Evening star., 1923-03-22
ALEXANDRIA BOOMS
DURING PAST YEAR
FIourishing Conditions Shown
by Reports of Chamber
of Commerce.
BIG PLANS FOR FUTURE
New Industries Located in City,
Banks Prosperous and Build
ing Takes Jump.
BIG PLANS FOR FUTURE
Special Dispatch 70 The st,r

Special Dispatch TO The Star
ALEXANDRIA,. Va, March 22-An-
nual reports on the activities during
the past year were submitted last
night at the meeting of the chamber
or commerce by President X. L.
Knight, Business Manager George H.
Evans and Secretary and Treasurer
j. L. Preston. Afterward the follow
ing were elected directors. George L.
Warfield, Claude w. Fletcher, Leo
pold Ruben and j. Z. w Timberman
During the evening speeches were
made by j. Y. Williams, Irwin Diener,
James X. Cation. Claude w. Fletcher,
II. X. Burke and Kenneth W. Ogden.
Ihe meeting was attended by large
gathering of members.
The report of President knight fol-
lows in part: THE chamber, in it's
general scope of work. has proved
during the past year invaluable to
It's members and of necessity in it's
broadened efforts has assisted others
who are not members of the chamber
TO carry their business on to greater
success.
ITO successfully carry on the work
inaugurated and to meet the demands
OF the future, a greater membership
is not only desirable but essential
and too much stress cannot be laid
on the necessity of having every busi-
ness interest identified with the
chamber of commerce.
Banks Flourish.
"As an evidence of the progress
of our city. our banks are all in a
hourishing condition and one of them
has found it necessary during the
past year to double the space for its
clerical force to take care of the
growing business. | would also di-
rect attention to the increase in our
post office receipts, which is one of
the Surest indexes of our city's prog
ress. This chamber took an active
part in bringing about the council
manager form of government and is
now working in close harmony with
it. sincerely believing that the sim
plified form of government with
proper cooperation will be successful
in the future development of our
city.
while the official body of the cham
Der of commerce is justly proud of
the accomplishments made during the
year. let me remind you That there are
many important problems to be
brought to successful conclusion by
Schools Assisted.
THE chamber has ever been among
the first to appreciate the full signifi-
canoe of the school housing shortage
and its support was freely given to
our school board and other city off,
Gals toward removing the tremen-
dous handicaps upon the adequate
functioning' of our schools. recogniz-
ing the Importance of keeping our
educational facilities to the very high
est standards. The chamber will ever
be on the alert to assist in this work
The plans for white way on King
street, which were introduced during
the administration of President r. L.
Payne, were brought to a successful
conclusion this year and / am glad
to say that 1t presents all that is mod
ern In street lighting system.
Mailing Lists Proposed.
In trade extension and i'm over
coming mail order competition /
would suggest to our retail mer-
chants that they should have avail
able a complete suburb an or retail
| trade territory mailing list This is
not all; every activity which in
creases the purchasing power of it's
community has it's effect on retail
business. civic Improvement indus
trial Improvement. good roads i'm
provement. of transportation facili-
ties. cooperation with county farm
bureaus, etc.
The community development ac-
tlv1t1es. of course. are very impor-
tant from the view point of retail
trade extension. Just what it means
TO the 1obbing and retail business of
Alexandria city to have clean and
well lighted streets, good schools,
good water, attractive parks and
Fairgrounds. busy factories, etc, is
incalculable."
New Industries.
Cant George H. Evans, business
manager of the chamber of COM
merce. in his report set forth that
the chamber had been instrumental
IN locating the following industries
Company, Federal, Storage and Bat
terry Company, Chestnut Hill Dairy.
Bu1lding Products Company and H
M. Avram Company. Concluding his
part of the definite program for
the coming year include close CO.
operation with the city officials con-
cerning Arlington county, acquiring
a new post office and new chamber
of commerce building.
Other Reports.
According to the report of J. T.
Preston, secretary, 339 meetings were
held during the year in the rooms of
the chamber of commerce, and the
Anti-Tuberculosis Society and the
Red CriSs, with it's visiting nurses.
and the home service section of the
Red Cross have their headquarters
here. Other notations made are there
are $4,000 names on the credit bureau,
2,110 reports issued to manufacturers
| and jobbers. compared with 1878 last
year; reports to retail merchants,
1926, compared with 1927 last year;
total reports during the year. 1885.
compared with 5,S05 the preceding
year. an increase of IA per cent; ap-
proximately 500 persons were fur
! nished with rooms through the hous-
ing department, 748 persons visited
the rooms of the chamber during the
year and consulted the file of out-of-