The daily state chronicle. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 188?-1891, 1890-04-30
TIE BANQUET.
RALEIGH BUSIN ESS MEN MOVING
FOR THE CIrY'S INTERESTS.

w hat Nay Be DOne-- ihe Hopes and
Prospects Of II Glorious City..Ex.
pressed by its Business Men Over the
Festive Board.
The Chamber of Commerce banquet
was held last night in the great din
ing room Of the Yarboro House.
1t had been a matter of great interest
for weeks past, for the chief hope was
that the occasion would result in a
stronger and more progressive unity
among the business men for tie city's
interests and welfare. There is evidence
now that the most saIguine hopes were
.lai.1.d, aud tne good results OF the So
cial gltuerlng of business men will be
appesrlug till their energy and the or
drr shall be renewed ana strengthened
by another like occasion.
IT, door OF The banquet hall was, at
0,30, thrown open, ana two hundred and
iiiJy guests seated themselves at the
tatles. Then for an hour the feasters
discussed an elegant menu. y band of
music was stationed near the entrance of
the ball and discoursed music during the
evening.
There were many invited guests pres
ent among whom were JAS. T.. Lord and
Stuart st. Clair, of >ew York; Mr.. T. B.
Eldrdge, of the Durham Globe; Col. Il.
Il Doug lass, of Greensboro; Messrs. s.
NJ 5rinson and J. p. Holleman, OF the
Wake Forest Student; Mr.. }. A. Paris,
OF the La Grange Spec ator; Mr.. w. w.
clark, of New Berne: Capt. w A. Bob
O.tt, of Oxford Mr.. Z G Hackney, of
Durham; Prof. j. A. Holmes, OF the
State University; Mr.. j. II Anderson,
Jr.. OF New York; Mr. Willis r. Will
iiams, OF Pl,t county; Col. F. W. Kerch-
uer, of Wilmington; Mr.. G. W.
RaneJ. OF kittrells; DR.. G. d. Smith,
OF Macon county; Mr.. Edward Gillian,
of Reidsvllle Review, II. L. Chears
neidsville JAS. b Lloyd, associate
editor OF Tarboro Southerner; W. W.
hitchin, Roxboro; Hon. r. w. Whar-
ton, Of Beaufort county; Mr.. Clement
Manly, Of New Berne. Among the
~ate officers present were Gov. Fowle,
Treasurer Balm, Auditor Finger, Super
ntendent Of Public Instruction Finger,
Associate Justices Avery, Shepherd and
others.
4 long centre table stood in the
centre Of tie dining room, fanked
hy fifteen side tables At the
ltad of the centre table sat
Governor Fow'e, MI S. Carr. the
special guest oi the Cham Der, and May
OF Thompson, master OF ceremonies for
the evening.
After an hour OF merry and hearty
Sasuonomic discussion, Mayor Thomp-
son welcomed the company and re.
sponded 10 the toast Our City Govern
.ment. He seid :
Hon. Alfred N. Thompson, Mayor.
1 OUR CITY GOVERNMENT:
Progressive IN all that pertains to thu
material welfare of our city consisten
with econ rmy IN expenditure and con
sideration OF the citizens.
The city Of Raleigh having been char
Aered in 1892, it could hardly be expect
ed that ] should speak OF the city gov
ernment, with any historical accuracy
in he time allotted me.
During a period OF - years, nothing
OF Importance was undertaken IN tn
lue Of Public Improvements. Very fey
laws were enacted, and these rarel
needed enforcement. Population in
creased very slowly, and socially thi
perIod was the most charming and de
lightfui Of our history. Strange as
may sound, gentlemen from Massa
chusetts is my authority for saying tha
Raleigh was then the most attractiv
place IN which 70 live that could b
found on thr face of the earth. Thi
same New Euglander is one of tn
most lovable men of all my acquaint
ances. and to him ! am indebt
ed for many "reminiscences c
this period His jewery store wa
in the State. aud great place of reSol
Tor the people OF the town. There, pnl
lie questions of the moment were dl'
cus5ud, and if town pump was needle
on a Fourth of July celebration wa
deemed advisable, it was decided in th
or some similar establishment
] have been told that after disposin
Of any public question which demande
their attention these "grave seigneurs
would drift into games of various kind
and it has been limited that the afor
mentioned gentlemen became very pr
tcient in one that gave to Minist
5ohenck part of his notOriety viii
minister to England
Suddenly this charming period OF R
ieighs history was brought to a clos
and having attained size to need son
form of city government, and being q
uyting field for the reconstructionis
All effort was made to establish mo
err form of city governmen
the effort succeeded only in fastenir
upon US government noted general
for its ignorance and rascality, and
winch it would be difficult to find
match in this then carpet-bag and sc
lowsg-ridden land. In less than t.
ycaraa debt Of nearly 5000, 600 had be-
incurred. and general bankruptcy "
only question of u few years und
This regime. The people became tho
oughly alarmed and aroused. The lie
'slature was appealed to for relief; t
charter was amended so as to enable t
intelligent masses of our people to &C
trol our affairs. Hence our prese
form OF city government.
a standard authority on taxation h
explained that the reason for the large
increased expenditures by cities in
cent years was To be found in the ia
that modern civilization demanded
city authorities EVERYTHING needed
The GENERAL good.