Arizona republican., 1918-02-14
PreSlQenl ANNUAL REPORT OF THE CHAM BIER OF COMMERCE, PHOE- NIX ARIZONA 1917

Phoenix is the best city, irrespective of size, location or environment, in the United States today, and Arizona is, in spite or many obstacles, the best state, the most progressive, the biggest heart ed and the cleanest state in the Union, and now to prove it:
 A year. ago you met in this same l building with no thought of the coun- try being brought into the great war, with local outlook the brightest in many years. We have now seen nine months of preparation and participa- tion in the big undertaking. We have already been called upon to do many 1 things which a yealr ago would have | been deemed impossible. Not much has been said regarding the part your organization has taken in this general | activity, but it is safe to say that no undertaking has been accomplished without, directly or indirectly, the en- couragement, the support and the work of the chamber of commerce.
 Your committee on state fair mat ters interested the city commissioners in donating the sum of $3,500 toward the shortage on previous state fairs. | This money is now being used to pay off the long standing bills, and every effort is being made to clean up those accounts and all fair accounts in an effort to put the state fair for all time on a business basis. The board of supervisors came to the front with a donation of $4,500 for similar purpose a gift, of $S,000 for state fair purpose for 1917 In addition your committee guaranteed a further sum of s3,000 to 5000 for special purses at the 1917 fair.
 Under the direction of the same con- mittee, hundreds of rooms were listed and information regarding them giver to visitors duruing fair week. The
 chamber of commerce office was oper
 daily, until midnight and after. from
 Saturday before the fair until Friday night of fair week. We have ample
 evidence that this courtesy to the wis
 itors was appreciated. Many letter. stating that the services rendered il
 this direction were worth while ant
 commendable, were received from those people who were helped.
 Rooms Listing
 It has been stated that the office fol
 the listing of rooms should be located at the depot. Experience has showr : that visitors will insist on going up 1, town and calling at the hotels befor, they will take advantage of the cham
 Der of commerce bureau. Each visito
 believes that by personal application he can secure a room at some hotel ant only after having failed to get located will the files of your organization b
 called upon for help. It is but a stel l from the hotels to the chamber of com 7 merce and the method which has beel carried out is believed to be the bes 7 which can be arranged with the smal : amount of help available for this pur t pose.
 e The chamber of commerce distrb I uted 5000 hand bills on all trains enter
 ing Phoenix. These hand bills calle
 attention to the fact that a list c f rooms was on file at the chamber C n commerce and suggesting that visitor
 go there at once.
 f When funds permit, the committe . would suggest that a man be statione e at the depot to direct the arrival of wis . tors, and that an automobile be main . tained at the chamber of commerc U to take the people to places wher
 rooms are available. Arriving late z U night, as many visitors do, it is ofte
 difficult to reach the right location . Your committee would recommend ft ;. the year 1918 that a part of the apprC ,. priation for state fair purposes be use
 for the care of visitors. It is as muc of a part of the fair as the other feature ;- for which money is provided. I'll n chairman of your fair committee is u M. Aitken.
 Acting on the request of the war de ss partment, special committee prepare le a report pointing out the advantag, l. of this part of Arizona as a site for
 cantonment. Unfortunately. the W;
 department had decided, practically b, of fore the request for the report W;
 made that only one cantonment shou f be located in the southwest that 0