The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-05-14
BUSINESS ORGANIZATION
* COMPLETED TWELFTH YEAR
Annual Meeting Of Montgomery Commercial and
Industrial Association Marked by Large Atten-
4. dance and Excellent Reports.

was instructed to cast the ballot Of the
Association In favor OF Mr.. Rice for
President for another year MT; Absr-
pliment paid him and in a short speech
President Rice thanked the members for
| their renewed confidence.
RAY Rushton. Thomas II. Carr ana +,
c. Shepard were elected Vhe-Presidents
and A. @. Forbes. J. X. jackson, J. l.
Mckinney, John Tullis. Jr., and r.. r.
Dexter were chosen a. DirectGrs.
The meeting adjourned after reiresh-
ments had been informally partakeh Oh
The annual report submitted to the as
ISOLATION by President Alex Rice was as
Montgomery. Ala. May 10, 1902.
| The Commercial and Industrial Associa-
ton.
| Gentlemen:-It affords me great pleas.
to on sts sed to
count in my own way what appears 70
me to be the most important incidents
| in a years history 1T our CROWN. ;t'nl
prosperity. Our Secretary and various
| chairmen of our committees cover the
| ground so thoroughly that l can only
make mention in general way OF what
| has engaged and should engage our at
| tention.
| Commercially speaking. the outgoing
| year was not as prosperous as the pre-
| ceding one, and yet with all the draw
backs and losses we have taken on much
material Improvement. Many buildings
begun during my former term of of1ce.
| have ben completed ground haa been
| broken for the new Charity Hospital ana
the Public Library. A new ana Smproeeu
gurated. the old line has been stimulated
| and we are now promised modern I'm,
proved and up-to-date means OF local
| travel.
| is to be enlarged. Our school fac1iities
| are to be increased. and the LOCATION OF
| a school for girls-the Calhoun Chamber-
lain School--has ben assured through the
| work of your Committee on Schools. A
new and modern structure Is to replace
the burned Heron Street school. The
Montgomery Infirmary has taken on new
life and L. accomplishing much good ana
noble work. -
Through disastrous fires in other sec
tons of our country. our fire rates have
been increased Is per cent or more. ana
we are facing a problem how to decrease
our rates and how to save the merchants
of our city many thousands of dollars
that annually are paid to foreign corpo-
ratiops.
Another growing and alarming evil is
apparent in the fact, as brought out by
Secretary Giberts report In January,
that In 1901 we paid out for hay, corn,
oats, -four and meal "a. go, an amount
equal to two-thirds of our cotton re-
ceipts. The balance of trade is very small
and with proper encouragement and CO.
operation on our part, We can induce our
farmers to pay more attention to the rais-
ing of cereals and food products, 50 they
| can live at home and prosper themselves
and u.s. / believe this mater should have
the careful attention of our Committee
'" Points to Reforms.
In nv opinion we have not been as
active in municipal affairs as we shouic
! have been. for such important matters al
the granting of unlimited franchises, an1
) public utilities should be thoroughly dis
t cussed so that the best results should fol
low City State and national Legislation
| should be closely watched and taker
up by your respective committees. aut
brought to the notice of your association
D Many valuable suggestions were mad
r last wear by various committees and NJ
doubt will be made this year, and hop
1 they will be acted upon.
1t was suggested that Jobbers asso
1 citation and credit bureau within our as
t ISOLATION be informed in order TO remedy
: certain evils. l understand moNemen
, is on foot to organize a credit bureau
and l hope all our manufacturers AM
E jobbers will encourage and join 1t. IT wa
, also suggested that we establish a freigh
bureau with a commissioner OF transpor
tation. If possible l would like to see thi
l contaminated.
| would recommend the formation of {
Trade Extension Committee whose duty
1t shall be to further and enlarge on
trade relations in near and more remote
| sections by means of which our mer
/ chants will be enabled to visit friend
and customers along the lines or raiiroa'
centering at and diverging from Mont
gemery. We should cultivate our trad
= and il necessary spend a week or more
D at a time in making these trade excur
= sions.
= | also recommend that through YOU
1 Entertainment Committee you have
e monthly or bi-monthly papers read a
g our meetings. on commercial and curreh
d topics subject to discussion by our mem
= berS.
much needed and much desired pub
lie benefacton would be the establish
: ment Of free public bath houses through
d out the city, both for white and black
4 | Some public benefactor and philanthro
> pist might assist in this good work. Til
water would cost the city nothing ant
from a sanitary and pfiilanthropic pom
If view no greater boon could be extende'
the poor. in the hot, dry and trying sum
D mer months.
. We should feI especially thankful t'
[ our daily press, The Advertiser and Jour
Z nal for the assistance they have render
: ed US at all times in promoting, publish
r ing and pushing the work OF improve
ment and progress.
Our thanks are due to all the commit
tees and chairmen of committees WIN
have zealously assisted in their specia
lines of work. Let all of us be inspired
= with an ambition to Guido each other ant
count it privilege to belong TO an az
I fishly lends itself to the upbnlding o.
commercial, industrial. educational ant
municipal interests.
feel that my task would not be com
, | plete were | obIivious of the valuable as
: sistance rendered me In the discharge o
, my duties by your Secretary and you
honored Board of Directors. All have la
bored faithfully and given up much o
their time to the work of the past year
In closing my official term, thank you
one and all. for your uniform kindnes
and courtesy and for the confidence yol
have placed In me.
a In my judgment, the Presidency of thi
association is the highest honor that cal
= be be slowed upon a citizen. Respectfully
: Alex Rice, President.
Secretary Gilbert's Report
= The report submitted to the association
| by Secretary l.. l.. Gilbert wkas as fol
2 | lows:
: Montgomery Ala. May 10. 1902.
g While the volume of the business o
the city was somewhat larger last yea
Y than the previous year. and conducted a