Milford chronicle., 1926-12-03

The following address was made
by G.. Layton Grier before the or
ganization meeting of MilfOrd's new
Chamber of Commerce Monday eve
ming:
We are met for the purpose Of or
ganizing, or recognizing, a Cham
her of Commerce which should COM
prise Milford and our local COM
munities, which includes Houston
and the rural territory between
Houston and Milford. Lincoln and
Ellendale and their rural communl-
ties.
The present Chamber, while in eX-
istence in name, is not an active or
ganizatiOn-nOt through any fault OF
the officers of the organization, but
due to the aftc that the business
men of our community have not CO.
operated in rendering the support
necessary to make it a functlonlns
organization.
A Chamber of Commerce, whether
il be local. county, sectional or ma
tional, cannot function unless it is
properly financed that its officers
can carry through such work or
plans as a Chamber of Commerce Is
supposed to look after for the COM
munity in which it operates. A local
Chamber of Commerce today on TINS
peninsula has a greater opportunity
for real service than ever before
since there has been organized
Del-Mar-Va Association which COM
prises the fourteen counties OF the
Del-Mar-Va Peninsula. While this
has been named the Del-Mar-Va AS
sociation, it is in fact a regional
Chamber of Commerce. Its mission
is to make q study of and organize
all the interests of the Peninsula
that it may develop, or assist in de-
yeloping every local community to
the extent that the local commun-
ity is interested in its own develop
ment.
Three of the officers of the Del
Mar-Va Association, Mr.. Monsees,
MIR. Hill and Mr.. NARROW, have met
with us several times and have rem
dered great assistance without cost
to us in this movement.
A survey of the community was
made by Mr.. MOnsees which is IN
the hands of the secretary ready for
future study and use by the cham
ber.
The Del-Mar-Va Association has
done and is doing a great piece OF
work, but the work which it is doing
is not and cannot be spectacular, so
that it is barely possible that those
who are not in intimate contact with
its work may not have the conti-
dence in it which those who are It's
active officers have. If a chamber
is organized in Milford and we or
ganiZe for the development of our
local community and take advantage
and work in concert with the Del
Mar-Va Association, we can accom-
Dlish more than would have been
possible at any time in the past.
A Chamber of Commerce for Mil
ford will succeed only to the extent
of the interest shown by the business
men and others who are interested
in the advancement of this cOmmun-
ity. No enterprise of this nature can
possibly succeed unless we, as busl-
ness men, are willing to give of our
time and interest and are willing to
band ourselves together for the pur-
pose of studying, planning and exc
cutting the plans which we know are
for the benefit of our community.
This does not mean that we can all
be of one mind, but we should pre-
sent our problems to our Organiza-
tion, debate them thoroughly and
carefully and come to decision,
and when we have arrived at a de-
cision, our plans should be executed
through committees, or through the
officers of the Chamber elected for
that purpose. This chamber if or
ganized, will never be a success II 1t
becomes a one man or two man
organization. It's membership should
take an active interest in all dellb-
erations, and appoint committees
from it's membership who should be
men with the ability and desire TO
carry out your recommendations.
There isn't a man in this room If
he will stop to think but that can
readily call to mind much that can
be done for the improvement of Mil
ford alone, and the towns and COM
munities which are associated with
us are just as much interested IN
MilfOrd's development as we are, Tor
the development Of Milford will ma
turally carry with it the develop
ment of the towns and communities
surrounding it. So that our rural
members should not hesitate to en-
ter into the spirit of the work to the
same extent that the members from
Milford are expected to-in the be-
lief that that which helps develop
Milford proper, can't help but assist
in their development.
During the past six months there
have been eight meetings to discuss
and map out plans for permanent
chamber. The following men were
in attendance, took part in, and dis
cussed the advisability and plans for
a permanent chamber: G. T. Reed,
C. D. Abbott, John B. Smith, VIM. G.
Powders, Geo. H. Draper, Jr., 3. H.
Bratten, Vernon Benson, G. P. Car
ey, R. J. CIendaniel, J. Harry Humes,
Dallas Kibler, Henry Cook, Harry
Jester, S. D. Toadvine, Davis r.
Grier, Neal Long, J. P. Pierce, j. p.
Hammond, R. A. Derrickson, S. M. D.
Marshall, William Marshall, r. 2.
Davis, N. NJ. Stokes, N. B. Downing,
J. B. Mettam, L. N. Hearn, VIM. G.
Smith, G. NJ. Townsend, Milo c. Far
Der, Wilson Vinyard, Jr., d. Cooper