The daily sentinel., 1913-01-17

GndDlbtl VI 'hH A'tAAlAN go
they would bank draft. and of
the SS16.10 old account above re-
ferred to part has been paid.
This might not only have been de-
creased but entirely wiped out had
il not been necessary 10 spend some
money on new things. The chamber
of commerce has also been ably as
sisted by the city commissioners,
through their bureau OF publicity and
industry. They have made the sec
retary of the chamber Of commerce.
director of the bureau aud expended
their one-mill appropriation, which
amounted in the year l9l2 to Sl,1OO
as follows: Salary, $500; printing
and magazine advertising, S2l l.2j;
miscellaneous expenditure on good
roads. which includes particularly
the proposed Paradox road and the
transcontinental highway tbetter
known to us as the Midland iraiD, ,
$567 .6S. or a total of s. ,69S.93, leav-
ing a balance in this fund from last
year of $l.07. The city commission
ers request any one Interested in
further details to call at the city Of
fices for their books are at all times
open to the public.
Work Done.
There have been large number
of inquiries that have required more
than usual time to answer because
of our limited supply of printed mat
ter. The labor problem of this year
owing to our big fruit crop, adverse
weather conditions, and the undue
publicity given to our necessity for
help by the eastern papers, gave the
director of the bureau of publicity
and industry plenty to occupy his
time during July, August and the
first half of September. More than
500 applicants secured places
through this office and as many more
were given information that was n
material benefit to them.
We sent our secretary over the
proposed Paradox road and bore the
preliminary expense which resulted
in a practical survey and an estimate
of cost of constructisE this road.
1t is a proposition that should not
be neglected for Grand junction
should certainly be connected with
the little empire surrounding Para
dox valley. either by an auto high
way or by an electric line.
Our advertising, owing to our
limited funds. was not extensive. 1t
included set of pictures of the city
water supply used by Dr. A. G. Tay-
lor in his lecture before the interna-
tional medical association at Wash
ington, ID. C. Ii also included the
entertainment of the geographers of
America, who stopped here on their
annual tour. A small expense in
connection with the Greeter's home,
which is still live proposition, and
which we yet hope to BRING to Grand
Junction. Some printed matter was
enclosed in boxes of our fancy fruit
this year AS our apple market has
been slow, the results nave not been
definitely ascertained The conVen-
tion of the state board of horticul-
ture was held here on the 18th and
| Sth of December, and an unusually
strong program was presented. The
representation from outside of the
valley was all we could have expected
and the interest of our own people
in better means of distribution fill
ed the theater building.
On December goth the first get
together meeting" of the western
slope was held here. We believe
much good will result from this eff
fort, and that it should be followed
up in the future.
The most important thing in my
opinion that the Grand Junction
chamber of commerce has ever at
tempted to deal with-and in making
this statement ! do not mean to in
any way underrate the importance
of the high line canal, which has
been so ably hampioned by this
organization-bu l mean that a
hard surface transcontinental high
ic irpnnTtDUt than tho
high line canal or another trunk
railway We have spent considerable
time and some money on this prop
osition. The results, are splendid
advertisements, for our city in Motor
Age and in the American Automobile
associations maps. ! believe that in
this work this organization could
well afford 10 spend most of its
funds. and the time of the secretary
this year.
l have heard some criticisms on
the chamber of commerce, both by
citizens who are not members and by
members who pay their dues, appar-
emily feeling as if making a contri-
button to undeserved charity. The
question is frequently asked, What
is the chamber of commerce doing?"
Just if the newspapers had not done
their rightful part in giving the work
of the chamber of commerce proper
space in their columns and just as
though there was no phone in con-
nection with the office of our organ
iZation. To any one who wishes to
make such criticism | would respect
fully request them to call up the
secretary and talk with him. or bet
ter still, go to the office and talk
over the work the secretary has in
hand, and in that way find out
what is being done and what the
plans are for the future. l assure
any one who will do so, a full state
ment of facts, and access to the books
and files.
Future.
1t has been the efforts of this di