The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1914-05-13

Association In the spring Of 1918, I
found that the business of the Asso-
citation was not prospering as it
should, and soon thereafter we COM
menced to look around for a new
managing secretary. We were not
able to secure the services Of our pres
ent secretary until October, 1918.
Upon Secretary Reardon assuming
charge, We commenced at once to
practically reorganize the Chamber of
Commerce, and we were able to pro-
ceed with the work Of the association
in a successful manner.
The finances of the association have
never been sufficient to run this or
ganizatiOn as it should be conducted.
but with the means at hand we have
striven to give you a business-like
management, and we believe we have
done much good in advancing the
commercial interests Of your city.
Our total receipts from October 81,
1913, to May l, 1914, amounted to the
sum Of $2,290.S9. OF this we have
disbursed $1,5S4.77, leaving a bal
ance on hand May /, 1914, Of $7O6.12.
A part Of this disbursement amounted
to $250.00 for old accounts contract
ed prior to Secretary Reardon's ad-
m ~ nR
receipts, to wit, $445.O0, was derived
from the license fees and concessions
paid by the Krause Greater Shows,
which were here during last winter,
and which the City Council allowed
the Chamber to have here. This was
2 great assistance to the Chamber as
we were in considerable need of mon
ey at that time, our dues for the year
1914 not then being due and payable.
Tobacco Market.
Through the efforts Of this organ
ization there Is now being built in this
city q large tobacco warehouse, which
will be adequate in size and construc-
tion to handle the entire tobacco crop
of this county for the present year.
About 5000 acres of tobacco are now
being planted, tributary to the Sum-
ter Tobacco market, and several to-
bacco demonstrators have been in the
field for several months showing
farmers how to prepare tobacco beds.
transplant tobacco plants, cultivate
the weed, harvest and cure the plant.
Two manufacturers Of tobacco flues
have been established in this city, and
hundreds Of pamphlets have been
mailed out from the Chamber of
Commerce and several hundred from
the United States department of ag-
riculture. giving information as to the
culture OF tobacco and as to the ad-
Of this market.
Shiloh Road.
Realizing that the Shiloh section Of
Sumter County did not have q proper
public road from that section to Sum-
ter. this organization gave it's best
efforts to have new public road out
from Black River to Shiloh and Trim
ity. This has been ordered by the
County Board Of Commissioners, and
1t will connect with McBrides Cause
way on Black River and shorten the
distance from Shiloh to Sumter about
six miles. and means much to tobac-
co and other agricultural interests in
that section Of Sumter County and
the wholesale and retail business of
this city. Our Supervisor advises us
that this road will be ready for use by
July 1st.
Equitable Freight Rates.
The Sumter Chamber of Commerce
Is taking a leading part in the State
wide movement for an equitable ad-
tnstment Of freight rates for South
Chairman j. 4. CrOsswell
OF the freight rate committee, and
Chairman Abe Ryttenberg Of the
on wholesale interests and
Secretary ReardOn are officers of the
South Carolina Freight Rate Associa-
tion. Messrs. Crosswell and Rytten-
berg have attended several meetings
Of the State Association and rendered
service in the interest of
equitable freight rates. Secretary
Reardon has been in charge Of the
organization OF nine counties, and
publicity agent Of the State Associa-
ton.
1t can be truthfully said that there
has been more statistical information
about inequality Of freight rates in
South Carolina sent out from Sumter
than from all the other cities and
towns in this State except Charles