Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-08-16
EVERY ONE IS
MOST ENTHUSIASTIC
OVER THE BOARD OF TRADE IDEA
NOW BEING WORKED OUT
BY LEADING BUSINESS MEN
AND THAT 1T WILL BE A SUCCESS
Is ASSURED.
Contributions of Cash Are Coming
in Rapidly, and the Committee is
Getting the Glad Hand Every
where-Many Valuable Ideas SuS-
gested to Those Now in Charge.

The Board of Trade movement among
the business men and manufacturers
is fairly booming, and the committee in
charge is meeting with the most en-
thusiastic reception from every class
of men In mercantile life. AS one of
the gentlemen foremost In the work
said last evening:
:" Ne have yet to hear the first word
of encouragement On the contrary,
everybody has been glad to see US, and
many have esteemed it pleasure to
put down their names for very liberal
subscriptions, and at the same time
make suggestions for future action.
Some of these ideas thus advanced have
been very valuable, mad on behalf of
the committee I wish to say that we not
only want money. but ideas as well to
the, end that when start is actually
made, the management of the Board
will be we'll equipped"
This is the proper spirit, and it Is
extremely gratifying that it prevails.
1t indicates radical departure from
old lines and from the policy of every
fellow for himself, and the substitution
of a long and strong pull altogether, for
the benefit of the entire community,
and the advent of policy Of extending
our trade and business to every nook
and corner of the territory tributary to
Wheeling.
One splendid idea suggested yester-
day was that portion Of the subscrip-
ton money should be devoted to tri-
weekly excursions to this city from
points within say, one hundred miles,
at a nominal rate of-fare, say one dol
lar for the round trip. The gentleman
who advanced this plan said in SUBJ
stance:
''Let US get up say three popular ex-
cursions per week, and keep it up. We
might run one in over the Baltimore &
Ohio main line one day, follow 1t in
two days with one from down along
the river, and end the week with one
on Saturday from out the Central Ohio.
L. & W., then the Pittsburg division Of
the B. & O., and then the Wheeling &
Lake Erie That would keep the peo-
pie moving, and would bring thous-
ands of strangers to the city, would
introduce new customers to our bus
mess men, and bring the whole sur
rounding country into a far closer
touch"
The proposition will commend itself
upon close study. 1t has been tried
in the east, New York and Philadel-
phia merchants inaugurating the pol
icy several years ago, extending the
low rates as far west as Pittsburg,
Columbus and Cincinnati, and as a
result thousands of buyers were at
tracted. 1t cost some money, to be
sure, but it was good business invest
ment, for it paid a profit through the
vastly increased volume of business.
This proposed shaking up of things
in the local business world will benefit
all classes, and not merely a few. The
small retailer in any given line will
reap his proportionate share OF the
increased business, and it can thus be
seen that the success of the venture is
the concern of the community. A few
wide-awake gentleman started the
Board of Trade idea, but everybody is
invited to come in and lend aid and en-
couragement, that there may be a
thorough awakening and fair trial Of
the experiment of spending little cash
and using ideas and brains for the pro-
motion of the general welfare.
The gentlemen of the committee now
at work are naturally telling very good
about the public sentiment they have
succeeded in arousing, and the out
look is one of unaduiterated and I'M
mixed encouragement. 1t now only re-
mains to push things right along to q
consummation, and put the plans to he
adopted into full force and effect. The
time is a propitious one for this move
ment. The fall trade is not only open
ing up, but there is a general awaken
ing in business enterprises in this vi
entity, and a disposition to vastly in
crease our manufacturing facilities. The
iron is hot enough to be pounded into
a greater and more prosperous Wheel
ing, and the opportunity should not be
lost.