Telegram-herald., 1891-02-25
Rot Ia Organization. Bat IN Life
and SPIRIT.
TIE FIRST MONTHLY OPEN xEETIyc
A small Ateesd4aes % Aees1Es % sEse
kaiAs s.t Mar Matters ga SFs4s
hssssHs Discussed Last NszbE
MIA fsEeefat Eax4estaess-

wa-en be tsoasnt Sas made - y tae
asaYy aosnfAA Of rain.
Calling the meeting % order, pges.'
dent Briggs sad
The meeting tonight IS intended 70
DO tie Inauguration 0I monthly open
meetings Of the board. according - q
resolution passed AZ tie last meeting
Of the beard. That resolution vas
taken IA pursuance OF suspicion that
the board migat be out OF step with tue
general movement OF the community.
We have hoped that the Board OF Trade
might he brought 10 exercise awlde and
deep influence upon al the best inter-
ests Of the city, IN AL directions, on leg
islauon and every other material IN
teFest.
THE special task which it has been
thought the meeting this evening
might assume IS TIE discussion OF the
bal now before the the Legislature.
relative 10 the manufacture OF furni-
ture at the lonia prison. | regret that
the inciemeucv or the weather mas kept
al home 50 many members OF the
board. Ii the attendance tins evening
IS deemed too small 70 act upon meas
ures so important, al adjournment
might be had until future time.
What is your pleasure
+. IL. loot offered the following
resolution.
Resolved, That our Senator's and
Representatives IN the State Leg. stature
be requested TO vote and use tAeir best
efforts against she appropriation OF
$40 ,0U0 asked for the iona prison, and
against the appTopr .atiOn OF any sum
or sums OF money that may be used
for the purpose OF manufacturing any
article ia the State prisons that may
compete with the workmen and manu-
lacturcrS IN our State.
In support Of the resolution, Mr..
Foot sSid:
MY only excuse for taking the atten-
| ton of the meeting Oh tins subject is
that | fancy | have more experience
/ than some others on the damaging eff
feet of contract labor. The chair fac
tory has been engaged i'll line of
10 TINS sort OF competition. The very
Iirst of our difficulties was this very
thing. We found that there was COM
petition OF TINS sort on the west, south
aud east of us: On the west, IN Wis
consln prison; on the south, IN the In
diana PRISON; on the east at the Detroit
House OF Correction. But the strong
est competition was here in our own
a. N fnr NJ n W. f1afC
adopt, these institutions would go us
one better. After we had put into our
business 500 900, we found confronting
us the likelihood that we would have
to- close, and We should have done so,
but for the substantial assistance Of c.
G.. Comstock and julius Houseman.
We were losing money, while we were
| sending prisoners from Kent county to
Detroit and paying their board while
they were making $4,000 or $40, 600
| out of them.
| When we consider the advantages
which these prison people have over
legitimate manufacturers, the odds
against us become very great. The
small cost of their labor, their exemp-
| ton from taxes and IL rance charges,
chespness of fuel. and many other IN
expensive perquisites occur to me now.
| Now the meaning of this bill alluded TO
| IN the resolution is that,
Whereas, The Ionia prison manu-
| features only small line OF goods in a
| comparatively restricted way, they
wan, to increase the output, aud ask
| for an Appropriation OF $4,000 for
| machinery that Will enable them to DO
| So"
Fred Briggs, of the Michigan Central
/, railroad, thought that the best use 10
be made of convict labor was to break
| stone, and not put them into cOmpetl-
| ton with honest labor.
| The resolution passed unanimously,
! and the secretary was instructed TO for
ward Il 10 the Senator and Representa-
tives from this district.
| On motion OF |. VI. Turner, the board
mdorSed the bill now at Lansing pro-
viding for the extension OF the city
limits, and instructed the secretary 10
so inform the Senator and Representa-
tlves from this district.
| Charles Sigh called the attention OF
the hoard TO the proposed enterprise OF
| Captain Mitchell for the placing on the
river freight and passenger boat, to
| ply between this city aud Grand Haven.
| lie explained that Captain Mitchell pro-
poses 10 construed q boat 40 feet in
| length and of 80 feet beam, which Will
| be capable of carrying 200 tons of
| freight aud several hundred passengers.
The estimated cost Of the boat IS
| $4,000. But the captain wants some
| substantial aid from the citizens here. in
the shape OF some guarantees OF bust
| ness. Capt. Mitchell promises 20 de-
liver and receive freight from and to
| the ports Of Chicago and Milwaukee ~
| a rate per 100 pounds, ten cents cheaper
/ than can De had now. When Il is con-
sideFed that this city gave 1900 tons
each day last year. the ten cents DIFF
| ference = very considerable. But Capt.
/ Mitchell SAYS that he can make a good
| thing f be can have 400 tons per week.
| He promises to charter 4 steam large.
which will make three round trips per
week from Grand Haven.
"BGt strange as u may seem" con-
tinusd Mr.. Sigh. the merchants Of
Grand Rapids are disinciined 70 enc0uF-
age this important traffic hne with any
| promises of business, and ths captain
| can get no sufficient number Of c0n-
! tracts. even at the advantageous rates
be offers
| Charles Leonard said hereslfed what
| the merchants naesG. 'sThev hes tate F"
sad ne. because they fear the instant
/ river competition hegins, rates may 20
| much lower. and they wogid ret Be "a
( posi ton, Il they make contracts now.
/ u take advantage Of TIRE lower rates
Fred Br wgs, Of tie NJ. G.. railroad
said. II favor heartily tnls project
( primarily because Il keeps n prominent
I r.a-r that rreaE a.hrrsa Of a deer