Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-01-31

PRESIDENT WILL G. ATKINS
President Atkins in reviewing the
accomplishments of the Board Of
Trade for the year 1921 spoke as fol-
lows:
Members of the Board of Trade, and
citizens:
Thirty-five years ago this year. In
1887, the Gardiner Board of Trade
was incorporated and has been doing
more or less Of community business
ever since. Previous to 1887 there
which, at least, laid the foundation for
the present efficient board. Most cf
you are familiar with the history Of
this movement. and if you are you
know full well that it has been the all
progressive force in Gardiner We
owe our present prosperity to it and
the men who have given literally of
their time and money to accomplish
it's purposes.
Annual meetings and officers come
and go, but.the spirit of the old insti-
tuition as developed and maintained at
it's highest pitch by that master hand,
Augustus NJ. ,McCausland, is stiH with
us. and to Il marked extent has been
aroused and kept alive during the year
just gone by.
With your permission, I would re-
fer in chronological order to the
events with which the board has mad
to do in the last IL months.
kennebec and Boston Steamship
Service
About the first undertaking to which
we gave our aid was that of passen-
ger and freight service between Gar
Giner and Boston. 1t was at first sug-
gcsted that sufficient stock might be
sold along the line of operation of the
steamboat company to enable a new
corporation to purchase of the East
ern Steamship Lines its Kcnnebec and
Boston line and the property connected
Herewith. The rank and file in Carr
diner did nobly and we securing in
short time something like $1,000 i'll
actual subscriptions. 1t was later de-
cided that other interests would take
over the project and renew the serv-
ice. so that it was never necessary to
call upon the subscribers to take their
stock. I understand that tue COM
pany so formed. the Kennebec Naviga-
ton Company, has had very satisfac-
tory season. sufficiently so to warrant
running at least one boat this year
and possibly a second boat for freight
alone. With conditions back at normal.
which should be expected in year or
more, I have an idea that we shall
again see the daily boat as formerly
between our city and Boston.
Membership Drive
Immediately after the last annual
gathering, a membership drive was
started and, under the circumstances,
it proved wonderfully successful The
paid members were 431 for the year
1920, the largest number in thc life
of the organization. We have had Is
meetings. regular and special. and the
average attendance has been 90. There
has been much enthusiasm an the part
Of a certain number.
The Housing Question
AS stated at the beginning of the
year, the housing problem is the most
important one which concerns Gardiner
today as far as growth and incresaed
prosperity goes. No place can grow
without housing facilities. The sup
ply is far behind the demand. Now is
the opportunity. The Board of Trade
was instrumental in the forming of
corporation for the building of homes
in Gardiner. This company purchased
q tract on Highholborn street. COM
prising 16 lots. and then interested
Mr.. Hazard and the r. p. Hazard
Company in it's development. Ten
lots were sold to the r. p. Hazard
Company for its employees and as many
houses have been built. The starting
of the building projects by the Board
of Trade gave encouragement to other
parties to build and since January
!, 1920. "a houses of all kinds and
descriptions have been erected in Gar
diner more than have been built in
the last 10 years added together. The
best result of this. to my mind, is
the fact that every one of these
houses is to be occupied by the owner.
The Community Club hall at South
Gardiner was started under tie aus
pieces of the Board of Trade, and if you
could go down and see what really
fine building they have there for their
purpose you would call it a worthy
object for our support. There have
been several other buildings erected in
Gardiner during the last year and
large amount has been expended in
extensive repairs. Including the high
school. it would seem that between
100000 and s35o,000 had been dis
bursed in Gardiner for construction.
High Schoo!
Early in the year, the Board OF
Trade indicated it's interest in the
High school building and equipment
and donated the sum Ct one thousand
dollars for it's commercial room. Not
only this. but in many other ways
have we demonstrated our usefulness
in matters of this Character.
Shoe Factory Taxation
For many years the question Of tax
alton of our shoe Manufacturing
plants has been agitated, but 1t was