Telegram-herald., 1891-12-17
ITS POSITION DEFINED
The Board Of Trade Makes Q Pub
lie Statement
SHOWING Up TIE WEAK POINTS
In l.s Widsawaks Nsixheer. the iaa
proysDest BeArd-Afraid That its
Private snap pbdsr . fabiis
Name May BE Killed.


of trade directors met Tuesday even
ing. Reporters for the TELEGRAM
HERALD, Democrat and Press were
present but they were excluded. At
tie close of the meeting application
was made by each of the reporters Tor
the particulars of the session and were
gwen the barest outline OF what took
place. 1t appears from report sp-
pearing in the Eagle last evening which
Was also procured by reporters for the
Leader after much hustiing and printed
in that wideawake paper, that the direc-
tors formulated and adopted III behalf
of the entire board (i..c Gding the sec
retaryl without previous consultation
| with the great majority OF the members
/ a set of solutions aimed directly at
the new Board OF Improvements. These
were duly adopted but the reIo ters
for the morning papers were denied
copies and any information C nccrning
| them. The resolutions are as follows;
Interest Becoming Apparent.
"a few weeks since il was generally
and publicly announced that a new
commercial ASSOCIATION TO he known as
the Grand Rapids real estate board was
10 be organized for the express purpose
| of booming real estate, a field which,
! 1t was charged. the board OF trade had
! neglected to work.
alt was stated the new association
would contine its efforts to enhancing
the value of real estate by advertising
and trying to induce the location here
| OF new industries, and that lis work
would in no way antagonlze the board
! of trade, but would be conducted on
| different. lines.
| "Under these announcements a
| membership paper was circulated,
| soliciting members for a real estate
board, and as published in the TELE-
GRAM-HERALp of the 10th inst, las
| signatures were secured. When the
time for organization and election of
/ officers came, for reasons best known
to the prime movers. the original plan
was discarded, and instead of organ
| lzing real estate board, so-called
( improvement board was started, prac-
tically thus releasing signers TO a real
estate board from all legal or moral
obligation to JOIN an Improvement
! board.
Now, after the lapse of week, the
true intent and purpose of this organ
ization is becoming apparent, and the
| announcement is officially made that
| they propose to work on the same lines
as the board of trade, and especially To
take in charge the improvement Of
| Grand river, for which work they pre-
sumably consider the board of trade
incompetent.
Antagouism the Motive.
at must be apparent by this time
that the seven or eight prime movers in
the scheme are actuated largely by
| their antagonism to the board Of trade,
and it will be interesting to note how
long the many reputable citizens who
| ioined q real estate BOARD Will allow
their names and their SO to be used for
the purpose of building up an organlza-
ton whose purpose is to anita sonize the
board of trade.
"if the board of trade had failed in
IFS duty to the public, or proven in
competent for the work 1t has under.
taken, there might he some excuse for
the organization of an improvement
board, but this position cannot be sue
cessfully maintained.
"The board OF trade has, at consider.
able expense and hard labor, compiled
statistics anu gathered information at
fecting Grand Rapids which has beer
published and distributed throughout
the world. 1t has directly secured the
locs ton here of several new industries
and # transportation charges To and
from Grand Rapids bad been lower II
woI | have secured several more.
''lts committee on transportation
consisting of Mcssrs, Foote, Stow
Stevens, Voigt and Shanahan, have
worked for the last three years to Sc
cure better freight rates. which we are
Justly entitled to. and have recently
been rewarded for Their labor by the
| railways couceding 4 reduction on
eastern freight of 4per cent, which
although it sounds small, will b. saw
Ing eacn year of about $4,000 10 the
people OF this city and western Michi
gan.
Work OF the Committees.
another committee of the board, ol
which Mr.. e. III. Leonard is chairman
have succeeded recently in securing
sufficient subscriptions to build and
EQUIP n steamboat, which will he placed
on Grand river next April, and will Ell
able the producers to pace
their products IN Chicago and Nil
waukee at one half the present rates
and enable lobhers 10 receive theIi
goods at cons srable reductions.
About twosad a hall years ago ths
board, through its river committees al
Messrs. Sigh, Crosby, Belkaap. Ball
Lemon, Perkins, |. G. Smith, Weston
lIeferon and the president, began III
work for the Improvement of Grand
river. The obstacles were great and q
some seemed unsufmountshle. Thee
adverse reports from government
engineers were on file at Washington
Many of onr most intelligent citizen,
were persuaded u Was iFnprsctlcable
But the committee persevered, snc
after sn unofficial opinion from Colone
Iual ow that the Improvement was
practicable, and worthy of undertaking
the board, through q special commit
tee, readily secured sS.7i4 30 pay for :
survey. only SIS OF which was donated
by real estate men, although they ars
rOW wiling 10 assume responsibility
for the work.
After the completion Of the survey
winch demonstrated that the river va
al iis most ardent friends claimed. ths
fiver committee presented the matte
10 the secretary OF war and congress
and secured its addition ~ sn ofslcia
survey It was ister passed upon by tts'
United states beard Of engineers at View
York. wno reported fssorabiT A
their repurt controversies tfse foresei
reports on fie a. Washington. Gen
Casey ordered Gen. Poe and 4. I1d
los 20 make q personal inspection an
i report. Ehis w&s acTse Ard toth o.