The record-union., 1895-09-28
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ORGANIZED.
The Long-Desired Chamber is Now
a Fact, and at Work.
Officers for the First Four Months
River Navigation at Once Taken
Up-Directors' Meeting.

ponement of the project. In July the
first steps were taken at public meeting,
and from that time on the work has been
steady and hard. 1t took some three
weeks alone to settle upon u code of laws
and system for the chamber. 1t was
then necessary to hold meetings to dis
cuss the reported code, and then came So
licitation for members, the appointment
OF a Nominating Committee, and the pre-
parations for last nights work.
In all the time James I. Felter. the act
ing Secretary, gave his whole time and
undivided attention to the details of the
work and the carrying out of tbs scheme
of the chamber. AT last nights meeting
Mayor Steinman presided. Mr.. Felter
read a complete history of all that had
been done, and reported l65 members
duly listed and ready for organization.
The Committee on Solicitation reported
its work and advised that the organlZa-
ton be proceeded with under the code OF
laws adopted. Mr.. Woodson moved re-
consideration of the resolution requiring
200 subscribers before holding an cleo
ton, aud it prevailed. William Nc
Laughlin offered a resolution directing
in brief that an election at once be held,
and this was agreed TO.
William Beckman from the Committee
on Nominations reported list of names
for Directors. The chamber then went
into Committee ofthe Whole with May or
Steinman in the chair to canvass the Ie-
port. Prior TO this the whole matter Of
organization was discussed by Y. 5. Nc
CATCHY, Mayor Steinman, D. a. Lindley,
j. l. telter, j. .. Coleman. l.. l.. Lewis,
Captain Roberts and others.
The committee rose and reported back
list of nominees, and they were elected
TO serve as follows until February next:
President, Joseph Steffens; Vice-Presi
dent. d. A. Lindley; Treasurer, 4. n.
Van VOORHEES,; Chairman Committee on
Commerce, Captain j. ii. Roberts;
Chairman Committee on Manufacturers.
J. ii. Small; OH immigration and lands,
+. X. Alsip; on mines and mining. l.. l..
Lewis; on statistics and library, W. ;.
Leake; on laws and legislation, A. J.
Bruner; on ways and means, Il. J. Bent
ley; on membership and grievances, DR..
W. A. Briggs: on hotels. parks and pub
lie improvements, j. Q. Coleman; on
exhibition, L. l.. Enright; on reception,
Mayor B. u. Steinman; on municipal
and county affairs. Frank Miller.
These constitute the Board of Directors.
The mem bership of the several commit
tees is filled by the President of the
Chamber and Chairman Of each commit
Board of Directors. President Stetfens
was conducted to the chair and duly in
stalled, and said in response to calls that
ne accepted the trust because he deemed
it his duty as q citizen, He had not
sought the place. 1t had come to him
unex pectedly when he heard of the NOM
ination. The chamber had long been
needed, and that was why he felt 1t
duty to help fill the need. The thing to
do now is TO push the work. There Is
very much to be done, and but brief
time in which to get to work to meet
known necessities Tor early action.
While he was the President for four
months he promised the chamber earnest
and hard work for Sacramento.
tor the information of the chamber the
duties of the several committees were
read over and commented upon fully.
Y. :. McClatchy urged that the Com
mittee on Commerce get at once into har-
ness on the question of river improve
ment. There was nothing which the
chamber could so well take up alone as
that, and no time must be lost. He be-
lieved that river Improvement was not in
the hands of its friends, because he be-
lieved that Major Heuer is opposed to it,
and therefore the friends of the river must
be up and doing. That engineer officer
had reported that there was no need to
eXpend the money the people think neces
sary on the river, and that he has the
power to eXpend, and that influence must
be counteracted at once.
President SteiIens said that in every
effort he had made in behalf of river i'm
provemenL he had struck one snag-
Major Heuer.
Captain Roberts was asked if he could
not organize his Committee on Commerce
and Navigation at once. Captain Roberts
thought ne should take time.
The matter was discussed freely, and
finally Captain Roberts said he had Just
returned from the trip on the river taken
by the l. United States Senators from Cali
fornia. The Seizer, detailed for carrying
the party, though drawing but twenty
eight inches, had stalled at Tehama, and
was an object lesson. There were plenty
OF such groundings on the trip, and fre-
quently the boat had to be warped off of
sandbars and cobblebed crusts.
When he had advised that work of
certain character be done Major Heuer
said to the Senator'S. es. that would do
good, but it is too costly. The Govern
ment cannot afford it." For one thing,
he, the speaker, told the delegation that a
dredger ought to be fitted Oh scow and
sent along to the rifles whore the cobbles
form crust in the river bottom, and lay
like scales on a fish. These could be
broken in by the dredger, and the cur
channel clear and give deeper water than
if wing-dams were built. Major Heuer
replied that it was feasible but would
cost too much, and added that be really
thought that the head of navigation ought
20 be fixed at Mcintosh Landing.
But said Captain Roberts, the river is
navigable and can be improved to Red
Bluff easily. Now the boatmen have to
have two sets of barges, light and heavy,
anG bring down light loads to deep water
barges. and then go back and got another
light load, and SO there is double
handling. He had advised the delega-
ton that instead Of allowing trees and
stumps to fall in the river and make
snags that the Government has to pull
out, the banks should be cleared of over
hanging tim ber and the stumps blown
out. Major Heuer said 1t could be done,
but would not pay"
In four or five years. said the speaker
with the single dredger and clearance of
the banks, we would have a good river
again. as we had when they used to clear
the banks. Now navigation is dangerous
and difficult in high water. You have TO
dodge aud feel your way among the
snags and RIFLES. The condition the
splendid old stream is getting into
through neglect is a burning shame.
He had agreed to send Senator Perkins
photographs and charts OF the several
kinds of barges and boats that have to be
used because of the condition OF the river
These are TO be shown to the authorities
at Washington.
4 debate then followed as to organizing
the Committee on Commerce at once.
and il was finally decided that it could
not be done until the directors met. V.
:. McClatohy moved, and it was carried,
that when organized the committee form
ulste a memorial to Congress and our
Representatives and Senators on the SUBJ
ject.
The chamber then adjourned, after
making James l. Felter Secretary for the
time. Whereupon the directors met and
organized, and the Cammittee on Com
nerce and Navigation was filled, as fol-