Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-01-30
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
CITES CIVIC NEEDS
IN 1920 PROGRAM
une Hsses, Modern Pat Paid Fire Department Cowen-
6oa Hal New q Amended City Charter and State Con-
siu6n, Loft and Warehouses Are Among Important
neees Urged

ab'e 10 find satisfactory homes for theil
families.
The problem Of adequately housing its
industrial population is still the big prob
lem awaiting solution in this city. y
INDUSTRIAL BUILDINGS, FACTORIES AND
WAREHOUSES;.
During the past year there has been an
unprecedented demand for loft or factory
buildings for light manufacturing pur-
poses by concerns which did not wish to
build their factories but VII wanted TO
rent space in what arc commonly know n
- ldft buildings.
There se~ms to be = very large and
steady demand for such factories An
other phase in somewhat the same line of
demand has been the large number Of
inquiries for industrial storage or ware
house space. Numerous well-known and
nationally advertised oonccrns have been
seeking space In which b storo from two
to FIVE or more car loads Of their mer-
chAndisc for quick and economical dis
tribution to dealers both in the city and
surrounding neighborhood.
Had we such = building or buildings
conveniently located with rsildroad sitlinEs
we feel quite sure, with present and rapid
ly growing demands in the future, there
would be no difficulty in securing tenants.
In connection with the possible loss
Of the Atlas and Hercules powder COM
panies' Offices from this city, your repre-
sentatives placed their services at the dis
posal of the officers of the comps nies and
co-operated in every way possible, in
hunting up and suggesting to them build
ings for use rs offices.
During the year there wore eleven noon
day luncheon meetings during which
addresses were delivered by well-known
speakers.
Four referendums, Nos. 26, 27, 2S and
%, involving 36 questions, relating to ma
tional policies, submitted by the Chamber
Of Commerce of the United States per-
tainins to the following subjects:
Trust Legislation, Remedial LcTisla-
tion for Railroads, Principles Of industrial
Relations, Government-owned Merchant
Ships.
The directors approved the request OF
the director-gcneral OF railroads for re-
volving fund OF $3.50. 900 600; and the re-
turn to private ownership and control Of
the wire systems Of the country; and op-
posed the several bills pending in Congress
should take out national licenses and
show the cost price on all goods offered for
sale; and also the bill to repeal the Day
light Saving law.
They recommended that tho State High
way Commission take charge of and build
that section of the Lincoln highway, from
the city to the Pennsylvania State line,
known as the Philadelphia pike; The
placing OF sign boards along the city
streets showing through lines of travel,
of the idea of military training
IN high schools. and opposed advertising
over the city by which circulars. etc, would
DC dropped from airplanes-
MERCANTILE SECTION.
The year showed decided increase
over the previous one In the activity of
the mercantile section. There was a
marked improvement in the tendency
toward co-ordinated effort which added
greatly TO the success of the projects
The spring dress-up week. conducted
April 5-l3, 1919, WAS much more widely
observed, both by merchants and the
people. than previously. As this is in |
tended primarily for the benefit of the |
after, this result was very gratifying.
The usual dollar days were observed, |
February % and August &, and both pub |
ic and merchants report continued salts |
faction and success On April Is, s. W. |
Roth, of Chicago. lectured to the section |
On The Roth System of Merchandising"
The section co-operated, through its /
with the First Annual Busi-
ness Show, held March 1921. 1919.
The first week OF September WAS de- /
roted To an effort to advance and develop /
she '.get-together" spirit between VIII |
nington and the other portions Of the /
State and the trade territory" Of VIII |,
nington in the neighboring States 1t is
elt that much good resulted from this |
,ffort.
The week Of October 1918 was desig-
1ated and observed as Demonstration |
sale Week" primarily for the purpose of |
to the rest Of the peninsula, |
md the surrounding counties of Pennsyl- |
vania, Maryland and New Jersey, that |
is their logical trade center, |
md what the city would do In the way Of |
supplying mercantile and other require
nent- Every home IN this district was
:ircularised with four-page paper, and /
he week and its object widely advertised. |
Reports show much increase in VIII |
nington business, and equal satisfaction |
ID the part of purchasers.
On Tuesday evening, November Is, !;
1919, through this section, Sherland Fan /
hon, one OF the highest authorities in |
;bels country on the subject, gave an IL |
ustrated lecture, on The Troubles Of q |
Merchant and How to Stop Them" This |