite
Senator Stanford to visit the harbor
under the auspices of the Chamber.
There was also submitted report upon
pipe lines to the oil fields, and plan for
advertising the country in the East by
the proper committee. On November
21st q resolution to memorabilia the
Legislature to provide for the collection
of taxes semi-annually was passed. On
December 9TH Mr.. D. Lubin, Of Sacra-
mento, addressed the Chamber on the
subject of the permanent London ex-
hibit of California products.
On December 5th large delegation
from the Chamber met and escorted Sem
ator Stanford to San Pedro to examine
the harbor and, on his return, showed
him, as far as possible, the growth and
business of this remarkable city.
At our meeting of December 18th the
memorial to Congress on the improve
ment of San Pedro harbor was read and
adopted. Also memorial recommend
ing the purchase of Lower California
was referred to the Committee on Legis-
lation; and resolution asking Congress
to make Les Angeles port of delivery,
was adopted.
On December 10th the Chamber urged
the City Council to take action at once
with regard to the removal of the South
ern Pacific Railroad from San Pedro
street and enabling it to make use of its
new depot.
The committee on parks and boule-
wards reported important recommends.
tions to the Board of Supervisors and
City Council to open certain streets and
provide bridges and culverts, and stated
that they had induced the property own
ers along the route to establish one boul-
evard of width of one hundred feet, ex-
cept one section of half mile for the
entire distance to Santa Monica and one
of the same width for the whole distance
to Pasadena.
A resolution was adopted to ask Con-
gress for an increase of the appropriation
for our public building to 100000. In
consequence, statistics carefully and
clearly arranged, showing the total mad
equacy of the building as proposed there,
for the requirements of the Postoffice
here, were provided in duplicate and one
copy forwarded to the proper authorities
at Washington.
During the rest of that month the ab-
sorbing events usual to the close of the
year prevented the transaction of much
more than routine business.
The annual election was held January
2nd and the new Constitution and By
Laws adopted on the 9th. The complete
organization under the new laws took
several weeks, but the whole machinery
of the Chamber is vastly improved.
There were objections to the old rules
which would have proved fatal to the
life Of the Chamber.
During January our Committee on
Commerce accompanied the Department
Commander and his staff on an expedi-
fion to select site for the location of a
Yegimental infantry post in this vicinity.
This, if successful, means the addition
of a very large volume of business as
well as other advantages to our city.
The Chamber was also engaged during
January, as it has been since, in aiding
all in its power the establishment of q