The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-05-15

Lake lily mas prdcIlCaily given up lHe
ghost and will soon be no more. The
final action will be taken at the annual
meeting to be held next Wednesday.
The reasons that have impelled the
directors to permit the institution to
cease its labors are fully set out in the
following record Of the minutes Of the
last meeting held:
After the reading and approval of the
minutes Of the last meeting of the
board, the president stated that of
most pressing Importance was the mat
ter of the present condition Of the
chamber of commerce, and the consid-
Grafton of ways and means for the
payment of the debts contracted during
the past year and for the revival of
the institution from its present leth-
argy.
The discussion that followed was gen
eral and took a wide range, after which,
by unanimous vote, the secretary
was ordered to spread the following
recitals of fact and conclusions there
from upon the records Of the chamber:
DECREASE IN REVENUES.
That investigation made by this
board soon after its election, Jan. IS,
1897, disclosed the fact that the MEM
bership and revenues of the chamber
had been steadily falling off for a num-
Der of years, and that the monthly in
come from all sources was then in
sufficient to pay current expenses.
ATTEMPTS AT REVIVAL.
That this board then, realizing that
the effectiveness of the institution I'M
der its direction would entirely depend
upon a speedy and material increase in
membership and income, at once en-
tered earnestly upon the work of en-
deavorinS to awaken public inter
est in the institution, to the end that
its membership and revenues might be
increased to a number and amount
sufficient to enable the board to pay
fixed charges, and carry out in some
measure the objects Of the existence of
the chamber as expressed in its char
ter.
That these efforts were from their in
ception and during the first six months
of 1897, rendered futile by the fact that
during that period the interest of the
people OF Salt Lake was centered in the
preparations for the Pioneer Jubilee
which was given during the closing
days of the July following, and all eff
fort to induce them to take an interest
in the chamber or to contribute in any
manner to its support, resulted in total
failure.
That when the jubilee was over and
the attempts Of the board to revive the
IOQnQ
that the public mad exhausted its gen
erosity upon the jubilee, and that no
amount Of persuasion on the part of
the board could induce either subscrip-
tons or membership.
a GENERAL APPEAL.
That thereupon the board caused to
be sent 33l circular letters, signed, at
the instance Of the board, by Heber III
Wells, George N. Scott, George NJ.
Downey, Richard Mackintosh, W. a.
NelceI and I. G. Weber, to as many
leading business men, urging the need
of united action for the good of Salt
Lake, and reeiting that said signers
had fully investigated the plan Of the
Indianapolis board Of trade Zone of the
most successful business organizations
in the United States), and recommend !
ing the reorganization of this chamber
upon that plan. a courteous request
was made for reply 20 these letters,
and, to insure the same, a stamped adj
dressed envelope was enclosed with
each. To these 331 letters, with stamp
enclosed, but II replies were received, |
ana ten of those only after printed /
reminder had been sent.
That after these repeated and dis |
couraging failures, the board, realizing |
that unless the needed support was
IOon forthcoming, the chamber would 1
have 20 be closed. and being fully alive |
10 the disgrace and shame such closing /
would be to Salt Lake renewed its eff /
lorts 10 stimulate public pride and in 1
.erest il the chamber, and determined |
o wait upon some of the leaders in the |
community and endeavor to induce |
them 20 lend their personal aid and in /
Huence to the efforts being made to /
revive the institution.
MADE HARD FIGHT.
Committees Of the board in the dis |
charge of this service interviewed Hon !
George Q. Cannon, Hon. ]. Z. Do0lv |
and T O. Weber, each representative |
OF large local interests, and appealed to |
them for assistance in awakening the /
interest Of business men. These ap- |
pealS at times gave promise Of success, |
and gave birth to the hope that under |
d new name the chamber Of commerce |
might be given another lease of life in /
which 10 continue its usefulness, and /
to the end that plans suggested in these !
interviews might have time to be fully |
matured before their submission to the !
stockholders, and before the election of |
new officers for the chamber, the call |
ing of the annual stockholders meet |
ing was deferred beyond the date fixed |
for the same in the charter.
That after repeated effort these ap-
peals were found TO be Intellectual 10 /
accomplish the ends sought to be at
tanned, and therefore after full con-
sideration, the following conclusions
are reached by the board:
THE FINAL CONCLUSIONS.
First-That the business men of Salt
Lake, as a class, apparently do not
concur in the opinion Of this board that
a cordially supported chamber of com
merce, conducted for the purposes and
in the manner that such institutions
are conducted elsewhere in the United
States. would be of benefit to Salt Lake.
and Utah.
Secondhand in view of the general
apathy Of business men towards the
present chamber, the manifest disincli-
nation Of these men ana property own
ers generally to support or encourage
here movements having for their object
the benefit OF all classes, and the we'll
known lack of unity among our people
which is present and potent in other
communities, there is no longer any
hope Of successfully maintaining this
chamber, or, under any name or any
management, any organization Of bus
mess men having like objects and pur
poses: and therefore.
Third-That immediate steps ought to
be taken by the stockholders of this
chamber to pay its debts and wind up
its affairs.
These conclusions result from per-
sonal observation and experience, and
from a careful investigation Of the his
tory Of the chamber, which shows that
the chamber has been steadily shrink
ing in membership and revenues for
several years and this, Notwithstanding ,
the fact that prior to our incumbency, ,
some of our most prominent and push
ing citizens have devoted, as officers, :
much time and effort ~ its behalf. =
with the exception Of the support re- !
l.. e.-afr- Tod cir