The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-01-16
THE BOARD OF TRADE.
The Annual Meeting Held Last Erening-Re-
ports OF Different Orice-s Show the Board
TO be in a Prosperous CondItiOn-The
ADDRESS OF the President in Full.

ing last evening in the room in the Sedg-
wick block
The meeting was called to order at s
o'clock by the president, George l.. Rouse,
Sr., who briefly stated the purpose of the
meeting. The call of the roll was dis
pensed with as a quorum was present.
The secretary then read the minutes of the
last meeting.
Moved and seconded that the minutes be
approved. Carried.
Moved that the reading of the reports of
officers be dispensed with Carried.
President Rouse then addressed the
board in few well chosen remarks as fol-
lows:
SPEECH OF PRESIDENT
Gentlemen OF the Board OF Trade of Wichita.
1t has been the custom of my predeces-
sOrs to congratulate you upon the pro-
gress made during the year that closes
with the annual meeting. In compliance
with this custom, you are referred to the
report of the secretary, as it contains in de-
tail all that has been done. Under all the
circumstances the showing is good one,
and we can congratulate ourselves that, as
heretofore, painstaking work has produced
meritorious results, and our thanks are
due our efficient secretary for his excel
lent report. The treasurer's report VIII
exhibit the state of our finances. You are
also referred to the report of the treasurer
of the trustees fund. All of these mat
ters are so thoroughly shown up by the
reports Of the proper officers that Iurtner
explanation is supert1uous.
But there is field of usefulness not so
easily defined by statistics, wherein we
have labored for the good OF our city, ana
wherein. it is hoped, our successors VIII
20 1..tan Z na TV1nTN n a
which / viii try TO point out and make
apparent.
There is a feeling of confidence in the
conditions in growing, prosperous young
cities such as ours, which, where Its af1alrs
are managed by q competent Board OF
Trade, is akin to that confidence that per
mits the voyager on the great ocean steam
ers to seek his stateroom and sleep tran
gully during the dark and tempestuous
night 1t is because there are trained Off
GERS and trusty crew awake, alert, active
in the performance of duty, ready to face
danger to the vessel, no matter In what
shape ii may appear, no matter how cold
or dark the weary hours of night. The
feeling that somebody cares for them, pro-
vides, and if necessary protects, gives con-
fidence, whereby the passenger can sa1ely
lay him down to sleep, rocked IN the
cradle of the deep"
The question arises, "Does the Board of
Trade do similar work for Wichitay and
the answer is, ut does" But If 1t did not
nearly approximate just such work 1t Is
not rightly organized, and it tonight be-
comes your duty to select new officers ana
a new crew to man the good ship wichita;
A railroad is to be built. Who Is called
upon to examine into the Dractlcl0lllty OF
the scheme, and who is to recommend 1t;
back it before the people of the city and
put it through but the Board of Trade? A
packing house or grain elevator is to be
added to Wichita's industries Who but
the Board of Trade decides whether or no
the enterprise ought to go when once ~ Is
decided worthy? Who sends men to Chi
cago or New York or elsewhere to consult
the great railroad magnates, and obtain
Justice for our city at their hands for the
benefit of all, but the Board or Trader
And who or what is it that responds,
meeting every demand with its best intel
ligpnce and unselfish effort, but the Board
of Trade? And who or what Is 1t IN our
city that either can or will do this work
so well and so ineXpensivelyp w hat good
citizen will say that any of these, ana
scores of other necessary things can be
better done, than by such an organization
as ours? And what good citizen would
not feel humbled were there no Board OF
Trade to be proud of and to depend upony
And what good citizen can or will say IL
is not his duty according TO ms aolIlUy, 10
foster, encourage and strengthen the hands
of the Board of Trade, and see to II, that IL
is well differed and well manned, even
though he enlist himself for the war?
sincerely hope and believe, not one.
No stranger, known to be important as
affecting our interests for good or i'll, fails
to understand that there Is a competent,
powerful organization in our midst, am,
tanned to protect and foster the materlal
interests of Wichita The Board OF Trade
room is itself a visible proof OF this II
other indications were lacking, and the
confidence in us, begotten of the knowledge
of this fact, is worth the slight sacrlnce IL
costs the general public to MAINTAIN the
Board of Trade. We are entering upon a
year. probably the most important we
will ever live to see, where apathy, weak
ness and discord may mean failure, but
where unity, harmony and strenth, means
certain and brilliant success.
The report of treasurer OF the boaru
of Trade was then read.
Moved that the report be received and
placed on file Carried.
A communication from Mr.. B. II. Camp
bell was received and referred to the d.
rectors The board then proceeded TO the
election of directors.
Moved and seconded that to obtain the
sense Of the meeting the secretary be oil
rected TO cast the ballot for the old di
rectory.
Moved as a substitute that the secretary
he instructed to cast the vote for the old
directory with the exception of O. w
Walters, and that the vote be cast FOL
Capt. j. b. Carey instead. The amendment
was carried by a rising vote. The follow
ing named gentlemen were then elected as
directors for the ensuing year:
J. NJ. Allen, George II. B,ackwelder
| W. :. Corbett A 7. Carpenter, b. II
| Campbell, J. .. Davidson, =. Y. Healy, A
A. Hyde, H. w Lewis, NJ w. Levy, VIII
lam Mathewson, NJ. NJ. Murdoch, Q. Mar
! tinsoh, W. ID. Mccormick. y. K. Nieder
lander. \. w. Oliver, George l.. Pratt, L
II. Powell, George L. Rouse, l.. ID. Skin
/ ner. w. A. Thomas. c. A. Walker, Capt
J. b. Carey and Frank Williams.
THE FINANCIAL CONDITION OF THE BOARD
The reports of the treasurero of the board
and of the treasurer of its board of trustee
was submitted and read and filed The re
ports are too complex and long to be pub
Ished. The report shows the assets o
the board to be $40 1000 net.
On motion the reports were received anC
placed on file.
The work of the meeting had progressed
so rapidly it was resolved 10 hear the secre
| tary's report, which had been thought u
be too lengthy TO be read at this meeting
! Following is an abstract from the
sEcRETARY'S REPORT
] To the President and members OF the Board o
Trade OF Wichita;
Gentlemen:-In compliance with IN,
rules of this Board l herewith submit my
annual report for the year ending Jan. 10
4 1891:
/ The work Of the Board has been produc
/ tive of much good and its accomplish
p,epts GREATER than was expected undel