The Billings gazette., 1909-03-05
WORK BEING DONE BY THE BILL
INGs CHAMBER OF coMMEPcE.
EXTENDING usefulness
Secretary H. M. Brayton of the Cham
ber of Commerce Presents His Re-
port, Describing the Work Done by
the Billings Boosters.

H. M. Brayton, secretary of the
Chamber of Commerce, yesterday pre-
sented his report to the president and
the new board of directors. 1t shows
most satisfactory condition to exist
in the chamber and finds the finances
in excellent shape. The report in
part is as follows:
ut should be the policy of the Bill
lings Chamber of Commerce from this
time forward to carry on in all of it's
branches the work for which the or
ganization was planned
Besides the dry farming movement
there is much other important work
to he done. Our irrigated farm lands
have reached high value by their sue
cess in raising sugar beets, at which
value they have stood for the last two
years. In Oregon and Washington
land values have increased far be-
yond the figures here, due to the eX-
ploitation of orchard properties.
1--WE have abundantly shown our
success at commercial orcharding,
and the next great increase in land
will be largely through this speciality.
Raw orchard lands in Washington
are selling at 5000 to $500 an acre in
ouldil IIdCUS, WnliS lHOIOuSuly ueN0I-
oped lands bring prices ranging from
$500 to $4,000
yellowstone county has secured
the first prize for the best general dis
play of fruit at the state fair twice
within the last six years, and once in
conjunction with Carbon county. The
people are awake to the possibilities
and this year will see more orchards
Al rfNI - 411o l.
tory of this section.
Besides the work of the Chamber of
Commerce in the matter of promoting
land values, there is another line, the
effect of which directly benefits the
business interests of Billings. AS fast
as the work can be done, the Burling-
ton people will put through their con-
nections in Wyoming, so as to es-
tablish direct line to Billings through
the most fertile portion of the Big
Horn valley and southern Wyoming.
Tariff rates from eastern points to
Billings are virtually the same as
those to Denver, thus enabling Billings
by taking prompt action to be the
first in the field in all jObbing lines
in this vast new tributary section.
To reach the center of this new ter
llGOIyy bllllllSo 10 IL llluCu SuOl ltI
haul than is Denver and active work
on the part of the Billings Chamber of
Commerce, establishing the interests
of our jobbing people, will place us
beyond competition in this field.
'While these large movements pre-
viously mentioned are being handled,
the vast interests of the city are not
being neglected. An active campaign
LHr, ri, lxy tod
curing such manufacturing enter
prises as are likely to make good at
this point and a most vigorous effort
will be continued for increasing the
pay roll of Billings.
Besides this, there are daily in
quiries from merchants, mechanics
and others about the city in a gem
eral way, which the Chamber of Com
merce is answering in such a man.
ner as to invite settlement here.
"The new Chamber of Commerce
building proved attractive to even
casual visitors and the fame of this
exhibit of products of the Yellowstone
valley has Travelled the length and
breadth of the land During the past
three days of the present week, more
visitors have registered here than dur
lIlS dlly SllSlC W6th III IllS hlSlOly vi
the Chamber of Commerce. Since
January 1st about 500 visitors have in
spected the exhibits. nearly all of
whom have been furnished with litera-
ture concerning Billings and vicinity.
"The eyes of our own people would
be opened if they would visit our
Chamber of Commerce All citizens,
whether they are members of the
Chamber of Commerce or not, are re-
quested to visit US, see the exhibits
and offer any suggestions that they
may have. We would be glad to send
literature to their friends in the east
One of the greatest things that has
happened recently, is the acknowl-
edgement that the freight tariffs tC
Billings have not been equitable. The
railroads have assured us that these
things will be corrected and that there
will he a system of rates established
which will enable Billings to compete
with everybody in the jobbing trade
in this region.
THE correspondence of the office
of the Chamber of Commerce has beer
large during the past two months