Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-08-15
WHEELING BOARD OF TRADE
A MOVEMENT WHICH IS MEETING
WITH A CONSIDERABLE
DEGREE OF SUCCESS.
IT'S ADVANTAGES TO THE CITY
Are So Apparent That the Gentle
men Who Have Activeiy Inter-
ested Themselves are Meeting
with Substantial ENCOURAGEMENT
from wide Awake Business Men.
One-third of the Amount Desired
Has Already Been Pledged.

! has Already Been Pledged.
From a casual conversation at
luncheon at the Fort Henry club sew
eeral days ago has originated a move
nent which will in all probability oe
very far reaching in its beneficial in
fiuence upon this community, and
which gives every promise of culmin-
ating in an organization which will do
more to increase the wealth and popu-
lation of Wheeling than any one fac
tor in all the history of this city.
| The suggestion may have been the
outgrowth Of deprecatory remarks
about the lethargy of individuals in
matters concerning the general public,
a subject which has been touched up
on very frequently at meetings of the
/ Chamber of Commerce, or other assem-
| Olages of merchants and manufactur-
ers. In any event the matter was
preached by Mr.. George A. Laughlin,
of this city, who pointed out the adj
!
what similar institutions have accom-
! plished in such nearby cities as Can
| ton and Columbus, o.
| Mr.. Laughlin related a conversation
between himself and friend who en-
1 gagged in the iron business near
| Pittsburg. In answer to questions
| from Mr. aupbIi0 &C RI r5bvy bo nod
not investigated the advantages OF
| Wheeling as manufacturing site, his
| friend assured him that no district
| was comparable to the Pittsburg Then
| followed some interrogatories rela-
| tive to matters pertaining to the iron
| business, and Mr.. Laugnlin demon
straTed to the full and entire satlsfac-
| ton of his friend that Wheeling
| would have been a more advantageous
| location for his plant.
Il am surprised" was his answer
| why don't you Wheeling people have
| somebody to tell about your advantag
| es, and TO interest capital seeking in
| Vestment?"
This question constituted basis
| for Mr.. Laughlin's suggestion that
| Wheeling should have a Board of
| Trade, composed of representatives
| of every branch Of business and man
| ufacture, with secretary paid to de-
! vote his full time to the interests OF the
| community, and with a fund raised
| by subscription, OF sufficient amount to
| defray all necessary expenses. The
! gentlemen who were Iunching with
! MIR. Laughlin were very favorably I'M
| pressed with his ideas, and it develops
| that what started as a casual CONVEX
| SatiOn, has become OF the most import
| ant movements in the history Of
| Wheeling. The gentlemen who were
| present resolved to feel the pulse OF
| the mercantile and manufacturing in
| terests of the city, and have been at
| work very earnestly for several days.
| Mr.. Laughlin has been assisted by
| Mr.. VIII e. Stone, Mr. George NJ.
| Shook and Mr.. L. e. Sands While
many others have become very en-
| thusiastic in the movement, and have
| volunteered their services in assisting
III a canvass of the city. The gentle
men feel very much gratihed over the
| substantial encouragement which they
have met, and feel that the success Of
| the movement is virtually assured.
/
essary TO secure pledges aggregating
! SIS, 900 to $4,000 year. The pledges
| were to be given for period of three
I years, in order to afford sufficient time
| to demonstrate the value OF such an
| institution as a Board OF Trade. The
| canvass so far made has resulted in
| pledges to the amount OF one-third
| OF the sum which is desired. The can
riY,er rVKTn
| to fifty dollars per month, and one OF
| them stated last night that they had
not met with single refusal, but that
on the contrary many merchants were
| very enthusiastic concerning the mat
| ter, and volunteered all the assistance
| within their power Every merchant
! in the city will probably be called up
| on before the work of canvassing IS
\ completed
! The movement is a new one only in
/ the sense that it is now being taken up
| by gentlemen who are willing to
! sacrifice their time in the interest Of
| the community, and have actually gone
/ to work to make the Board OF Trade
/ not a dream but reality. There is
| no merchant, or citizen of any occupa-
| ton, unless he be the 'fogiest' kind OF
| on "old fogy," who will not recognize
at a glance the inestimable value OF
, such an institution to city like
/ Wheeling. All that is necessary to in
I sure the success of the movement Is
liberality on the part of citizens, who
will be abundantly repaid for their
| subscriptions.
Said a public spirited citizen last
night, in discussing the movement with
! a Register representative:
Il might fill several columns in
your paper and not exhaust myself in
arguments which are suggested to me
/ in support of the movement for a
4 Board of Trade. II is high time the
business men should stop regPetting
! the fact that they are selfish and blind
to their interests as a class, and get
( down to actual work along the lines
followed by more progressive commun-
tiles If any argument is needed. the
most effective is facts. Consider what
Boards of Trade have accomplished for
other cities. Take our advantages as