Daily Kennebec journal., 1919-12-25
Chamber of Commerce
Experience in Lewiston

Experience in Lewiston
Told by Manager, Leach to President
Wyman Of Augusta Board OF
| Trade
This letter received by, President
| Wyman of the Augusta Board OF
Trade from Manager Leach OF the
Lewiston Chamber Of Commerce, con-
tains matter of especial interest TO
Augusta people at this time:
Lewiston. Me-, Dec. %, 1918.
Mr.. Walter S. Wyman, Treas,
Central Maine Power Co,
| Augusta, Maine.
! Dear Mr.. Wyman: 49,.
| Agreeable to your request. am
giving You herewith a brief summary
of the activities of the Chamber since
l came here as manager on May IL.
| In looking the situation over, /
came to the conclusion that in view
of the recent reorganization and the
peculiar circumstances regarding the
office which l. now hold, that it was
necessary. first to establish confidence
in the minds of our people.
| There were two courses open to me.
One was to go at the problem in a
spectacular manner, by public state
ments, newspaper articles, ETC., and
the other was to approach it quietly.
gradually obtaining the goodwill
and cooperation Of our own men,
bers and through them the general
public. / chose the latter, believing
| ho he ~, 10 q.
ing and the foundation would be
more secure. The wisdom of this
course has proven itself by the CO.
operation which we are receiving at
the present time, as welli as the in
crea sed interest and confidence which
is now manifesting itself.
The week of May IS was observed
as cleanup week. That was success
ful but was not as thorough as 7
wish that it might have been.
! We have a splendid committee on
good roads of which Harry IS.
Coombs is chairman. The work Of
the committee cannot be given pub
licity until the proper. time comes,
but l know that they will be instru-
mental in getting early action and
a very large amount of work done on
our roads next season. 80,
Professor Gould as chairman, and
the members of the Americanization
committee have been instrumental
in selecting. splendid corps of
teachers for the evening schools.
The committee, is cooperating with
other loea! agencies as well as the
4 State department Of education in
lthis matter.
The matter Of new building code
has been taken up as explained last
evening. We held membership
meeting on Nov. 20, which convinced
the committee that they would have
the hearty support of. the business
men when the matter is brought up
for final action. The committee are,
at present. at work on the Code. In
this connection it is interesting to
note that it was the Chamber Of
Commerce who were instrumental in
securing the retention of the present
code when it was proposed to modi :
~ 1t last July by permitting the may
4 or and board of aldermen to grant
lcenses Tor erection, enlargement of,
repairs Or alterations to buildings in
the zone covered by the code.
we mad a committee appointed to
confer with a committee from the
Auburn chamber on the question Of
the pollution of the water supply
Ihese two committees have been in
conference and on December sth we
had a large public meeting which was
addressed by DR.. Evans Of the State
Board of Health. The result of the
meeting was that we. are to have a
sanitary, survey made of Lake An.
burn. This work is decidedly worth
while. ..t
The armory committee is consider
ing the question of an armory. Quite
few people would like to see'a COM
blnation armory and auditorium
memorial building which could be
used for public purposes. The com
mittee realize that it is a matter of
importance, not only from a military
and preparedness standpoint, but
from the angle of the average per-
son who would like Lewiston to en-
JOY the advantages which Bangor and
Portland now have in connection with
the holding of the music, festivals,
Maine Teachers convention, the
State grange, automobile show, etc.
We were one of the prime movers
in bringing about a consolidation of
the old State Board of Trade with the
agricultural and industrial league.
We have reorganized the Ad- Mems
Bureau along progressive lines which
promises we'll for the future COOP
Grafton and interest of the merchants.
The new organization is called the
Merchants Bureau and It represents
every line of retail trade, one of the
requirements of membership being
that merchant must belong to the
chamber in order to be eligible for
membership in the bureau.
Our new industries committee have
been very much alive to their du-
ties, ever looking to the prosperity
and growth of the city," A branch OF
the Manhattan Shirt Company was
induced to locate here. They are
the largest manufacturers of shirts
in the country and their plans con
template the erection of a. modern
factory if circumstances warrant.
We have tried to develop a more
lox; L