The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1900-01-12

The meeting of the Chamber of Com,
merce Friday night was attended by a
good audience and evidenced the un-
abated interest of the public in the efforts
of the organization to promote the general
interests of the town.
The feature of the evening was an ad-
dress by Col. Robert Gates, the Indus
trial ana Immigration Agent of the l..
& n. r. r. 1t was an able and
scholarly effort and was received with
manifestations of great interest
Under the head of the reports of
officers, the Secretary stated that he had
recently paid visit to Huntsville to
examine the "No Treadle Sewing Ma
chine" which is seeking a ocation in
the South. He described the machine
as one that runs with a spring, on the
order of clock. 1t is wound up oc-
casionally by few easy movements of a
lever and involves no further labor. Its
speed is regulated by simple pressure
Of the f OF. 1t is demonstrated sue
cess so far as doing the work claimed for
1t is concerned. The owner of the
patent, Captain j. M. Brosius, has a
plant at Terra Haute, Ind, for the
manufacture of his invention, which for
good reasons, he is anxious to move
South. He values it at 100000. His
proposition is to move the plant here and
manufacture the machines here if CO.
lumbia will put up $4,000 in cash to
pay off certain indebtedness, pay
for the dost of moving, erect build
ings and give a small working
capital. For this he is willing to issue
$50, 900 in preferred stock, taking his
share in common stock. The Secretary
thought it splendid invention and one
that if properly managed meant ire
mendous fortune to it's owners The
proposition of Captain Brosius was re-
ferred to the regular committee on man
ufactures.
1t was stated that the barrel heading
man was not entirely convinced that
there was not sufficient timber in easy
reach of Columbia for his purposes, and
that he was afraid he could not get
sufficiently favorable railroad rates.
Col Gates, who was present, pledged
that his road would remove the latter
objection. At any rate the mill man
had promised to return here and look
over the situation more carefully before
settling on final location.
The Secretary read a letter from an
Indiana wagon timber mandatory who
wish to locate in the South, and would
like to come here if they find conditions
sufficiently favorable. He stated further
that this was sample of dozen other
inquiries of the same kind that he hao
recently received. He mentioned par
ticularly an underwear knitting mil
that Mr.. F. S. Woodbridge had persuaded
to cCme South, and said that he was
looking every day for the manager of the
concern to visit Columbia with view
of locating here.
Under the head of unfinished busi
ness President Fry reported that, acting
under the instructions of the Chambe
he had written the President of the Com
mercial Club of Mt Pleasant, askins
them to cooperate with Columbia il
the proposed industrial convention il
the Spring, and had received yer,
/ favorable reply.
1t was stated that it had been decid
ed to extend the scope of the proposed
convention so as to include all interest
in which Columbia is concerned. Al
invitation will probably be extended tn
Tennessee Industrial League to NEE
here at the time. and in fact it is prob
able that delegates from commercial
bodies all over the South will be invited
TO be present. Distinguished speaker
and capitalists from all over the Unite
States will probably be brought here
Col. Gates pledged the L. & n. r. r.
secure transportation for the delegate
on such favorable terms that they coul
not fail to be here in large numbers.
Col Gates was then introduced, an
delivered very carefully prepared, pc
ished address. fully covering the indus
trial needs of the South, and of thi
State and city particularly. He ana
yzed the reasons why progress or deca
was a necessary law of life. Progres
of communities depended on co-operS
ton. Under the civilization of the OIL
South, splendid isolation and superb il
dividualism was the rule. All this ha
to be changed before industrial pro
gress, which depends on co-opertioI
could be put into effective operation
The speaker then enumerated some {
the chief essentials of community C,
operation, and pointed out what wa
necessary TO put industries into success
full operation. He cited Huntsville
Ala, Atlanta. Ga, and jackson, Tenn
as examples of what can be done whe
the desired spirit is dominant. In tn
connection he made plea for cooper
! ton between the people and the raj
roads. showing that their interests wei
really the same. In closing his addre.
he described the resources Of Tenness'
in magnificent periods, and closed Wit
! an exceedingly eloquent perroratiOn /
which he paid n transcendent tribute
the character Of the people Of the No
unteer State. At the close of b
speech he was rendered a rising vote