Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1893-03-01
ENTERPRfSfNG MEN NEEDED

In WfltlnB 10 IeSluOhV vi 'hiS IVY H''S
the following to say with respect to the
business outlook:
You seem very dull on the Bay, but |
hope that better times are not far off, II
the Great Northern puts freights as low
as is expected However, that of itself
would not build city. 1t wants enter
prising business men who are able to
carry on business and compete with
Others. There are many openings for bus
mess on the Bay. only waiting the men,
such as coal iron and the lumber in
terests, besides the fishing, sealing and
ship building industries, and wish that |
was thirty or forty years younger to go
into them.
There are several suggestions in the
above quotation which are susceptible
OF enlarged comment. The statement
that reduced freights will not alone
build up city is true only in modi-
fed sense. Since the reduced rates on
lumber have been inaugurated fer this
section Of the country, new courage
and enterprise have been awakened,
and already an increased impetus is
realized in these important branches Of
trade. The previous rates had a pro-
nounced influence in paralyzing the
lumber industry in that the manufac-
turers could not place their
products in competition with the
Eastern producers, while the demands
coming in from the Western markets
were not sufficient to induce much
activity, The prospects arising from
the reduced rates give brighter out
look for the Bay than at any previous
time In its history, and in due time
will show results OF most gratifying
nature.
The statement that enterprising BUSH
ness men are needed, such as are able
to carry on business and compete with
other cities is unquestionably true and
states requirement which must be
met before the Bay cities will attain
the commercial prominence which
their immense resources warrant them
in anticipating. The difficulty in this
direction, however, does not consist so
much in the absence of enterprising
business men as In the need of united
activity on the part Of the men who
are already on the ground. Belling-
ham pay, in common with every other
section Of the state, contains some
residents who could add no greater
blessing to their neighbors than by
visiting the Worlds fair and taking up
permanent residence, but this is true
only Of small minority. There are
plenty of men now resident here who
could inaugurate an era Of splendid
prosperity If each one would act just
as he would like every other man to
act. The first thing to overcome is the
waiting for someone else TO make a
move. The auxiliary step to this is
acting in unison. At present every
man, with an occasional exception, is
suspicious Of his neighbor and fears
that someone else will come Off one
better than himself in transaction,
and rather than see it succeed with
himself in the second place does his
utmost to bring failure and disaster to
the proposition by mean criticism and
a Withholding of all support and in
fiuence. The simple fact is that New
Whatcom has neither Board of Trade
nor Chamber of Commerce to look
after and encourage its general business
interests, while Fairhaven has a
Chamber Of Commerce which appears
content with its own organization, and
now awaits some indefinite movement
call forth its latent powers. Its
membership is made up Of business
men who have every element of success
save that Of aggressiveness. Fairhaven
needs a wholesale jobbing house, a per-
manent exhibit of resources of the
county, starch factory, an oatmeal
factory, and every industrial enterprise
in the line Of manufactures known to
commerce, many of which might be
encouraged to find a location here upon
the proper representation by the Cham
Der of Commerce.
Another item Of comment suggested
by the writer Of the above quotation
though not expressly stated in his
letter, is the almost worn out, YET
always pertinent suggestion, that the
business men Of the two cities expect
the better times to begi1 from without
rather than from within. Any news
item concerning the movements of the
Great Northern with respect to Fair.
haven which may appear In any Of the
papers awakens immeasurable comment
while statement Of the vast resources
OF the county IL read with indifference
and handed over TO the Worlds
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