Los Angeles herald., 1909-02-18
L.A.CHAMBER OF
COMMERCE MAKES
GREAT SHOWING
REPORT SHOWS PROSPERITY
OF ASSOCIATION
MORE WORK DONE THAN IN ANY
PRECEDING YEAR
Even Optimists Are Surprised When
Inventory of Accomplishments
During the Last Twelve
Months Is Taken

The annual meeting OF the cldIlOOA
Of commerce yesterday afternoon
showed in the reports of officers ana
committees a remarkable record OF
progress in the year just closed. 1t was
predicted at the annual meeting year
ago. even by Secretary Frank Virgins.
who is usually most optimistic, that
1908 would show a loss in both mem
bership and revenue, because OF the
financial depression. Instead, the
chamber found the largest balance IN
the treasury ever on hand at the time
of annual meeting and a substantial
increase in membership despite more
than 200 deaths or designations.
In addition all obligations through
the year have been met and greater
amount of the bonded indebtedness
has been retired than the contract sup
uIates. The chamber has also enter
tanned more visitors than ever peIore'
employed more help and has dlstrlDut-
ed more printed matter than IN any
preceding year. All OF Wnicn go z:CS;,.1 ~
show" reported Secretary WlgglhS'
"that we have not suffered to any
great extent from the depressed con-
ditions that we hear about.
The secretary's report covered NJ
teen typewriter pages on the nuner-
Gus lines of activity covered curing
the year, and the committee chalrmen
presented reports equally as optlnlStlG'
Urea surer Mendenhall reported pal
ance on hand February l of $15,O44.4Z,
while the total funds passing through
his hands during the year amounted
to $75 353.06.
Prosperity Week
Prosperity week was covered in de-
tail in the report of the committee on
manufactures, with the recommended
tion that its success justifies repeating
the work in 1909. In the report or the
committee on publications and statls-
ties attention was called to the 1act
that the chamber of commerce dls-
tributed nearly 100000 pieces of print
ed matter last year in the exploitation
of the resources of Southern Callfor-
mia. The pamphlets prepared relative
to the growing and care of crops
profitable in this section have been
widely distributed with gratifying re-
suits.
The committee on mining called at
tention to the growth of the oil IN
dustry, which in Los Angeles territory
now Yields one-fourth of the product
Of the United States. The committees
on county and municipal affairs and
on parks, boulevards and roads both
referred to the needs of the shoe
string section of the city and improve
ments necessary Tor that strip.
Much Publicity Work
The committee on expositions made
an extremely encouraging report, de-
failing a large amount of publicity
work on the part Of the chamber. Spe-
cial attention was called to the impor-
tance Of the plan to erect state build
ing at Agricultural park The COM
mittee reported that 100000 persons
have visited the Los Angeles exhibit at
Atlantic City, with many compliments
for the enterprise and range of re-
sources demonstrated. According to
the report of the committee on mem
bership, the chamber of commerce had
2426 members on February 1.
The presidents report will be pre-
sented at the annual banquet February
% Il feel, however," said George H.
Stewart, the retiring president, at yes
terday's meeting, that 1 have to thank
the board of directors and members
generally for their hearty support in
the work of the past year-a year
1fraught with many large problems
pressing for solution. Were it not for
the hearty cooperation of our mem
bership all that we have accomplished
of extremely severe conditions we have
had a very remarkable year, and that
came about because the membership
of this chamber is at all times ready to
meet the emergency"
Officers of Chamber
The new officers and committee heads
of the chamber of commerce are as fol-
lows: Willis H. Booth, president;
James Slauson, first vice president
Joseph Scott, second vice president
William D. Stephens, treasurer; Frank
Virgins, secretary; George H. Stewart,
chairman of the committee on COM
merce; F. Q. Story, committee on ag-
riculture and horticulture; William H.
Joyce, committee on manufacturing
Louis M. Cole, committee on mercan-
tile affairs; H. z. Osborne, committee
on mining: J. V. Vickers. committee on
transportation; H. T. Lee, committee
on laws; Marshall Stimson, committee
on publications and statistics; Harry
r. Calendar, committee on county and
municipal affairs; Walter Raymond,
committee on hotels; George E. Bit
finger, committee on finance and audit
ing James A. FOshay, committee on
building and permanent exhibit; May
nard McFie, committee on immigra-
ton; Sidney A. Butler, commmittee on
boulevards, parks and roads: Arthur
w. Kinney, committee on expositions:
Carl e. McStay, committee on mem
bership and grievances.
The annual banquet of the chamber
of commerce will be held at Levys
next Monday evening, and reservations
must be with Secretary Virgins by
Saturday.