Imperial Valley press., 1932-02-06
LOCAL CHAMBER
GIVES REVIEW OF
1881 ACTIVITIES
tC0ntinued From Page II

erica and the Border Sunshine
Way, two interstate routes which
have brought many visitors daily
to Ell Centre from the East. 1t
has campaigned diligently for the
surfacing of the Gila Bend-Casa
Grande sector in Arizona, and eff
fectively, for appropriations have
just been made for the purpose.
Activities Varied
The Ell Centro Chamber of Com
merce has offered its fullest CO.
operation to the fair board, desiring
to assist in every possible way to
make the 1882 fair an overwhelm-
ing success.
In a similar way the organiza-
ton has consistently essayed to aid
numerous other communal projects.
1t was instrumental in having the
weather bureau re-established this
winter, for important fruit frost
work. 1t has campaigned for
year to have Imperial County air.
port designated as an air mail
stop. Its efforts to have the coun-
"
Southern Transcontinental Airway,
by DETECTING the route northward,
were successful, and the route bends
as it passes through Imperial VAL
ley, bringing the county landing
field on the line. Continued MAIN
tenance and lighting of the revolv-
ing aeronautical beacon at the
field, under its changed ownership,
is now matter upon which cham
ber directors are concentrating.
Early commencement of con-
struction of our federal building
and post office has claimed the at
tention of the chamber, and its Of
ficers are endeavoring by every
means to have the plans completed
and bids advertised within the cur
rent month The chamber has
offered to assist in any way toward
expediting projected improvements
on State street and Broadway, in
cluding the crossing of the rail-
road by State street, believing this
to be a project of great value to
the municipality.
During this season of unemploy-
ment, the chamber of commerce
has cooperated with local, state and
national agencies for relief of the
needy. 1t has insistently demand.
ed that local labor be employed on
Ell Centro construction jobs. and
has had loyal support for this
measure.
In the interest of retail trade,
and the prosperity of the commun-
ity generally, the chamber has
sponsored two important merchan-
dising events within the past few
months: Ell Centro's Fall Opening
and Ell Centro's Christmas Festi-
val. Both were successful, and
both stimulated trade and activity
in the city and the surrounding
territory.
AS the advertising agency of the
city the chamber has been most
energetic in preparing and having
published news articles favorable
to the city, the county, and the
agriculture products and industries
of this area. To many persons
such publicity is regarded as by
far the most valuable and import
ant function of the chamber. Tens
of thousands of colum- inches of
new matter favorable to the COM
munity and its interests have been
published in the newspapers of
the country, having value, If paid
for at advertising rates, of many
thousands of dollars. Numerous
magazine articles have also been
written by the chamber staff and
published in magazines and peri
odicals of wide circulation. The
chamber has recently been con-
centrating in its publicity releases
on increasing tourist travel to I'M
perial Valley, and many of it's ar
ticles have described the interest
ing and accessible points of inter-
est in this locality. Hotels here re-
port that as consequence tourist
travel and tourist stops here have
increased. This chamber assisted
in preparing and having published
by the countrywide chambers an
interesting and valuable booklet
entitled Imperial Valleys Scenic
Wonders" which is being widely
distributed and will undoubtedly be
the means of inducing much news
travel to Ell Centro.
Development of the county's min
eral resources has also been an OBJ
jective of the organization. Through
its efforts the mining and shipment
of silica sand, of which we have
valuable deposits, seem about to
commence. The chamber has also
sought to increase development of
pumice stone deposits here and
thus cause larger shipments to be
made.
Identification of the city's streets
has engaged the attention of the
directors and that of strong COM
mittee. AS a result several thou
sand ornamental street trees will
be planted during this month, and
next year an even more pretentious
tree planting program will be at
tempted.
Urges Tree Planting
The chamber has succeeded in
interesting the state highway COM
mission in planning shade trees on
the completed state highways of
the county, and the commission is
now making experimental paintings
at several points not far distant
from Ell Centro.
AS a service to the housewives
of the city and the home mer-