The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-05-23
ever, with the comforting assurance that
N thnsn limits sin Ii uot be Efeutly ltruns-


ever, with the comforting assurance thu
those limits Shall not be greatly trans
| cended. .,.,,
I gathering, as l understand It., Is 70 pro
| vide plan for the upbuildliig o. ou'
city andSthe strengthening Of the iGham
| Der of Commerce as means 10 tntit e!i i..
welfare of Richmond has always the righ
| or way to the minds and hearts OF lei
people. Love of home is the strength, az, any
glory of Anglo Saxon CIVILIZATION. Inn I'M
| ennobiiig sentiment, potential III maKlue
our past great, abidcs with us us u guar
The Chamber of Commerce was or.
ganized forty years ago.. Richnrona WI" WE
still in ashes, her PEOPLE oxl,au , tenrf gS
opposed BY hostile legislation. that legis..
Ia ton which proceeds from rulers, mo'
servants of the people. aliens. not rept ,..
sentatives. conquerors flushed with tho
trumphs of wnr and moved by Its unholy
passions A century and hall ago Il Breutt
thinker declared such to be tho w, "ofs +,
form Of government conceivable, "a thnt a IN
which aliens are placed IN autnor,,iy OWL W..
proved tie soundnes Of his political
philosophy. F SA
Came to Clear the Way.
1t was amid the chaos and confusion
born OF such conditions that the Chamher
Of Commerce came Into existence anu
undertook to clear the way for rehabiii-
tntion AS the facts of It's career pass
before my mental view, It seems to me
that the spirit Of its founders must nave ,
been breathod into 1t. Those pubic,
spirited citizens, rave one or two, have
long long since been gathered to their fathers.
We are nsenrbled here to enlarge their
creation to meet the circumstances OF
n larger city, This Is an unconscious
tribute to their work II IS nppropr ,as on on
or ore names of David /. Burr. the first
president of the chamber; Isaac Daven-
port. Jr. General Joseph r. Anderson son.
D uDns Thomas Thomas; w ". Mccance. John
Dooley, r. Il. Blankenship, II. +. e.
Baskerville, Z. o. Moltng, Samuel s,II, NJ N
Price, Robert r. Williams, William e
Ferguson, Thomas G. Peyton. Lewis y.
Granshnw. Alexander Cameron and James me-
r, Branch, whose tragic death IN S6s.
while batting for white supremacy IN
our State government, Is well remember
cd.
This history of the chamber from that
first melting to the present day Is an cs-
sential part Of the history OF Itichmond.
Dedicated by high men OF high PURPOSES
It has faithfully performed It's MISSION
and that in spite OF bitter, Dlttei us
Holding its true function to be to pre-.
serve unimparied the natural streiS'th OF
our position and as far as possibly 10
fortffy It. the chambers first concern has
ben to keep the James River open as
highway of commerce. and as natural
regulator of railroad rates
Second Great Purpose.
It's second great purpose has been to
secure and to hold fair an equitable raj
rates. In the ceaselcss conflicts that
revolvc about those two vital points .ho
Thus It is that individual and corporate
enterprise can find expression here under
the best possible conditions for success,
thus 1t is you have prospered and power
fu foreign corporate have been h,,s r.
ments in Richmond and are operating
them successfully. steadfastly pursuing
Its welldetlned policy of ffortifying on.
natuarl position. the chamber addressed
the waterpower Of James River, for
twelve years before the electrical de-
volopment of that power. Some contro-
versy existed between the city authorities
authorities which had to be settled be-
fore any comprehensive plan could be
adopted. The chamber investigated the.
stua ton fully, through committee or.
which Mr.. Jackson, Guy was chairman an.
report. The settlement of the points IN
controversy was brought about through
the action of the chamber and ITS com
mittee. Subsequently the chamber IN
duced the city authorities. the authorities
of the chesapeake and Ohio Railway and
the Old Dominion Iron and Nail Works
to cooperate In having preliminary
survey made by the late Rueben Sherifts.
which gave an outline of the plans and,
vey and continued agitation of the sub
jcct md much to do with the final electr-
cal DEVELOPMENT of this power. which Is
now largely used for manufacturing and
Ohio viaduct. the union denot of the
Chesapeake and Ohio and scaboard Air
Line Railway. and the new Southern
Railway depot were continuously advo-
Gated for years by the chamber
Terminal Facilities.
In 1889 a/committee. composed OF Col.
Jno. B. Purcell, Mesrs. a. II. Christian.
Jr., S. d. Crenshaw and r. a. Dunlop,
the secretary OF the chamber, met by APP
pointment. Mr.. ingalls, at the White Sui
phur Springs and received from him an
assurance that from million to mil
lion and n half dollars would be eNpend-
cd in terminal facilities at Richmond.
This improvement was delayed for years
for the reason thaA. the railroads re-
sources were first needed to improve it's
roadbed, and, then, the problem OF enter
ing Richmond was difficult or solution.
meet the James River Dlvsn with the
Pensular Division, but the land damages
and the expense of crossing various loads
radatng from Richmond were such ilint
finally the plan for the viaduct down
James River was selected ne the mos! de-
sirabe and economical. IN carrying out
this plan, the chamber ronderad valuable
service in securing the consent of the
commissioners Of the Free Bridge for the
lowering of that structure which they
were inclined to rcfuse-..lnd in otncr
ways helped the execution of this inpor-
tant work.
The chamber also continuously urged
tho Southern Railway to build Il passen-
ger denot, which finally resulted IN Inc
erection of It's present passenger sta
ton
Realizing the need of n modern Office
building In Richmond, tn chamber
erected It's present building on Ninth and
Main Streets, which set the pace ana
gave an impulse to the Improvement on
that part of Main Street which has ex-
tended UP to Fifth Street.