Norwich bulletin., 1920-09-08
CITIZENS HEARCOMMERCE ECHAMBEVPLA IAN

A good representation of Norwich's citizens met at the Chamber of Com merce headquarters in the Thayer build ing on Tuesday evening and heard R. A. Crosby of the American City Bureau outline the plan of campaign for the re- organization of the present Chamber of Commerce. Much enthusiasm was mani- fested over the plan and all those pres
 ent signified their intention of doing
 their utmost to give Norwich a real. live working Chamber of Commerce. Cards pledgjng the working support of the movement to give the Rose of New Eng
 land a Chamber of Commerce of real community value were distributed and
 Signed.
 President Charles F. Wells presided at the meeting and in a brief talk at the opening reviewed the history of the Board of Trade which later became the Cham Der of Commerce telling of some of the noteworthy accomplishments of the organ | ization President Wells said
 Locally civic improvement through CO., 1 operation, dates back to the organiza- 1 ton of the Board of Trade January s. l 1SS7 This association was incorporat- l ed April IS. 1893. Its first president was the late Hugh Henry Oseood its 1 last president was the late Frank I 1 King, who was our late president of the 1 Chamber of Commerce In 1909. the bus. mess men formed what is synonmous tc l the Merchants Bureau of the Cham l ber of Commerce at the present time 1 The Business Mems Association in 191t 1 joined with the Board of Trade in or. l ganizing the present Chamber of Com merce whose first president was c. V
 James.
 In addition to transporta ton. mail ser
 vice. good roads, etc. these organiza ton, brought such industries to our commu
 nity as the ]. B. Martin Co.,. the Greer Silk Co.,, which is now the Brainard anC | Armstrong mill, the American Thermo | Bottle Co.,. and was also instrumental il
 securing the following improvements fo | Norwich \. Y. \. H. X H. R. R. sta
 tion, Broadway theatre, the New Lon don County Improvement League. tn Norwich Building and Loan Association
 Thames River Boat line. the Militar | Highway. It also fought those intereste in the division of our city and had tn 1 Military Highway placed on the Nation
 al Highways map. These organization
 have encouraged conventions and othe
 activities of great civic value
 President Wells then introduced R. 4
 Crosby who comes to Norwich from tn | American City Bureau as campaign di l rector. A1r. Crosby in an interesting wa 1 outlined the purpose of the campai 2 and laid before the meeting the plan c operation which will build up a Chan } Der of Commerce. in which every membe will have a vital interest rather tha . having the old detrimental nolicv ( X Let George Do It." MT Crosby in th s opening of his remarks told of the diff | culties which various chambers of con = merce have had to face and how throug = the American City Bureau these chan 3 bers were put on a sound working bas r and have since succeeded and becou
 powerful community f. \ors Mir Gro s by told of the origin of the American Gil S Bureau saying that some six years as S the office of the American City mag; s zine was flooded with questions regardir 2 civic problems. As these inquiries Il y creased the magazine made a study l. | commercial organizations. getting to u a bottom of the tGoubles of these orga1 n izations and then finding the remedy It was through these investigat tions and r f l searches that the American City Bures Il was founded. first with a working for
 of only seven which has now increase Q to over 9O This working force is q l, vided into teams, such as is at prese l. in Norwich.
 = These teams make survey of u e city launch an educational campaig l'lioFFV'' 'E d FtlellbtlSliip tdiiipdiSH dl = then the organization of the new mo l, ernzed chamber of commerce. To e this We must have an efficient workil n force of business men. We are with " r, 10 stay. Our commission is based on yo d income
 k In other words. we are taking f st chance and you have nothing to lose. V
 cannot allow you to fail. We will sti
 with you until you are able to proce
 without our continued presence but aft
 We leave your city will give you co
 tinued service. retIA' once year 'l g three or four day membership cal 7. paign. You have the benefit of our ls search work which is kept up to [ 'e minute regarding civic problems.
 K In a business enterprise you can col s mand those working for you but in L business organization like the chamb