The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-09-07

wonderful things that had heen done
in tina past fifty years
The addresses. letters and kilograms
Of the ex- presidents, the president and
Colonel Palmer follow,
JUDGE GEO. L. CHRISTIAN
TELLS or STRENUOUS DAYS
Ore O. my first official acts was
the laying ~ the cornerstone OF what
we then referred 10 as the perma-
nert and beautiful home of the cham
Der. These ceremonies were perform I
ed By the Masonic lodge Of this city,
Col Purcell being orator OF the oc-
casion. and delivering most ad
nirahle and able address The be-
ginning ~ MS term in the middle
q the year 1899 was also the middle
of the semi-ceutenuial which we are
now celebrating, bur it was also the
beginning of one of the hercest and
longest financial storms which ever
swept over this country, and con7
tinued through lSp3-94. and had
scarcely ended in January. 1925. when
my resignation as president was ao
crrted l an proud 70 Say, with soma
reluctance.
II would seem however. that not.
withdrawing the existence of this H.
nanctal storm and depression that
the work OF the chamber was by no
means paraiyzod. and the progress of
the city went on, / believe, with as
much vigor rs in any other locality
within the limits of this country 40
an evidence Of this, on July 70, 1922,
meeting was held TO consider the
propriety and ACCESSIBILITY Of havinA
trades parade" I'm the city. which
vas advocated by Messrs Waddv ana
Wood. the former being now dead.
and the latter subsequently becoming.
president of the chamber. The pa
rade took place and was in every
way creditable to the city The news
papers of the day said:
"Richmond's prominence as a mer-
camille and Industrial center was
demonstrated to the public on the
occasion in the form of a magnificent
display, which told the story IF her
enterprise To thousands of admiring
spectators. All that inventive genius
science. or mechanical skin can do.
was embodied In the vast procession,
while consummate art and taste
evfnced itself in the construction of
every fioat. The moving panorama
was an -exemplihcation of progress
and push, and the embodiment of
business energy and success"
The next most important matter
taken up WAS the health Of the city.
which was then threatened with an
rate az compared with other cities
was VERY high, believe standing
either second or third in thu u.t
While sections INA and 1T15 re- tba
code OF Virginia authorized the an
point'rent by the governor Of a state
hoard OF health, none had ever boen
appointed up to that time and no an
prepriation had been made by the
Legislature to carry ON this work 17bn
chamber got the governor to appoinf
such board and raised what money
~ could In the then stringent ana
strenuous times TO inaugurnte and
help and carry on This v.r,, ir,,,,,.,
ant work, work on which both the
city and state are now spending thop
sands Of dollars
The chamber next urged ne rp
real Of what was then known as the
sherman silver purchase bin which
authorized The secretary Of the TREASURY
10 purchase 4500 900 ounres of silver
tnalio1 every month II was rener-
ANY thought at the time Thar this act
~ congress Mas the prime cause of the
--ss-'-- r i--vtr rtTrT FxJ1Ted TEIg ACT
vas promptly repealed
The chamber was almost constantly
trying 20 adjust the rates Of trans
portation and travel with the common
carriers in this section. and / think
II can he safely said thst fl ala much
~ regulate ana eaualize these rates
The chamber also urged the removal
Z ri tine remains Dr President DAVIS from,
4 New Orleans to Richmond. and sent
a COMMITTEE to obtain the consent Of
Mrs Davis and her family 70 effect
this, II also with the CITY and otber
organizations here. sent committee
4 10 accom- 44al44.- -t4.tt,7
na0gd and they were brought hara ard
refnterred in beautiful HOLLYWOOD with
appropriate aud imposing ceremonies
where the remains Of the other mem.
beers of Presidents Davis family now
The next efforts If the cbor,ber
were directed to tho extersfon os ,ha