Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-02-22
WORKMAN POINTS OUT
CITYS URGENT NEEDS.
President of Chamber of Commerce in Annual Report
Reviews Work Accomplished During Past Year
and Tasks That Still Remain

Ia his annual report TO the Cham
Der Of Commerce last night. President
Coleman Workman touched upon tho
work which had been accomplished
during the year. especially in the mat
ter Of Improvement Of james River. the
/ purchase Of a site for an addition TO
the PoSt-Diiice Building. and the effort
which WAS made towards bringing new
enterprises to. and establishing them in.
Richmond. The members were urged.
as they had been urged before. to at
tend the meetings of the City Council.
so that they might the better tcquaint
themselves with municipal affairs. lie
| stated that the present condition of
the City'S financial status is a matter
I for serious thought. an understanding
Of which might be gained by {. calm
ana Intelligent cooperative invcStiga-
/ zion. The coal situation was discussed.
and President Wortham said that the
/ horizontal iucrcaS" OF So q ton at the
mouth OF thc mine was being invcsti-
gated b. the board Of directors of the
/ United states Chamber OF Commerce.
lettering I" tn" recover. in the cot
/ ton business. h" said that IF economic
laws continue 20 control. the South has
before IL II wonderful future. and Rich
nond whose chief business is with tho
cotton states, should come into it's own.
BANK STATEMENTS SHOW
RICHMOND HAS PROSPERED
The statements Of the banks clearly
I Il
1916. and If a careful Investigation is
made. II VIII be evidenced that there
has been an unprecedented increase in
business generally. our johbing and re-
tail trade. our manufactures. building
operations. taxable values, post -oTic.
receipts, telephones. banking capital
and surplus, deposits aud clearings. all
show am increase. The last mentioned,
bank cl"arings. which are a true
barometer of business. amount TO the
f.f ,ln &C. 1,
year 1915, an Increase OF 80 per cent
the largest increase Of any city in tho
country A. another evidence Of Rich
inond's prosperity in 1916. beg TO
refer YOU 10 the Rabson Statistical Re
port for January. which shows Rich
nOnd the most active city in the Mid
die Atlantic group"
Tho death Of Colonel John r. Pur-
coll Was chronic!cd IN the annual state
incnt, ANA reference was made 10 the
valuable work performed by the adj
vertising committee OF the chamber.
The chambers magazine Is growing in
popularity. Mr.. WORKMAN said. and has
proved 70 be s.lf-sustaining
Your convention bureau" he said
during the past year has not been as
aggressive as heretofore in it's en-
d"aNor TO procur" the meetings Of ma
! tional conventions. for the reason pri-
'n"ri!y, that the chambers personal
representative in this work has had TO
give - great deal Of time and attention
/" subjects Of vital interest to the
conn.rc" aMd Industry OF our city.
which your crmmitte. feels was Of
greater Importance. II has. however
secured 4 number of national cOnven-
lons for the year 1917. ana has OK
tended Invitations 10 such state as
N"ciati"ns AS have for their object rro-
noting agriculture. The committee is
~ the opinion that 10 continue extend
inG Invitations To tho manufacturing.
r..a-.. l.
amd agricultural associations is OF
great benefit 10 our CITY
DEEPENING OF CHANNEL
An ESSENTIAL IMPROVEMENT
Your committee on James River i'm
p'oNcment has been most active i'm it's
efforts to keep before Congress the i'm
portance to the nation OF continuing
appropriations for the widening and
deepening Of tho channel of James
River to tho depth OF twenty-five feet.
being OF The opinion that the industrial
ana commercial welfare OF our city
Will be greatly strengthened by the
completion OF this project. and further,
that II would result in attracting
iare" industries along the banks OF the
river OF character that could use
river transportation for its raw ma
terial and the distribution Of the fin
ished product
This project was approved by the
government engineers many years ago.
made an appropriation to advance the
Improvement which probably would
have been discontinued. had this com
mitiee no: been actively in touch with
not only the Representatives. from Nir-
Einia but many influential Congress
men and Senator's representing other
sections Of this country. The chamber
and the municipality have annually
sent delegates TO the meetings OF the
Atlantic Deeper Waterways .issocia-
tion and the National Rivers and fiar-
Congress. These associations stand for
the policy OF improvement of interior
waterways, and are attended by many
ConpreSSmcn and Senator'S throughout
the United States.
EXCELLENT RESULTS or
TRAFFIC. BUREAUS WORK
President Workman complinentcd tho
results obtained by the traffic bureau.
recalling that il effected last July Il
and the Old Dominion Steamship Com
pany. brought about revision of the
lumber rates from shipping points in
North and South Carolina. established
milling in transit grain arrange
mcnts and obtained from the Cen
cral Assembly an appropriation of So
900 for the employment OF special coun-
sci ard experts TO conduct a complaint
before the Interstate Commerce Com
mission against the Southern carriers
for Il proper and equitable adjustment
OF rates to Southern points, which were
believed to have been increased un-
1ilv comma with increases from