Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1908-02-20

C.OFC SHOWS
ITSELF GREAT
ORGANIZE ION
OFFICERS MAKE REPORTS AT
ANNUAL MEETING
OVER 400 WILL ATTEND GREAT
BANQUET
New Officers to Be Formally Installed
Saturday Night-Secretary's
Message Shows Wide
Scope of Work

That the Los Angeles chamber OF
commerce. is a growing power for good
in Southern California was amply
demonstrated at the annual meeting OF
the body yesterday
All officers and committees mace
their reports, but the one in which the
keenest interest was shown was that
If Secretary Frank Virgins.
More than 400 tickets for the eight
zenith annual banquet Saturday night
have been sold and only a few more
remain. At this banquet the new Oh
ficers win be formally installed Tney
are: G. H Stewart, president; Willis
II. Booth, first vice president; James
Slauson, second vice president; w. =.
Mendenhall. treasurer.
Chajrmen of the various committees
are as follows: William D. stephens,
commerce; f. @. Story, agriculture and
horticulture; w. J. Washburn, manu-
Featuring; Louis NJ. Cole, mercantile
affafrs: ii. y. Osborne, mining; Charles
yVfar. TRANSPORTATION; II. H. Lee, laws;
II. r. Calender, publications and sta-
tistics; Joseph Scott, county ana mu-
nicipal affairs: Walter Raymond.
hotels: Charles G. Greene, finance and
auditing: ]. 3. Koepfii. building and
permanent exhibit; J. v. Vickerss inn
migration: S. A. Butler. bouievards'
parks and roads, James A. Foshay, ex-
positions; Marshall Stimson, member
ship and grievances.
secretary's Report
The report of Secretary Frank Wig
gins follows:
Members of the Chamber of Commerce,
Los Angeles, Cal.
Gentlemen: Under conditions that
lave been forced upon the country
within the past few months, reports OF
the yearly operations of organizations.
firms and corporations are necessarily
unsatisfactory to the average interested
party. The impetus that characterized
the growth and conditions of the fore
part of the year have been suddenly
checked. and what were possibly profits
and surplus earnings, now in many in
stances are deficits. We are, most Tor
tunately. not affected by these dis
couraging conditions. While we have
lost and shall continue to lose a portion
OF our revenue by the dropping OF MEM
beers who have met reverses and are
compelled to curtail their contributions,
we have, nevertheless, been able TO
meet all our obligations, paying off all
floating debts on our building, and re-
tire the annual bond issue required by
our corporation obligations, retaining
~ N'f&-~T
raign of promotion work, which, In
times like the present, requires more
attention than under normal conditions.
Our force in all departments is work.
ing to full capacity, and the demand
for information is on the increase,
showing most conclusively that with
the unsettled financial and commercial
conditions people are looking for a
change and naturally cast their glances
toward that which is most enticing and
promises the best returns, in comfort.
health and pleasure. To instill in their
minds such information as Is likely to
bring them our way necessitates more
work, the distribution of more printed
matter and a greater and stronger
effort in each and every channel.
Honesty in Methods
To satisfy inquiries, both by mail and
personal application, 1t is our aim to
give authentic and reliable information.
we aim not only to satisfy but to pro-
tect the applicant from mercenary and
unscrupulous promotion workers.
Our participation in the jamestown
Ter-Centennial exposition at Norfolk
the past year enabled us to impart val
liable information in a section of the
country never canvassed before, and
from which we expect, as from former
expositions, profitable returns. While
the exposition itself was not a success,
In the sense of an exposition, Los An
geIes county, Jointly with San Diego.
being the most conspicuous and at
tractive sections on the ground, re-
oeived the patronage of the bulk of the
$500, 900 visitors, and being the only
representation from the Pacific coast,
naturally created an interest that Will
in time bear good fruit.
At the Atlantic City exhibit we are
able to further our work and give the
public more satisfactory returns than
in previous years, as we have become
permanently established and recognized
as a part of this most attractive and
well patronized resort. over $4,000
reople saw our display, and most Of
them have a better idea of this locality
after their visit than formerly. AS an
evidence of the practicability of this
feature, we daily have reports from
visitors who come to us through its
agency showing direct returns, while
the exhibit is in operation. At other
expositions returns follow after its
close.
The expense of these two features
have been so small that 2 per cent per
capita (present county population) will
pay our bill.
We have supplied all demands from
railroad, press and promotion bureaus
of Information that our stock of pub
licity matter would permit, and added
TO the usual supply distributed by tho
state board OF trade at San Francisco.
Mail Orders Increase
Our mail orders have increased large
" during the year on account of the
Shriners and other conventions. Many
Of the visitors who were here during
these conventions are now sending for
matter to distribute among their
MATED DIDE cuElD