Los Angeles daily herald., 1889-05-09
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
Regular Monthly Meeting
Yes terday Afternoon.
REPRESENTATIVE vANDEVER.
Need of Larger Appropriation for a
Federal Building-Visit of the
Senatorial Committee.


Senatorial Committee.
The regular monthly meeting of the
Chamber of Commerce took place at its
rooms on First street yesterday after
noon. The announcement that General
Vandever would be present and address
the members on the matters of Na'iona
appropriations for this section, caused
the attendance at the meeting to be I'M
usually large, and all the seats in the
main hall were filed. The General
spoke fer about an hour and was inter-
rupted several times with applause.
The meeting was called to order at
o'clock by the President, Major E. w.
Jones, and after the reading of the
minutes, resolution which was offei ed
at the last regular meeting was read by
the Secretary. 1t was an amendment to
the constitution, changing the quorum OF
the Board of Directors from nine to FIVE.
The amendment was carried under a
suspension of the rules.
General Vandsver was then requested
to take the floor and address the Cham
Der on the matters which were TO
come before the meeting. He
said: "Los Angeles is certainly the
first city of the Pacific Coast. if
perhaps we except San Francisco.
SurmlsiDg the questions which are of
special interest to you, as citizens and
business men, first find the matter of a
public building. This, l take it, is of
pressing importance at the present time.
The appropriation Was obtained It
time when it was an exagge, alton to
place the population of Los Angeles at
10000. Now it is very evident that the
building which was then planned, will
be entirely inadequate. 1t will require
$3.50, 900 more to erect q suitable build
ing. Senator Stanford and I prepared
bill calling for such an additional appro-
priation, and it passed the Senate, but
did not pass the House. Several months
ago the Supervising Architect of the
Treasury Department sent for me and
showed me letter from the Board of
Trade of Los Angeles, in which it was
petitioned, that as an additional appro-
priation could not be obtained, the work
be forwarded Immediately. I was very
much surprised at this, as at that time l
bad hopes that the bill would pass the
House. This cut off all chance during
the session of gaining the appropri-
alton. 1t was generally admitted that
the appropriation which had been made
was totally inadequate, and, but for
this petition for i'm mediate work it would
have carried. l narrate these facts in
justification of myself"
General Vandever then read the cor.
respondence between Mr.. German and
himself on the matter and continued his
remarks.
81 can understand the anxiety of the
citizens Of Los Angeles to have the work
commenced, but desire to explain the
situation in which l was placed. My
hands were tied so that could do moth |
ing. But for this petition am sure that |
the appropriation would have easily |
gained unanimous vote in the House.
There is always a struggle to get through
these appropriations. Plenty of other
cite, In the State are making similar re-
quests for public buildings. San Fran
cisco was asking for 10000 Just for a
serve that committee of the Senate have
come here to California to look in to these
matters, but have not heard that thew
intended to come to Southern California.
This district is regarded as a mere ap-
pendage to the northern part of the State.
l would suggest, by the way, that an
effort be made to persuade the committee
to visit Southern California. l don't
wish to blame anybody, but the re-
suit is that the work has been
begun on q building which, when
it is finished will be as Inadequate to the
needs of the community as the old Court
house is to the legal business of the
county. Even if an extra story be added
and the basement opened up, it would be
q pinched affair. | think that we can
even yet get the appropriation at least in
time to put an extra story on. Rest as
Bured that l shall do my best to carry out
your wishes.
Now to another matter. This is not
exactly maritime port, but it can only
be prosperous through the completion OF
the harbor at San Pedro. A proposition
was submitted to the Commerce Commit
tee o. the House making Los Angeles a
port OF delivery. But just at this time a
general bill was brought forward making
it dependent on the Collector of the Port
1t San Francisco what ports of delivery
should be located throughout the State,
and that bill was approved. OF course {
his was not what We desired. | don't
complain of my colleagues of the north,
They look out for their own intere str,
Perhaps they are not as broad in their
news as they should be, and do not I'M
wherein they would gain ia the
,rogress which we make"
The General then reviewed briefly the
legislation of the last few years in the
natter OF river and harbor p oropriations.
md explained how it happened in each
'ase that Southern California was lett
nut. :
Zone of the greatest topics under dis :
,usslon in the next session." said he, :
will be the question of river and har-
)or appropriations. Just such bodies as
his are what the members look to for
he expression of the views of their con-
tituehts; and you must not be back
yard about coming up with your IDEAS
N these matters"
The speaker delivered a warm eulopy
N the merits Ct Southern California.
md explained why he was not to be re-
arded as "tenderfoot" He referred
o the Proposition to divide the State.
nd also to the annexation of Lower
,alifornia. In conclusion, he declared
lis belief that Congress would soon wake
% to the needs of the section, and that
arge appropriations for improvements
7ould assist the county to great pros
Gritty in the near future.
MIR. Lewis moved that the Secretary B