Imperial Valley press., 1923-05-26
VALLEY CHAMBERS
FINAL MEETING IS
FULL OF ACTIVITY
Hear Plea for Greater
Cooperation With
Veterans
Aten's Report Shows
$4,000 Spent on
Trip

director of the United States Vet
Grams Bureau, was the principal
speaker at the meeting of the AS
sociated Chambers Of Commerce last
night, in the ,schoolhouse at Heber.
After explaining the work which
the government is doing in the re
habilitatiGn of disabled soldiers, he
made a strong plea for assistance for
the eX-service men from employers
of Imperial Valley, asking them to
give the disabled men an opportun-
ity to show what they can do, and
where it is possible, give them the
preference to which they are EMIT
led, when employed hlep. Mr..
Livingston s talk made deep i'm
preston of those present and he
presented the cause of the disabled
veterans in very able manner.
Elmer Heald gave resume of the
Associated Chambers work in be-
half of Boulder Canyon dam lcgis-
lation which showed that the bust
ness men of the valley have not
been lacking in their support of the
Swing johnson bill. The report was
accepted unanimously.
Substituting Grapefruit
That Los Angeles is offering coast
grapefruit under the guise of being
Imperial Valley grapefruit, was the
assertion of H. II. Clark of Calex-
leo, who cited personal experience
to- prove that the popularity of the
Imperial Valley product is being
taken advantage of by hotels and
restaurants in the big city. AT pres
cnt there is no Imperial Valley
grapefruit in the Los Angeles
markets, and coast grapefruit is be-
ing served as the local product. Sec
retary Renfrew was instructed to
investigate this matter.
Criticism of the expense o. Bring
ing the congressional party to I'm
perial Valley recently, which has
been heard in various parts of the
valley, was utterly routed by Ira
Aten, president of the Imperial Ir-
rigatiOn District, who read report
of the trip to the meeting, which
showed that the entire expense of
the party's trip here amounted to
$l5,467.90, which is to be borne by
the Irrigation District. The cost
has been estimated by critics from
$4,000 to $4,000. In view of the
immense good accomplished for the
Swing-johnson bill by the visit of
the congressman, the expense was
unquestionably warranted, in the
opinion of President Aten.
To Help Los Angeles
Considerable discussion of the
proposition of the city of Los An
geles, which proposes bond issue
of $35 100000 to develop electric
power from Boulder Canyon dam,
resulted in "A committee of three be-
ing appointed to confer with the
Los Angeles Chamber Of Commerce
and cooperate with that body in
helping put the bond issue over
The committee consists of President
f. w. Cuff, f. w. Heald, and j. w.
Scott.
The bylaws and minutes of the
first meeting of the Boulder Dam
Association, organized for the pur-
pose of spreading propaganda fav-
orable to the SWING bill,
were read and the Associated Cham
bers deferred taking any action
toward joining this organization un-
til later date.
The meeting voted to accept mem
bership in the Borderland Highway
Association, organized to give pub
licity to the southern continental
highways, for the purpose of Undue
ing tourists to use these routes in
coming to and going from Califor-
mia. The association will maintain
publicity man in the East and
supply descriptive Literature
throughout the principal hotels and
garages, chambers of commerce and
other organizations along the Bank
head, Old Spanish Trails and Lee
Highways.
Want Highway Finished
A resolution asking San Diego
county to complete the Sentenac
Canyon highway to the Imperial
county line, was passed by the
. meeting. This highway will bring
the northern end of Imperial Valley
into closer communication with San
Diego and other coast points.
Owing to the small number of
members who have attended meet
ings in the past during June, July
and August, it was voted unani-
mously to dispense with the meet
ings during these three months, and
the invitation of the Holtville
Chamber of Commerce was accepted
to hold the next meeting in that
city on September 2S.
The affair was preceded by. an
excellent dinner, served by the
Ladies' Aid Society of Heber, and
new laurels were won for their cul-
mary skill.