The herald., 1898-02-12
PRESIDENTS REPORT

noon, the 1OllOWlnS TeportS Wele ied'
by officers and chairmen of the various
committees:
PRESIDENTS REPORT
Gentlemen of the Los Angeles Chambe
of Commerce: The year just closed ha:
been one of substantial progress and de
yelopment for this city and Southern Cali
fornia, and the new year opens with al
outlook not inferior to any previous veal
since 1892.
The population of this city as shown by
the census taken last year has reached
and passed the one hundred thousand
mark by several thousand, and there ]:
every reason to believe that the census
to be taken in 1900 will show that Los An
geles has q population of not less thar
one hundred and fifty thousand.
The chamber of commerce during the
year has considered and passed upon many
questions of great Importance to the vel
fare and future prosperity of this city anc
Southern California. All have been care
fully considered, and such assistance and
recommendations as were deemed ad-
visable were given.
Government officials, congressional par
ties, prominent citizens and various asso-
Citations have been entertained by the
chamber, and the courtesies and attentions
due from our organization extended tC
them. There can be no doubt of the bene-
f1cent results following these receptions.
Many petitions, resolutions and COM
munications have been addressed to our
senators and representatives in congress
and to the authorities at Washington and
legislative and other action has been Sc
cured upon many important matters re-
lating to the welfare of this section, for
the details of which 1 refer you to the
report of our secretary.
Exhibits were prepared and sent to the
expositions at Guatemala and Hamburg
Our exhibit hall has been visited by about
one hundred and sixty thousand persons,
and all visitors furnished as far as possi-
BILE with such information as they de-
sired More than ten thousand letters OF
inquiry have received proper attention and
about two hundred and sixteen thousand
pieces of literature relating to Southern
California have been sent out on request
and otherwise distributed by the cham
ber.
Large numbers of the Klondike edition
of the chambers pamphlet, Los Angeles
City and County, CaL," have been sent
to Alaska, and arrangements perfected for
sending many more to Dawson and the
Klondike section in the Northwest terri
tory. In this connection let me again urge
that great care be taken to maintain the
for it's impartial and reliable statements
of fact given in all the literature and other
information sent out by it, and that it con-
tinue to resist all attempts to secure its
endorsement and influence in favor of pri-
vate schemes.
Our membership has increased during
the year from eight hundred and seventy
six to one thousand, the largest number
that the chamber has ever had. This, l
s.N1
our organization and appreciation of the
work it is doing. 1t should be borne in
mind by all good citizens that each new
name added to our membership serves to
increase and extend the usefulness of the
chamber. The membership should be in
creased during the ensuing year to at least
twelve hundred.
During the past year fourteen members,
all prominent and honored citizens, have
been taken from us: H. G. Billings, ]. G.
Chamberlain, J. G. McCullum, E. NJ.
Hanna, E. Norman, w. L. Packard, ex-
Mayor Frank RAIDER, H. NJ Singer, K. H.
Wade, Max Werner, William Lacy. X. p.
Cullen, T. d. Stimson and S. B. Caswell,
making the death roll the largest of any
year in our history.
The question of a deep-water harbor at
San Pedro may now be considered set
tied, and there Is almost absolute GER
tainty that work upon the breakwater will
be commenced within few months, and
we have positive assurance that the Salt
Lake railroad will be speedily built. The
benefits that will accrue to Southern Cali
fornia from the construction of the deep
water harbor and railroad to Salt Lake
City are inestimable.
Our friends and colaborers, the Mer-
chants and Manufacturers association.
q n ha pey,-ot LOT a6 ba
full installation at their Hall of Industry
of their splendid exhibit of home products.
The effect of calling attention in this man.
ner to our products must be very benef-
cial and result in greatly extending the de-
mand for such products. Our city is also
to be congratulated that it possesses so
enterprising and progressive a body of
men who are doing SO much in the up
building of Los Angeles and Southern Cal
ifornia. May their undertaking meet with
the unbounded success that ii merits.
In this connection it is perhaps fitting
that l should refer to the several enter
prises which in the near future are 10
furnish energy electrically transmitted 10
this city from water power generated on
the rivers in the mount aims. These en-
terprises will supply power in such guam
titles and at such moderate cost and con-
venience that 1t should not only greatly
facilitate The operations of all existing coal
and oil burning institutions, but should
stimulate industrial activity generally in
this city and vicinity and render possible
the installation and operating of many en-
terprises which have heretofore been i'm
practicable because of the high cost of
fuel. The introduction of energy electric
ally transmitted from points where ii is
generated by water power will enable this
city to have large manufacturing estab-
lishments giving employment 10 thousands
of workmen and without any of the an
noyances from smoke, SCOT or cinders.
After persistent efforts upon the part
of the chamber, the officer in charge of the
weather bureau station in this city has
been made forecast official, and fore
casts for Los Angeles and vicinity are
now made here by him, as well as by the
San Francisco office. The course pursued
Is to collect by telegraph from observers
scattered over the country frequent re-
ports of the weather conditions. and from
them compile weather maps. From these
the forecaster sees the conditions that ex-
list in the various sections and the changes
that are taking place. and is thus enabled
10 give warning of a storm or Of a cold
wave to places on the course along which
1t Is moving
There is at present a vast extent of
country TO the east of California from
which no reports are received, a region
about 900 miles wide by 500 miles long We
are pleased TO see that Secretary Wilson
has recommended that stations be estab-
iished in this region. Therefore, in my
Judgment this chamber should endeayor,