San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1890-06-09
The Dailp 2-ioht.
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MONDAY, JUNE 8, 1890.
A MERCHANTS EXCHANGE.
Let Us Have an Exchange and a
Building Commensurate with
the City's Dignity.

With the end Of obtaining IA representa-
tive view on the benefits Of an organized
merchants exchange in this city. re-
porter for the LIGHT called on Mr.. VIM.
II. Weiss. president of the san Antonio
Street Railway company, and opened the
subject to that gentleman. who was found
ready to discuss any subject relating to
the business cOnvcnIcnccS Of the citv.
Mr.. Weiss. are You. as Il business man
of the city, in favor Of Il merchants "N-
changer
Yes. sir" was the reply. most en-
phatcally so, if Il merchants exchange
in the true sense of the word can be
organized i'm San Antonio. Our present
board of trade, of which am a member,
is an attempt in that direction, but it is
only a step, and it is time that it should
broaden out into something better As 1t
is now, it is of little more benefit than to
enable patriotic citizens to refer to il as our
principal trade organization. Really
some such thing is positive necessity to
this city. and it matters not whether it is
called board of trade or merchants CN-
change. The board of trad" is now fairly
under way. and there is now no need Of
two organizations having the same OBJ
icctS in view. working under different
names. and | think that the business men
should unite for the purpose OF giving ii
power in upbuildng the city.
''ThC thing most needed by the board,
which is designed to contain all the bust
ness men OF the city. is IA binding Of its
own i'm which to make its home. This is
needed to give stability to the organZa-
ton. \ tirSt-claSS building for this
purpose would be a valuable adVcr-
tiSCment. and Il real benefit to
the business of the city. which has grown
to such dimensions as to rcQur" organ
izcd co-opcration in projects for tn" com
mon good. a building to cost about
SlOO.OOO such as the dignity of this city re-
QuircS could easily be erected by issuing
bonds or by stock subscriptions. and am
confident there can be found 80 persons
who would be willing to pay SO prr
month as members of the board of trade.
and in this way a building of the value
named could be soon paid for. There
would be an exchange room where bust
ness could be transacted in tn" usual
manner Of exchanges. regular market re-
ports at reduced rates could
be received when the necessity
for them arises: the members could
exchange views and the true state of
feeling in the mercantile world could b"
easily aSccrtaincd. Prominent strangers
visiting the city could be driven directly
to the exchange. where they could be in
trOduccd to the business men and soon
gain an idea of the business importance
VI the l)N H. L III DIlIulIlS COllIN dI>O CtIl-
tain clearing house. which would be a
great convenience to the banking inter
eStS of the city. Besides the benefits at
home it would give the city prestige in
other towns. Many of the business houses
and real estate men would be glad to
rent offices in the building and enough
revenue could be derived from this source
to pay all of the expenses of the board.
including a secretary and market REPORTS
The time has come in San Antonio when
the trade interests Of the city demands
mobilization and think all the solid bust
ness men are in favor of it, and it only
needs to be gotten into tangible form for
it to be taken hold of with IA vim.
Besides Mr.. Weiss. several other gen
tlrmcn were seen. including Mr.. Sam
Maverick and Mr.. VIM. Hcucrmanm. and
many others are known to be i'm favor of
an exchange suitable to the city'S needs
and from the tenor of the various re-
marks it appears that this question Will
rcceiv" the activ" attention Of the Board
in short time.