Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1907-04-12
Secretary Fox's Report.

PRESIDENT ana members OIL the bTdllleDOIO
Board of Trade:
The work of the past year has very
clearly demonstrated the worth and need
of a board of trade for Brattleboro. The
first ten months of our existence has not
been a period of pyrotechnic display of
great deeds accomplished, but rather they
have been months of constant endeavor
and healthy progress. Opportunities are
constantly arising which prove conclusive
ly the fact that the mere existence of an
organization with our avowed objects Is
worth all it costs, because of its complete
organization, with its corps of working
committees always in readiness to deal
with any matter affecting Brattleboro's
interests favorably or adversely. Your
committees have had and will continue
to have a vast amount of work to per-
form that Is not brought to the attention
or notice of the public, but which is
nevertheless of much Importance and con-
tributes to the general result. This work
of theirs Is most unselhshly given and
should have the endorsement and en-
enlargement of every member of our
board. To indicate along what lines your
association has been working l am obliged
to give you a few statistics, which 1 as
sure you will be brief. Your membership
at the time of its organization last May
numbered 1877 one member has passed
away, 1 refer to the late r. f. Gordon
five have been dropped from our list for
non-payment of dues, and nine new
names have been added during the year,
so that our present membership is 10
This large number is good proof of the
persistent work put in by your member
ship committee. Your directors have held
Is meetings, and 16 meetings have been
held by the various committees, all of
which have been well and in most cases
largely attended The committee on in
. surapce and taxation has done very effec-
ffxrax rrrIr oh N1,a 9 h.
San Francisco fire, when an advance of
insurance rates was contemplated through
out New England, this committee by its
work secured an assurance from the
chairman of the rating committee for this
district that no advance would be made
in rates in Brattleboro.
The local trade committee was APP
pointed with the main object in view of
protecting its members against the abuses
of the credit system to aid in collecting
old bills and the prevention of new bad
ones This committee has done an espec-
tally good piece of work in formulating
and arranging and putting into operation
a most successful system, the efficiency of
which can be vouched for by many of
our merchants
The manufacturing and new industries
committee have without doubt had the
biggest burden of work of any committee,
and al the same time ii has probably been
of the most thankless kind. No fewer
than twenty industries which contemplate
ed change of location have been inter-
viewed and correspondent with. Their re-
liability and desirability have been stud
led and their financial stability thorough
ly looked into, even trips out of town
have been taken to fully investigate some
new industry proposition, but in every
instance either the demand for bonuses
was too high or they were not adapted
for our town or were found to be I'M
reliable, and for these and various other
reasons no new industries have been Sc
cured.
The mercantile committee have worked
along the line for securing closer and
more cordial relations between our mer-
chants, of adopting uniform closing hours,
and an agreement to eliminate and turn
down all fake advertising.
The publicity and printing committee
have attended to such printed matter as
was needed and have now in press a book
let for wide distribution giving the ad-
vantages of Brattleboro as a locality for
new industries, as a home, or for the
summer visitor.
The public improvement committee
work combined with the civic committee
of the Woman's club, was in evidence last
summer and fall by the handsome flower
beds in various spots about our village,
and through their fundamentally the re-
cent inspiring lecture by Edward T. Hart
man was given, ana campaign is al
ready mapped out for similar work for
the coming season.
The transportation committee has the
promise from the railroads entering into
Brattleboro of better train service. II
this is followed up and secured, this COM
mittee will be one of the most important
in the work of the board of trade.
The other committees have not had as
much work fall to them as the foregoing,
but are in shape to grapple and attend to
anything coming under their head
Among some of the things accomplished
by your organization was the inducing
of the railroad authorities to have the
ticket office at the railroad station open
for business previous to the departure OF
every train day or night This is a real
benefit and accommodation for all who
travel. The bringing to Brattleboro OF
Col. w. H. Moore, the originator and
president of the Good Roads movement
in the United States, and the holding OF
a three-session convention at which Col
Moore, Hon. wellington e. Loucks and
Winston Churchill addressed the meeting
was effected.
Another work of your association was
the taking Of very accurate census OF