Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1922-01-28

evening was as spirited and bTbbling over
with enthusiasm as any meeting ever |
held by this body and the keynote of |
cooperation was sounded by Rev. AL !
exander H. Abbott in stirring address |
on what the chamber of commerce means
to the community.
At 6.15 o'clock New England baked
bean supper was served by the wonen of
HOPE Rebekah lodge No. 81, I. o. O. F.,
Cardinal grapefruit. Boston baked beans,
pepper relish, pickles, brown
bread, rolls coffee, and squash pie. The
tables were prettily decorated with bas-
kets of flowers furnished by Hawkins
During the supper Swahns orchestra
| rendered several selections and also play
ed for the chorus singing. Secretary
John ]. ORourae was the song leader.
After the supper President Charles +.
Wells turned the meeting over to Vice
President John NJ. Lee who introduced the
speakers. The address of the evening was
by Rev. Alexander H. Abbott, one of the
directors of the chamber. Rev. MI. Alb
bott in one of his usual brilliant and in
| spring talks sounded a keynote that if
| followed would make the local chamber
of commerce one of the greatest organiza-
tons of its kind in New England. Rev.
! Mr.. Abbott said:
| The chamber of commerce is, as you all
| no doubt realize, the goat for the rEl.fc.
If any civic matter goes wrong it is the
| chamber of commerce, who is to blame;
| If a public project is put before the Teo-
pie say it's up to the chamber of COM
nlerce; in fact if thing is done wrong
or not done it is the chamber of COM
merce that is to blame. There is criti-
cism from every point of the contcass
ana some of it is just and some unjust.
bIhe chamber of commerce has its place
| in the community and you must make it
have its plece The chamber is a soun&
civic institution and you can not fool the
people into its membership or you can
not appeal to their emtions SO the only
way is through hard and sound reasoning.
The chamber of commerce is an in
elusive agency of coperati for the ben
eft of the community. By Inclusive
agency We mean an agency that does not
redognize sect, pei.y breed or color,
everyone is welcome and all can voice
kthetr opinions. The laboring class may
say that the members are all 1nanufac-
turers and that they would have no say
in matters; the socialist says that the
members are capitalists but they can voice
their opinions ana offer suggestions as
well as anyone. They can get their
opinions before the chamber at any time
and they are always wecome. The
chamber is not autocratic, it does not
QicLate but II gives matter of public in
terest due. consideration The chamber
is always glad and wiling to cooperate
in anything that is 70 rthe good of the
community.
The possibility of accomplishing things
is only limited by the non-co-o- eration Of
the members. If a person says Wei
I've paid my SIS membership tee now,
: let's see what the chamber of commerce
will GO with it, he is limiting the ac-
t1'lties of the chamber by his ron-coop-
GRAFTON. He adocts the spirit of II et
, George do it," Unless you cooperate one
with the other then you have no agency
Every one of Us must put his shoulder tc
the wheel and push. We have not
reached the end but are just starting out
when We get the spirit of coooeration in.
st1lled in everyone there will be great ad
| Vancement and the chamber of commerce
l will be functioning at its best.
Following Mr.. Abbott's talk SecretarY
l john ORourke MADE a report for tbs
) housing commit of which P F. Swetney
3 is chairman. In the report Mr.. O'Rourlt
= said that the housing committee is tryins
to perfect some plan which will inGuce anC
+, encourage more pee re to build or buy
: their own homes The housing situatio,
lis a difficult problem which exists il
= practically all the cites throughout tn,
g country. Here in Norwich the icrooien
: Is real Many men with families o
5 small children are unable to secure home
because the landlords object to havin:
children. Rents arr high and there is
lack of moderately priced houses or ten
= enents. Your committee is eEeeworin:
- 10 secure various types of single and tw,
= tenement houses. which can be built f.
. approximately IS 900 and $4,000 to S9.0H
" respectively exclusive of the lot. 1t i
:; Iroprosed to take pictures of hes
- houses and to bring them to the attention
of the Tt1tblic. All informatio concerni1.
:. the price, the builder and the islan.,in
y of these homes will be available at tn
& chamber of commerce office.
Here is where the Norwich Buik!;nt
> & Loan assoc alton can render a grea
4 service to the community. The nousin
u committee believes that a greater nu.l.e
. of share holders in this association vii
II go far towards decreasing the housin
s. shortage in Norwich
MIR. Lee then introduced Frank Steven
of Meriden member of the Merle
Building and Loan association who s ok
of how during the past few years hi
organization had grown until at the pres
. ent time its assets were over S250O-OO
. and predicted that Norwich could eoua
n that record in the next five years Nj
/ Huntington, another member of the Meri
d cent association, and Mr.. Jennings c
a Meriden also spake on the subject an
II advocated a plan of 50 payments o
3 shares rather than paying by the 1nontl
W saying that to the average working ma
N it was easter to do this. He said that
good way was to get the young men t
lie save week by week in this way
N Equitable Taxation
= Chairman H. D. Larrabee of the Euui
y able taxation committee made the reool
,s for his committee reviewing the prelin
- mary work done by the committee la,
~ year which found that it was costing tt
y. city and town about $4,000 to have IL
IN property appraised.
The committee this year Is looking int
% the method of procedure in a sinils
Connecticut city which has recently hs
a revaluation, and which was done b
the local board of assessors. assisted /
an advisory committee of twelve of IL
business me nof that city. This commt
r. tee is still at the present time engaged
De studying the sit in that city with a vie
ne towards offering some solution of the pro-
IL lem here. The committee is not concerl
ne ed so much about rera!uation as it is
ne the establishment of an equitable metht
ne for the assessmen of real estate There
re great deal of dissatisfaction prevailir
m at the present time throughout the cor
n munity because of the inequalities of Il
ts, tax rate and the methods which are use
H. Your committee is endeavoring to arr
lat at fair solution of this problem, viii
en- it proposes to place before the membe
ley ship in due time, after the approval of t
eet board of directors has ben secured.
INT This is perhaps the most importa
lat problem confronting the city at the rrese
ATT time and if needs tla attention m