Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-29
BUSINESS OF THE
BOARD OF TRADE
Matters Discussed at Meeting
Last Evening.
COMMERCIAL SECRETARY
Subscriptions Toward Paying Salary
of Proposed Officer.
REPORT REGARDING RAILROADS
Action as to Pending Bills Providing
Additions to Local Parks
Public Schools.
REPORT REGARDING RAILROADS

last evening. The street railway matter,
after debate, was postponed for further
consideration at the next meeting of the
board three weeks hence, as was also the
question of the employment of a CONNER
cial secretary. The other matters were
acted upon favoraby, as were large num-
Der of recommendations embraced in the
annual reports of committees.
Interest was centered largely in the re-
port of the committee on commerce and
manufactures, Mr.. B. H. Warner chair
man. Although many persons were look
ing for a complete report, it was not given
and the committee asked for more time in
which to finish it's work. Encouraging
progress was indicated, however, and more
time was willingly granted by the board.
Subscriptions Toward Salary.
Mr.. Warner said the committee had re-
ceived subscriptions amounting to $2,24O
and that in two cases subscriptions of $50
were only tentative, the firms making
them declaring their willingness to sub
scribe $500 if that amount was needed to
carry into effect the plan to employ a COM
mercial secretary.
Further, Mr.. Warner declared that the
committee had received assurances which
made it practically certain that at the next
meeting the full amount could be reported
as raised, together with a plan for the en-
ployment of the secretary and the nature
of the work of his office. The committees
report of progress was received and the
committee directed to continue it's work, by
unanimous vote of the board.
Meets With Opposition.
The report of the committee on railroads
Or. William Tindall chairman, met with
considerable opposition from Gen. George
H. Harries and a number of the other
members of the board. 1t being claimed
by them that the provision for absolute
control of schedules by the District Com
missioners would be a step too near munic-
1pal control Of private property.
Gen. Harries argued against the recon-
mendation that the board indorse that
particular portion of the commissioners
BILL" He said the Commissioners could
not be expected to know enough about rail-
reading to control the time schedules and
declared furthermore that the delegation Of
such power over private property inter-
ests would be detrimental in the highest
sense Of private enterprise here and would
tend to keep away outside capital.
Others suggested that the interstate COM
merce commission did not have power to
fix schedules, but merely to revise. After
discussion the matter was postponed until
the next meeting.
The report of the committee on public
parks was the basis of much debate in the
way of comment After it had been read
by Albert M. Read It's adoption was adyo-
Gated by Messrs. Charles 8. Bundy and
George w. King. The committee suggested
that the board indorSe three Senate bills
now in the House, providing for a 1855 600
addition to Rock Creek on the 10th street
side; $432. 600 addition to the same park.
extending from the present boundary to-
"ard the naval observatory; $3.50, 600 park
on Meridian Hill, Euclid street between
10Th and 18th streets, and $4,000 park
on the Montrose tract in. Georgetown be-
tween Lovers Lane and Oak Hill cemetery.
Mr.. Weller Enters Objection.
Before the report was adopted Mr. NJ. I.
Weller strenuously objected to it, because
there was no mention of parks in the east
ern section of the city, declaring that the
latter section had always been discrimin-
ated against. Several members did not
tnink Mr.; Weller was right in taking the
position he did. Mr.. Read Insisted that
the committee had never for a moment
meant to discriminate against any section
OF the city, and presented its report mere
ly because the bills are already in the
House, having been passed by the Senate.
and the committee thought it sho1ld NOT
turn down something that was almost In
its grasp. "
Representative McCleary's Address.
Representative McCleary of Minnesota.
chairman of the District snhco,o,
m1ttee on appropriations of the House. was
during the discussion of the report of the
committee on public parks and reservations
He made few remarks which filled the
meeting with enthusiasm. He heartily fav
ored any plan to make Washington ..the
model city," and said he would be glad to
of more public parks.
NO man Is fit to legislate at the CAPITOL"
he declared, unless he is able to think
nationally" " ii
or
a friend Of his would call an "amonaIv'' g,
the situation which gives man from AWAY
out IN Minnesota the right to say what
must be done with real estate and prop
erty interests in this city, when the rest
dents, property owners and taxpayers have
nothing whatever to do with it. He said
ne fully appreciated the peculiarities of
the situation.
Washington Board of Trade he declared.
because it knows that the board repre-
sents the wishes of the District"
The speaker told how he carefully re-
Trained from becoming the owner Of a sin
gle piece Of property in the District during
his term as chairman Of the District sub
of the House in order that he
might never be tempted to advocate i'm
provements that might be of personal ben
eft to him and not for the public good. For
the same reasons, he said, he never gave
a friendly tip to any real estate man as
chairman might be going to do. 49,
Prolonged applause greeted Mr.. Nc
Cleary's brief address. the members of the
board apparently fully approaching his at
titude toward District legislation and APP
of 1t.
On motion of Capt. James F. Oyster the
board adopted a resolution asking Repre-
sentative Davis of the House to give favor
able consideration to a proposition to in
crease the salaries of all District employees
in his bill for the salary increase of the
federal employees in the District of Column
bia On the suggestion of Judge Kimball
court employees were included in the mo-
ton. which was made to read ''all employees
of the executive and judicial departments
of the District government other than
those in classes whose salaries were in
creased the past year."
Favorable action was taken on the re-
ports of the committees on public schools,
public buildings. public library, public or
der and river and harbor improvement.
The public building report strongly advo-
Gates the erection Of a National Guard
armory on the site of the present Pennsyl-
vania railroad station when the building
shall be abandoned for the new union sta
ton.
a1S MINI