The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-01-17

which would mean a financial loss to
| every real estate owner in the city.
| True, Scranton has, in it's industrial
| advancement during the years gone
| by, passed the critical point in this
respect, yet it is also just as true
| that to stop where we are would be
| a very poor business policy to pursue.
We are told, when soliciting sub
scrpitiOns TO stock for new indus
tries, that past experiences have not
| always been favorable to further in
vestments of this kind. AS a direct
| financial investment in a few cases this
| is no doubt true, but, indirectly, every
| single dollar put into industrial en-
| terprises in this city has been dollar
we'll invested, by making possible the
past history OF our city in its Won
| derful growth and prosperity.
Let me urge upon our business men
and capitalists, those to whom we
| must of necessity appeal when pro-
noting new industries, to consider
well this side of the question before
| refusing to invest their money in home
| enterprises.
In conclusion let me quote from
| Mr.. Mays report, above referred to:
| THE inclination is to take care of
| the immediate and waste the future,
because we do not consider the future
| of our heritage. May we, as citizens
| board, resist this inclination and look
| after the welfare of our city"
SECRETARY ATHERTON's REPORT
Secretary Atherton's report was as
follows;
For the fifth time | have the pleas
ure to present my annual reporc for
your kind consideration. I therefore
all s.,1, Il
| review the work Of the board for the
year 1898.
At the beginning Of the fiscal year,
| February last, it did seem that we
were destined to realize great strides
| in our industrial advancement. Every
| tendency was towards that goal; pros
perity had evidently returned; conf
| dence had been restored; our mills and
factories busy, and prosperous times
| were confidently expected, but soon
| there was a cloud on the horizon. At
| first it was no larger than mans
hand, but it continued to grow with
| wonderful rapadity until we We're sud
| denly startled with the declaration of
war with Spain. The effect of this war
! upon the work Of the Board of Trade
in the way of securing new industries
was positively fatal. Those who had
| previously anticipated a new location
| forgot all about IL in the excitement
of war, and TO organize or establish
new industries was simply out of the
question. our capitalists and investors
said mo" when approached with any
new scheme; and af3r three months
| of energetic work by your president
ana other officers of the Board of
| Trade we were obliged 20 give up in
| despair until such time as peace should
be declared and things began to right
themselves. Now that we are again
at peace with the world 1t does seem
that the anticipations of 1898 might
be realized in 1899.
TO quote from a recent article in
one Of our daily papers; ITO the one
who would make close study of trade
and industrial conditions for 1898 in
this city, an interesting fund Of In
formation would surely be opened up.
| A comparison of results between the
year just closed and 1897 would still
! further produce interesting results.