The Punta Gorda herald. [volume] (Punta Gorda, Fla.) 1893-1958, 1914-03-05
BOARD OF TRADE

activities for the Dullulns up ana ueVei
opment of Punta Gorda and vicinity in ;
commendable manner. 1t is starting on
for the year 1914 in fourishing condi
tion. There is now an active, anticipat
| ing membership of over ninety member.
not counting those who have been drop
ped from the rolls FOR non-payment Of
dues. Among the recent additions tc
the membership are H. A. Robbins, Fred
Sable. ]. M. Driver, w. r. Collins and J.
F. Gleason. The membership ought To
be largely increased during the next two
weeks The coming year promises to be
a banner year for Punta Gorda-
Perhaps never before have as many inu
ouiries been received and as many pros
pectors come in to Punta Gorda with Ii
view of locating or investing as at tho
present time. Every assistance possible
should be given the Board in its efforts
to give information and publicity to the
splendid opportunities afforded by Punta
Gorda and vicinity. Every merchant
farmer, truck grower. fruit grower.
church. hotel, etc. is vitality interested
in the growth of the city and SURROUNDING
country. A Board of Trade is the orga-
nization in and around which the vari-
GUS activities, looking toward the ma
terial advancement of the community.
should center. 1t should be q sort of
clearing house or forum in which all such
questions should be considered. digested,
threshed out and proper measures de-
termined upon and steps ta,seI to carry
out such as are adv Fsaple for the got d OF
the comm nifty.
We are on the eve of extremely import
ant work The city will soon be in the
midst of it's improvements in the ex-
tension of sewers, electric lights, water
works. etc., authorized and to be paid for
by the $6O,0OOOO bond issue. We will
soon be in the midst Of the work provided
for in the bond issue Of $200,0O0.0O for the
building of roads and bridges in the Pun
Ia Gorda Special Road and Bridge Dis
trict. Dirt will soon begin to fly in dig
ging the main canal in the Punta Gorda
Drainage District Plans are rapidly
maturing for beginning work on the pro-
posed sea wall park and botanical gard
en-. All these matters will afford many
questions of general interest to all OF the
people, and the Board Of Trade supplies
a means for the discussion, consideration,
exchange of ideas, and diffusion of in
formation concerning them. Every man
who has the interest of Punta Gorda and
vicinity at heart ought to be member
of the Board of Trade and make his in
fluence felt in his own community as
well as abroad.
At the meeting of the Board Friday
49, 49, ~
charge the matter of securing Weather
Bureau Station at Punta Gorda reported
letter from Senator Duncan U. Fletcher
promising any assistance he could rem
der for procuring same.
Communication was received from the
Railroad Commissioners of the State OF
Florida calling attention to the meeting
of the Commissioners to be held at Kis-
simmee March 26th, 1914 to hear argu-
A. c. L. R. r. and the Seaboard Air Line
Railway in support of their applications
for relief from the application of the
Long and Short Haul Act of the last
legislature and to hear whatever might
be presented by interested shippers along
the line of these two railroads along the
saIae subject The communication was
ref -rred to the Transportation Commit
tee with instructions to select DELEGATE
to represent the Board at said meeting.
Mr.. Welch of the same committee read a
letter from the agent of the l.. & N. r. r.
at Mobile in reference to establishing a
Steam Ship freight and passenger line
between Mobile, Punta Gorda and other
west coast ports to connect with the l..
& N. r. r. Mr.. WEIGH also reported
progress in Investigations being made
towards establishing permanent freight
and passenger service between Tampa
and Punta Gorda. 1t seems that the
i-monthly service by the S. s. Philadef-
phia did not prove satisfactory to the
merchants of Punta Gorda because of
certainty as to day of delivery, as well
as Improbable to the s. S. line for the
same reasons The general impression
seems to be that smaller boats carrying
both freight and passengers and making
more frequent trips Is the only solution
Of the problem. This matter is Of vital
Importance to Punta Gorda and no effort
should be spared until a satisfactory
service is secured. The committee hopes
to be able to report some tangible re-
suits of their inquiries at an early date.
An invitation was received from the
Board of Trade at Barlow inviting the
Punta Gorda Board of Trade to particle
pate in the Drainage convention to De
held in that city March TO- Mr.. VIM.
NJ. Written, C. E. was elected DELEGATE
70 represent the Board at that conven"
ion.
Mr.. Bowdoin of Charlotte Harbor was
present at the meeting and reported that
lis latest information in reference to the
building of the new railroad from Tampa
through Punta Gorda and across the
State below lake Okeechobee to Miami
vas, that the building of the road has
'een definitely determined upon. that 1t
would cross Charlotte Harbor at this
'oint. that the east coast terminus would
'e Miami and that work on the road
vOuId hepin within oiwfu laws