The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-02-20
THE BOARD OF TRADE.
History OF tho Organization and Work OF
This Body.

History OF tho Organization and Work OF
This Body.
The Board of Trade was organized
June 1s, 1892. at meeting of the com
mercial men held in the hall OF the Y.
M. G. A. w. E. Deaton was elected
president, N. B. Johnston first vice.
president, b. P. HUFF, second vice. presi-
dent, and r. w. Mcfarland secretary
pro tenn. The objects Of this organiza-
ton are to forward the com mercial and
other material in terests Of Roanoke in
every direction, and by all means it's
sound business and financial Judgment
declared to be practicable; to oppose all
causes working to the disadvantage of
those interests; to gather into public
meeting the business men of Roanoke
when the occasion demands; to gather
and spread statistics of the material
progress and growth Of Roanoke and to
speedily and cheaply settle business
differences between its members with
out resort to law. The following is the
executive committee: w. E. Deaton,
B. p. Huff, j. A. Jamison, j. D Robbie,
G. R. Wertz, S. II. Heironimus, n. B.
Johnston, j. M. Gambill, j. T. Engleby,
VIM. G. Evans, P. w. Huff, G. c. Payne,
Ed. L. Stone, j. P. Thompson and j.
Allen Watts.
At the first meeting the constitution
and bylaws were adopted. The second
meeting was held in order to take &C
ton in opposition to the incorporation
of Virginia in the Southeastern Tariff
Association as proposed by the insur-
ance companies. Delegates were also
appointed to attend the State meeting
of the boards of trade, which was held
at Old Point, June 90.
AT meeting held July 0 the follow
ing standing committees were APP
pointed:
Traffic and extension of trade, j. M.
Gambill, l.. e. Evans, Ii. A. Jones, B.
p. Huff and e. II. Stewart.
Special railroad committee, E. Fl. Stew
art, j. S. Simmons, j. A. Jamison
Arbitration, b. A. Jones, w. A. Glas-
gov. Jr., A. G. Chewing, Joseph Ro-
senbaum and g. A. Walden.
Legislation, w. S. Gooch, R. A. Buck
ner, M. G. Thomas, A. b. Hammond and
r. j. Ecklon.
Statistics, e. l.. Stone. Frank CoT-
man, +. b. Kemp, j j. Catogni and w.
Il. Tinsley.
New industries, N. b. Johnston, j. S.
Simmons. j. L. Engleby, W. p. Dupuy,
C. H. Beebe.
Park and public improvements, j. A.
Jamison, j. p. Thompson, e. Ii. Stewart,
A. M. Nelson and j. r. Terry.
Invitation and reception, w. G. Evans,
j. +. Christian, j. S. Graves and C. c.
Taliaferro.
Credit, P. w. Huff. J. D. Hobbie, d.
S. Meadows, e. L. Moir and j. B. An
drews.
At meeting of the executive COM
mittee on July Is FL. W. Anderson was
elected secretary and treasurer. A
meeting of the board of directors was
held August and a committee was ap-
pointed to see If the title to the lot for
the public building could not be ad-
justea and correspondence with the
proper authorities was begun.
At a meeting held August 90 tho Sec
rotary was instructed to go to Suffolk
and Norfolk and look into the work.
ings of the knittings mills es-
tablished at those points, and to
Lynchburg and Richmond to look into
the workings of the board OF trade.
They also took up tho matter of invit-
ing the Il. A. K. men. during their en-
campment at Washington to visit this
city, but nothing was done on account
of not being able to get rates on the
railroads. Five new members were also
added to the list at this meeting.
At quarterly meeting held Septem-
Der 10 committee was appointed for tho
purpose OF arranging to have Roanoke
properly represented at the Worlds
Fair. The credit bureau was also estab.
lished by which parties dealing with
the members Of tho board could be
secured.
Tho board realized the need of cotton
mill ct Roanoke or the advantages that
would accrue from having one, and
correspondence was opened with sew
eral parties with view of accomplish
ing this object. Capt. j. B. Horny, of
Greenville, S. c., and III. q. Woodruff,
of New York. visited the city at diff
ferent times to confer with the board
on this subject. After considerable addi-
tional correspondence the matter
reached the stage that ON January 5
Captain Henry made second visit to
this city and company was chartered
for 10000 spindle mill.
In September, 1892, the board of trade
was chartered by the circuit court, since
which time the organization has been
changed by the addition of several COM
nittees and the reorganization of old
committees, so that the board is now in
better position to accomplish the ob.
jects of its organization than ever be-
fore. 1t has membership Of 165. The
meetings are now held monthly instead
of quarterly, which increases the in
terest.
A small cotton mill, cost 5000,
$4,000 working capital $500 spindles
began operations at Columbia, Ala, last
July. Out of the earnings in the six
months ended January l, 1898. the
managers bought machinery for turning
the waste into Irvine and paid cent
dividend. That is surely a good start
for one small mill, and all the small
mills that are managed with energy,