The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-06-03

developments in the preparations for
the ninth annual session of the Trans
Mississippi congress. to be held in this
city, commencing July IA next, and
every indication points to the proba-
bility of the session being the largest
and most important one yet held. The
full number of delegates eligible to at
tend the meeting is about 1000. and
Secretary w. H. Gunner has already
received notice of the appointment of
about 600 from the various states and
territories embraced in the territory in
cluded in the representation of the
congress, and of these, fully 90 per cent
have sent formal acceptances. Mr..
Gunner has no doubt that there will
be fully 1000 persons here to attend
the congress, but he stated yesterday
that he was sorry 10 announce that up
to the present time there mad been a
lack of interest shown in the matter by
many officials of Utah. which unless
remedied would result in the state not
having it's proper representation. IN
der the provisions of the call for the
convention among those entitled to ap
point delegates are the mayors of each
city and the executive officer of each
county. Up to the present time not
more than 10 per cent of the county
officers OF Utah have sent him notice
of the appointment of delegates and
only small proportion of the city Of
ficials have made their appointments.
MIR. Culmer wishes the Importance of
this matter urged upon the city and
county officials so that the state of
Utah Will be sure to have its full rep
resentation in the convention. An
other important matter which the Sec
rotary calls attention to is the fact
that Los Angeles and other points in
southern California are preparing to
send a number of good speakers here
to agitate the subject of constructing
the Salt Lake & Los Angeles railroad,
and he says that a proper degree of
interest is not being taken in this sub
ject here, and that in fact no one in
Utah seems to know or care anything
ABOUT the matter, which should be one
of great importance to this state, and
that unless some active interest is
taken in the subject soon the people
of Utah will be placed in a very hu-
initiating position when the southern
California delegates bring the project
forward
The circulars which have been pre-
pared in the secretary's office, showing
the purposes of the convention and
the benefits to be derived from it, have
been sent to $500 newspapers i'm the
l
of them have either published the cir
culars or made favorable reference to
the matter, with the result that Utah
and her resources and advantages are
receiving more general publication
growing out of the coming congress
than they have received for a number
of years. Every day brings large
quantities of mail to the secretary's
Office showing the interest which is be-
ing taken in the matter. Among the
most recent communications which Mr..
Culmer has received is one from W. L.
Merry. secretary of the San Francisco
chamber of commerce, stating that the
chamber would appoint delegates inn
mediately and that in case he could
not attend personally he would forward
paper entitled THE Nicaraguan
Canal and the Railroads." showing
how erroneous is the policy of the main
trunk line east and west in lighting
the canal on the ground of a fear that
it may decrease its business. Henry
r. Whitmore. chairman of the execu-
tive committee of the congress, writes
from st. Louis that he has Just re-
ceived a letter from Secretary of Ag-
riculture Wilson, stating, Il am not
able at this time to say whether
could be present in Utah at the next
session of the Trans Mississippi Com
mercial congress. / think the presi-
dent and cabinet will visit Utah during
the Semi-Centennial of the settle
ment of Utah. If we go at that time
it is doubtful if l can come over i'm
mediately before or after. If the two
occasions occur at about the same time
1 might be able to be with you
Henry P. Henderson of this city
writes accepting his appointment as
delegate and offering to lay aside any
and all engagements that are not alb
sOlutely imperative to attend to con-
gress matters. The San Diego cham
Der of commerce sends a letter pronis-
ing TO send delegates, as does also the
New Orleans board of trade. The land
OF the Union Pacific sys-
TEN offers to urge upon the Nebraska
delegates the Importance of attending
the congress. Mayor Phelan of San
Francisco writes favorably on the sub
ject of having that city properly rep
resented. d. f. Burley. general pas
senger and ticket agent of the Oregon
Short Line, writes that the matter of
rates from points on the Northern Pa
cific is now a matter of correspondence
between himself and Northern Pacific
and Great Northern officials.