The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-03-05
FAIRHAvEN BUSINESS MEN.
They Resent an Attack Upon Them-Tha
Chamber Of Commerce.

NuomOeT Oh commerce
FAIRHAvEN, March I. 1893
To TIE EDITOR: Under the caption Enter.
prisiug Men Needed" the Herald this morning
has lengthy editorial severely aud most IN
justly criticising the business men Of the bay
cities IN general and those of Falrhaven In par
icular. tor not establishing Wholesale houses,
large manufacturing enterprises. opening
mines, operating great mills and doing the
thousand and one things In general which re-
quire vast means and are yet necessary to build
upa populous and prosperous city. A para
graph which gives particular occasion for just
resentment is the following:
The simple fact 10 that New Whatcom has
neither Board OF Trade nor chamber Of Com
mercs to look after and encourage it, genera!
business, while Fairhaven has Chamber OF
Commerce which appears content with its own
organization, and now awaits some indefinite
movement to call forth Its latent powers. Its
membership is made up of business men who
nave every element OF succeas save that OF
aggressiveness. Fairhaven needs a wholesale
1oobing house, permanent exhibit Of resources:
OF the county, q starch factory. an oatmeal
factory. and every industrial enterprise in the
line OF manufactures known to commerce,
many OF which might be encouraged to dnd
location here upon the proper representation BY
the Chamber OF Commerce.
The Chamber of Commerce was organised in
August, 1891, with q total membership OF sew.
enty-two. which, as men have moved away and
become disheartened by the non fulfllment OF
the roseate promises which seem to have been
the principal foundation of the boom. has
dwindled down to thirty, including now the
most active. liberal aud public spirited citizens
OF the place. Instead Of csnsure from the organ
OF the company whose recognised policy for two
years has been depression. rather than progress,
these men deserve the greatest credit for hav-
ing maintained a most excellent organization
all the while that hope long deferred has
made the stoutest heart sick. Time after time
IN arf,ro sfohI ieh,v ~
productive enterprises only to be sat down upon,
90 to speak. by men upon whose ears it appears
no sound would crate so harshly as the hum of
Industry. 1t 10 only q few months since the
largest shingle mill in the state, employing over
dfty men, was located 1t Whstcom simply be-
cause . site was denied the owners here where
they were most DESTROYS of locating it Two
other mills were moved away to the liue of the
Seattle. Lake Shore & Eastern because of the
high rates demanded by the Great Northern for
shipment from here
The only substantial announcement that has
been offered for the location of any enterprise
here has been offered through the medium of
the Chamber Of Commerce, but the most earnest
efforts OF its members have been negatived by
influences beyond their power to control Az
for the need Of a ''wholesale jobbing house."
the history Of trade in America furnishes sui.
ncient evidence thati il such need really existed
1t would b very quickly supplied. One thing
Is certain, the Chamber of Commerce, if it
should go out OF existence a. an organisation
today. would leave no record of broken promises
or false inducements held out to men of large
or little means to invest In lots at high prices
and then wait blindly for the fulfllment of
corporate prophecy. Just now there are many
who have cause to realize the full force of tho
Biblical definition OF faith-that it 10 the Sub
stance of things hoped for. the evidence OF
things not seen." OHC