Semi-weekly herald., 1914-04-20

attached list Of membership shows de-
linquents to over $500. OF this smouHtd
consider over 5000 absolutely good
and possibly most of the dues win
be paid. There is due considerable
amount on railroad pledges made in
1911, but the amount that can be
realized is doubtful. With the cash
on hand and absolutely collectable
dues the board has fund of practi-
cally $500 to start its 1914 campaign
OF the county funds collected last
year, $i75 belonged to the 1912 fund
and should be credited to the dona-
tion made the mining committee for
advertising purposes, leaving $500 on
last years account to be accounted
for. This can be figured in two ways,
count the cash on hand as unexpended-
county funds or charge certain ex-
penditures to advertising in way Of
good roads, 500 during 1912 and
800 so far this year, and $1S9.25 Civ
en- the San Juan congress, making =
total of $379.25 Of the $500 SO far re-.
ceived from the county, the balance
being in the cash fund above report
ed. 1t has been the custom to credit
the county advertising fund on board
of trade books the same as member
ship dues and carrying all in one
fund. In January. 1914, the directors
donated $50 and the Motor club $50
towards sending three delegates to
the good roads convention and adver-
tising the attractivcness of this sec
ton. The county selected one Of the
delegates. Last September after it
was decided to send representative
to the Pueblo good roads convention
Commissioner Reece was solicited to
find some one who could attend. He
reprted that after asking several he
was unable to do so and then the
directors of this organization sent a
representative at an expense Of $50.
This was the occasion of the organ
ization of the Spanish Trail-Grand
Canon Highway association by reason
of which this section received large
amount of advertising in connection
with the proposed logging of John P.
Dods. This year the directors of the
board of trade appropriated $50 to-
wards sending delegates to Colorado
Springs to the state convention but
more particularly to attend the Span
ish Trail-Grand Canon association
meeting in getting the route logged
and advertised and interesting the
state highway commissioners in con-
Meeting the road between Pagosa
Springs and the San Luis valley The
Motor club was solicited to appropri-
ate $40, but the officers of the club
asked the board of trade to bear the
entire expense through the advertis-
ing fund as the Motor club had ap-
propriated its funds towards road con-
struction in the county. To this end
only $50 additional was required to
pay expenses of the men sent from
this county, making total expendi-
ture of $4,000, or $4,000 for good
roads advertising for 1913 and so far
this year. The money turned over to
the San Juan Congress was for ad-
vertising purposes, paying La Plata
county's balance in preparing the adj
v.rtising data and sending commit
tee to New York. have gone into
these facts in order that the county
commissioners and others interested
in the county advertising fund may
know for what purposes the money
was expended. The fact that one of
the greatest national highways in the
state will pass through Durango and
La Plata county and is being well ad.
vertised by the Pueblo Commerce club
and the Los Angeles Motor club means
much for this southwest section and
the money so far expended has been
trifling in comparison. With the COM
pletion of the road to the east and the
improvement across the Navajo reser-
walton and on west TO California it
will stand Durango board Of trade in
hand to advertise the fact in order to
cater to the 1915 auto travel to and
from the California exposition and
the Grand Canon and Mesa Verde
Park will be drawing attractions.
In. connection with this report a
short review may not be out of place.
In November, 1911, owing to the
heavy expense of the general work
and carrying, on the work of raising
La Plata's share of the San Juan Con-
gress fund, and the fact that the work
of advertising and promoting was be-
ing conducted by the congress, l sug-
gested that the Durango board of
trade reduce expenses to the lowest
possible notch to save the necessity Of
calling on merchants for special con-
tributions or using all the county
funds and collections and possibly rum
ming in debt. To this end the head
quarters and rooms occupied by the
board were given up. The board con-
fsunad tn hold v.xoAksr l.. ~