Imperial Valley press., 1928-07-26
HAYS APPOINTED
SECRETARY FOR
LOCAL CHAMBER
Experienced Man Ready
TO Assume New Duties
On August l.

Announcement was made at last
nights meeting Of the FL Centre
Chamber of Commerce, by Presi.
dent Leo Hetzel, that Robert Hays,
well-known Ell Centre resident, has
been appointed secretary of the
chamber, and will take up his new
duties August !.
Havs has heen resident of I'm
perial valley for the past II years.
Chamber of commerce work is not
new to him as for l5 years he was
connected with the John d. Spreck
els interests in San Diego in con-
necti0n with the development of
Coronado and San Diego.
In that period he was actively en-
gagged in all civic activities includ-
ing construction of the esplanade
and seawall, installation of the Cor
onado sewerage and water systems
and in the construction work on the
San Diego exposition. His expert
ence in these years gave him a
wide knowledge of community de-
velopment work, which will be of
great aid in his work with the local
chamber.
Coming to the valley in 1917 HAYS
became connected with the Imperial
Southside Water Company as secre-
tarv and remained with it for five
years until its absorption. bv the I'M
perial Irrigation District. He super
vised the dissolution of the com
panv' g affairs, this being the first
of the mutual companies to dissolve.
The work in this connection estab-
lished precedent for other com
panies.
HavS later became connected with
the Holton Interurban COMPANY
and was associated with James T.
Coyle. former secretary of the local
chamber, in the chamber of com
merce work at Holtville Together
they supervised the Improvement of
the park around which the city is
huilt, sponsored the building of the
community house, and fostered the
program which resulted in the eX.
cellent street paving program adopt
ed by Holtville.
Boosts Laguna Road
During this time Hays also led
the fight for construction of 6
county road north and south
through Holtville, providing that
! citv with direct commrnicat with
CaleXico and Brawley.
For several wears past Hays has
engaged in agriculture and has been
the largest individual cotton grower
in the valley. He has been the AS
/ sOciated Chambers of Commerce rep
resentative of all valley cities in
! the protest against increase in the
power rates and has been prime
mover for the construction of a new
road from Imperial Valley to the
| Lagunas.
| Early this year Havs organized
| the Imperial Valley Cotton Growers
a non-profit association of Imperia
Valley cotton raisers for the pur
pose of obtaining federal funds fol-
the production of cotton. This con
Germ now functions and fedora
loans have been secured this yea
on about $4,000 acres of cotton a
an interest rate of per cent
Aside from the appointment o.
Havs as secretary, the directors hat
little business of Importance tt
transact.
Keller Gives Talk
At the regular dinner meeting A
H. Keller of the Bank of Italy gave
an interesting talk on taxes, eX
planning that the people in the val
ley are oblidged to meet exception
ally heavy demands in this respect
and explaining the reason for th'
high levies. He urged all to become
interested in this feature with ;
view to the ultimate lowering OF
rates.
Miss Grace Johnson, elected to b.
"Miss FL Centro' in the "Queel
of the Desert contest to be held a
Mission Eeach Sunday night wa
introduced to the members of th'
chamber and loudly applauded.
At the meeting of the director
the appointment of Hays as secre
tary was approved, an application
for membership by the Whiting
Mead company was accepted ant
the board voted favorably on :
small appropriation to be turned
! over to the Boy Scouts to help out
fit the camp at Laguna