The record-union., 1896-02-13
SACRAMENTO'S INTERESTS.
How They Are Being Conserved by the
Chamber Of Commerce.
Annual Report of President Joseph
Stefens Made to the Chamber
Yesterday.

At the first annual meeting of the
Chamber of Commerce, held last even
ing, President Joseph Steffens submit
ted his report reviewing the work of
that body since its organization. His
report is as follows:
Members of Sacramento Chamber of
Commerce-Gen Among the du
ties required of your presiding officer,
by your code of laws" is that he shall
make an annual report at the annual
meetings of the chamber"
By virtue of a call circulated by
James I. Felter. signed by about a hun
dred citizens, and by request Of the
Mayor of the city, the first public meet
ing for the organization of a Chamber
of Commerce was held July 8, 1895.
The committee then appointed to ar
range code of laws duly reported, and
the same were adopted the 9th Of the
following month. Owing to the great
interest which the public took in the
proposed grand electric carnival, and
which insured its unsurpassed success,
no meeting was held for the election
of officers for the chamber until Sep
permanent officers were elected and the
work Of the same was fully taken up.
1t is we'll to bear in mind that the rep
resentative committee appointed to for
mulate your code of laws, keeping in
mind the ideas brought out in the dis
cussion at the public meeting called
for organizatio gave much thought
and labor to their work, which resulted
in the chamber being organized on
broad and liberal lines, as will be seen
by the following as expressed in article
2 of said laws, viz: "Its objects are to
foster trade, commerce and the eco
nomic interests of the city and county;
to ASSIST, aid and encourage home man
ufactures; to induce immigration and
subdivision and settlement Of lands,
and generally to promote development
of the agricultural, horticultural, min
ing and other resources of Central and
Northern California"
During the few months since organi-
zation your Board of Directors has
held ten regular and adjourned meet
ing and about the same number of spe-
cial meetings.
The former were held in the rooms of
the City Trustees, which were kindly
rendered free by that body The lat
ter were held in the Secretary's Office,
likewise free of cost.
1t is to be hoped that suitable and per-
manent quarters for the use Of the
chamber may soon be secured.
About the first matter of Importance
that came before the Board of Direct
,crs was the consideration of the matter
of promoting the interests Of the Or
angevale, Fair Oaks and Sacramento
Electric Railway Company The COM
mittee to which the matter was referred
secured the consent of Mr.. Haggin for
right Of way through the grant and
also like concession and favorable con-
slderation from other property owners
along the proposed line.
The chamber about the same time Sc
cured rooms from Secretary of State
Brown for the annual meeting of the
State ruit-growers' Association, gave
them other attention, and, through the
courtesy of the Southern Pacific Rail
road Company the members of the as
sociation and the Citizens Committee
were enabled to spend an interesting
day, visiting the State Prison, the Sac
ramento Electric Light and Power Com
panys plant and other attractions of
Folsom and vicinity. The excursion
was made especially successful by Gov
ernor James H. Budd joining in the
event and by the attentions paid it by
Warden Aull of the prison.
The Board of Directors were re-
quested to take into consideration and
confer with City Trustees in regard
to the approaches to the new railroad
bridge across the Sacramento River and
the closing of the Second-street exten-
sion.
Conferences were held with President
Huntington and other railroad officials.
and the conclusions reached seemed ac-
ceptable and satisfactory to all par
ties.
AS to the important matter of obtain
ing from the Southern Pacific Railroad
Company and other Eastern lines
stop-over privileges for this locality for
Eastern visitors and home-seekers, so
far the result has been only unsuccess-
fuI committee work. AS the privilege
is very desirable and seems right, it is
in order to say to the committee hav-
irg the matter in charge, IF at first
YOU don't succeed, try, try again"
The Committee on Commerce early
took in hand the matter of the improve
ment of the rivers. Much valuable
data is included in their elaborate re-
pert. and it is to be regretted that the
proposed making from same a concise
sub-report for the use Of the press and
our. Congressman has not yet been done.
However, a river convention has been
held in San Francisco which brought
out good discussion and will result in
earnest effort. This chamber has recog-
nized the committee which the conven-
ton selected to visit our Congressmen
ar WASHINGTON, and should now strong
" supplement their work in every hon
orable way possible.
The condition of the rivers is really
alarming, and IT is in order now, as it
has been for years past, to insist on the
Government to repair and restore its
rivers to a condition suitable for the
purposes for which it has reserved
them. 1t then logically follows that all
Acts of Congress must be in the line
of a proper regard for their preserva-
ton.
The first special train of home-setk-
~