The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-01-18
ONE YEARS
RECORD Of
PROGRESS
Views of Mr.. Craig on
Current Events.
THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
INSTRUCTIVE SUGGESTIONS AT
ITS YEARLY MEETING.
The Retiring President Believes the
Semi-Centennial Exposition
Will Be a Grand
Event.

The annual meeting of the trustees or
the Chamber of Commerce was held yes
terday, at which the old board of officers
retired and the new trustees whose
names were published at the election took
their seats. E. Scott was reelected by
the board to the position he has filled SO
well for the past year or more. w. M.
Bunker stated that he is about to visit
Siberia over the projected line of the
great Siberian railway, and he was elect
ed as a special commissioner to repre-
sent the chamber The retiring president,
Hugh Craig, presented a long report
showing the work of the chamber during
the past year and the general condition
of the city and State. Special mention
was made of the condition of the
crops of the present year and those of
the past two seasons. Also the amount
Of exports of cereals to all parts of the
globe. The business of the banks, he said,
is entirely satisfactory. OF the class
known as farm borrowers the report
says:
This class of debtors during 1897 paid interest
equal to the amount accruing in one and one
half years, thereby clearing up arrearages in
great degree. In 1898 they: as a class held
their own, some localities wfping out old ball
ances. while others ran behind again. Small
city borrowers are paying interest promptly
as rule.
Of several other matters of interest Mr..
Trans Pacific Cable-We may confidently ex-
pect movement toward the construction Of
this much-desired convenience before the year
is much older. The President of the United
States is very anxious that this shall be ac-
complished at least to Hawaii, Immediately.
writing as if the long-desired passage-way
between the Atlantic and Pacific for the pro-
lection of the commerce of the two coasts of
the United States is fairly within reach
Legislation in favor of the immediate
struction Of the canal should be well forward
not an Mi Gbld aNT hafO ha
fifth Congress expires March T.
Cable TO the Faraones-Every effort should
QUESTION for the convenience of our shipping
and weather bureau. The Secretary of Agri-
practicabilty, and our delegation at Washing
ton is alive TO the necessity.
Mr. Craig made special reference to the
manufactures of iron, the success of this
late war, pure food laws, railroad trans
portation prompt delivery of ocean
mails, the Philadelphia museum, the Pre-
sidio Reservation, conservation of water
and the preservation of the forests of the
State and current affairs in general. OF
the semi exposition of the
State he said:
In the year 1900 we will have reached the
semi centennial anniversary of statehood. Cali
fornia is the leading State in the Pacific ter
California's fftieth anniversary will be heart
lily concurred in by other States and Terri
tories lying vast of the Missouri River The
occasion is one which should be accentuated
in a. fitting The Government of the
United States has. up to the present time, ap-
propriated the sum of S. 600 600 in aid of ex-
positions Of the material resources of the
United States and of the various sections Of
munificence in this regard relates to the Trans
Mississippi Exposition, just closed at Omaha.
grand exposition of the resources of the
Pacific Coast. to be known as the Pacific Ocean
Exposition. should be held in San Francisco
and on its behalf Government aid should be
solicited while the city and the State should
make liberal appropriations on its behalf.