The Portland daily press., 1891-01-14
sECRTTARY's REPORT.

To The Officers and Members Of the BOarc
of Trade:
/ beg respectfully to report that there have
been held during the yeas thirteen meetings
Four meetings were adjourned for want Of a
quorum.
Eighteen persons have been admitted tO
membership, twelve have withdrawn and
six have died during the year, viz: George
II. watkins, Charles Pays0n, John T.
Thomas, Henry w. Hersey, VIM. II. MILL
ken and Vespasian Darling.
The Board now has 1865 members on III
rolls-a larger nun Der than for several year
A few have not paid the last assessment.
have received for admission fees and as
ssssments S978 80, and from the Board o.
Underwriters for the use Of room SAG, max
ing a total of 81 1,02460.
The Merchants Exchange has at this time
154 members on the rolls, few OF whom
have not paid dues for the current year. The
receipts from subscriptions with the Ex-
change have been Sl.222. making the aggre-
gate receipts from all sources 81, ,246. 90, which
has been paid to the treasurer.
While we have one Of the largest and most
prosperous Boards Of Trade In New England
our Merchants Exchange is not what II
ought to be in membership. This is largely
due, am satisfied, to the cramped and un.
suitable rooms so long occupied, and would
again express the hope that better quarter,
Dc secured as soon as practleable In order t.
The telegraphic service by the Western
Union Company has been good, and very
Iuli reports are daily received, and the news
paper hles, embracing 108 publications, occu
py the entire capacity of the room.
The trade Of Portland has been very good
throughout the year, and more tourists havs
visited our city the past year than at any
other previous season.
There have been no failures of Importance
ana the close OF the year found our finance.
In good, sound condition, and money com
paratively easy at low percentage.
Our railroad facilities have been extended,
and al our transportation lines have afford
ed very good accommodations In distributing
the growing business Of this market. "rnr
coast lines need to be more closely looked
after," Is the chief complaint we have heard.
We want more hearty aud general coo per
alton on the part OF all our citizens to help tC
devote our natural advant ages and attrac
tlons, rather than pathetic disposition tC
ask why the Board Of Trade don't do thu.
and So" Who Is the Board of Trade We
should askr 1t Is not any one man or any
three persons. but an organization OF 365 Of
the best and brightest business men and cap
ltalists OF Portland, formed for the purpose
according to its charter, ''ef directing It's ef
ttrts to give tone and energy TO the variou:
branches Of trade and industry, and 10 SCI
curing the advantages which the position oi
the city offers to commerce and manufac
tures."
A fairly cooperative effort on the part ci
TINS great membership would move things iu
0ltland wOnderfully.
We desire, therefore, to impress upon each
Oh the members the Importance Of coming
out to its meetings and assisting In prOmGt.
ing the eity'S interests Ia every possible
way, rather than leaving a few TO do the
work and to find fault with it.
We have the largest, handsomest and best
city IN the state, aud our people should take
great pride In pushing all of her advantages
10 the 'front.' before any other consideration
WHAT Is NEEDED FOR PROSPERITY.
Next to gre ater local public spirit, We
need some buildings in Portland where room:
with power can be hired for small manufac.
turers and experimental purposes, as we'll a:
ior LOT large manufacturers. and more effort and
less apathy on the part Of those who have
rooms or buildings suited to any kind of 10.
dustrial pursuits to let, to furnish such in
formation either to the board of manufacture
IS or the joint committee of the city and the
BOARD OF Trade. or through the public prints
oucn an opportunity should be properly
listed Tor immediats availability to ans wei
inquiries.
An officer of the Lowell, Mass. Beard OF
Trade recently said: II consider that one
nindrance TO the further development OF
Lowell was the consolidation Of certain rail-
road companies" on the ground that the
want Of proper attention TO details since has
permitted their yards to be so blockaded that
manufacturers there have been unable to get
their supplies delivered promptly.
The Board Of Trade official goes on fur
ther to- say that I'VE need more public spirit
that will secure some of the manufacturers
who are looking for new locations. We
nave men who are willing to 90 down South
and build cotton mills. Why these men d,
not invest In Lowell industries is a myst-ry
10 me. Is there anything mysterious about
some Oh P0rtland's Investors, lrt us ask?
The condition Of affairs resulting from
large consultations complained Of by q
nelgh0oring organization, may serve as a
timely hint for this and other boards to prop
erly and carefully consider and guard against
so far as possible.
We have, however, heard of no cause for
such complaint In this city, and so far as We
know business Is we'll handled here by the
railroad companies.
Respectfully submitted,
M. N. RICH.
Secretary.
Captain Jones, for the port wardens, re-
ported that they had visited 80 British steam
ships and found the cargoes well slowed and
landed In good order. and % sailing vessels,
of which u were American. Surveys were
made on seven vessels, and they were re-
paired here. There was falling off In the
arrivals Of % vessels from last year.
The board Of manufactures through Mr..
Q. s. Fobes. reported that they had been
called together but once, and that was when
they me: the city committee. A good sug.
gestion had been made to him by a small
manufacturer that at some day all the small
manufacturers be called together and get
their views.
President Winslow. from the railroad and
steamboat committee. said 1t had been a
good year for the steamboat business In and
out of Portland.
The meteorological committee made gem
al report
These officers were elected:
PRESIDENT. S. winslow
, Wee PTesidents-W. G. Davis, Eben Corey
DIreciors.w. s: Dana, S. L. La,rabee. @. W.
Hall. Geo. s. Hunt, L. A. Goudy, Geo Trefeth.
en-, +. n. Dow, Fritz II. Jordan, Chas. Walker, T.
Treasurer-Chas. s. Fobes.
Secretary M. N. Rich.
:, Port wardens-B. W. Jones and James l..
How.
Mr.. Fobes spoke strongly in favor OF new
quarters for the Board. The present accom-
modatohs are cramped ard he thought ar
rangements could be made to get additional
room next door.
President Winslow. Secretary Rich aud
Ex-President Dana all heartily eoncurred
with Mr.. Fobes's views, and a committee was
appointed consisting of Messrs. Winslow.
Fobes and Goudy to see what could be done
in the matter.
Mr.. Goudy spoke Of prominent gentleman
who bad remarked to him that Portland men
didn't seem to show the old push and enter
prise that characterized the old merchants !;
that Portland had the best opportunities for
frst-c'a's shipbuilding plant.
Mr.. Crockett thought If the Maine Central
freight had increased TO uch an extent out
OF Portland the past wear. snd the American
Express Company done $1,000 worth more
business, It didn't look as II Portland was
degsneratlng.