Rocky Ford enterprise., 1910-04-29
CHAMBER OF CON.
MERGE MEETS
To Receive Reports and Make
Plans for Future
GREAT ENTHUSIASM
IS DEVELOPED

Faxon Of Irrigation Congress,
Sen. Crowley, Fr.wietzer
and Others.
A representative meeting Of business
men and citizens was held IN Dyes thea
trs on Tuesday night. the primal purpose
Of which was to hear reports from the
Chamber Of Commerce officials Of what
had been accomplished since the reorgan-
ization nine months ago. but it eventually
developed into one OF the most enthusias-
tic meetings ever held in this city and
plans were outlined that should receive
the hearty cooperation Of every resident
of this section Of tho Arkansas Valley.
H. l. Maxwell. president Of the Cham
Der Of Commsres, opened the meeting
with short outline Of its purpose, and
hs was followed BY Secretary Fsnlason
and Assistant Ssere tary Bowman. who
told Of the work that had been done and
was now under way. The report follows:
ave believe that the work done by the
Chamber Of Commerce is well evidenced
by the results that have bssn obtained.
Upon the organization of our association.
the first work lined out fer the committee
was that Of soliciting subscriptions to
raise q sufficient fund to carry on the
work. We succeeded in getting about
$26oo 90 pledged. . little over half Of
which has been called and expended.
whether wisely or not, you can form
your own opinion. The few remarks
shall make will zeal with the actual work
done by the advertising committee. the
methods Of procedure. and the things We
have started and have in mind for the
future.
The first work taken up after funds
had been pledged. was the gathering Of
dats. crop reports. photographs and cuts
for our advertising matter. Ths commit
tee went in person TO various farmers,
had them make statements OF actual
facts and results from their farm opera
tons covering period Of years. These
facts were put forth In the shsps Of little
folders. one set dealing with Rocky Ford
speeialtiss, another on horses and hogs,
another on the Developments Of Rocky
Ford. one on eantaloupss and sugar
bsets. one on poultry raising and one on
Rocky Ford the Place to Live" In q
large picture folder Of which We had ten
thousand printed. We had various city
and farm scenes, and very little dsserip-
tive matter.
We fitted up an office which was given
US rent free by members Of the Chamber
Of Commerce. and the furniture and fx-
lures were, with few exceptions. all
donated by members. and We set stem
ographe at work sending out our lItsra-
ture. We sent out about FIVE thousand
complete sets. To start with, we OBJ
tanned lis, Of inquirsrs furnished US by
the Santa Fe and by the State CONNER
eial Association. We had large cards
printed and hung up in business places.
asking anyone to furnish names and ad-
dresses Of any whom they thought might
be interested IN receiving our literature.
And | might say right here. that the COM
mittee thinks that the literature sen: to
the names secured in this way has
brought better results than anything else
we could have done.
We took up the matter Of the abuse Of
the name Of Rocky Ford By other eanta-
loupe sections. with the National Pure
Food department and also with the Pure
Food departments Of the various states,
and we got advertising free. by reason Of
this action. from about fifty large daily
papers throughout the United States.
This gave Rocky Ford eantaloupes and
Rocky Ford considerable publicity. and
also secured action by the advertising,
and we will have better protection here
after as result Of this.
We secured and distributed several
eonsignmsnts Of eantaloupes, one To the
Chicago Bankers convention, one TO the
Hotel Mems convention in Denver. and
we sent eantaloupes to a number oi
leading daily papers. which gave Us con-
siderable advertising in consequence.
We carried an advertisement for about
three months in the Orange Judd Farmer
and had number Of replies from this
source which were answered by q per-
sonal letter. In many cases Two or three
letters, with our literature. We recently
donated $50 70 the Formers Union, anc
two thousand sets Of literature for distri-
button at St. LOUIS the first Of May, Al
the semi-annual meeting Of the Farmer.
Educational and Cooperative Uoion oi
America. to be held in that city.
At present there Is q movement on fool
for an organization Of the various COM
mereial associations Of the Valley. witt
two definite objects. that Of promoting
good roads. and to gain publicity from
the National Irrigation Congress to b
held in Pueblo next September. Our or.
ganization is taking an active interes: t.
assist this movement.
We claim that the fact that there wert
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