[Trade Journal]
Publication: Thirty-Sixth Annual Report of the Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce
Cincinnati, OH, United States
p. I,43-46,68-73,268-269,295-304,340,354,360, col. 1
THIRTY-SIXTH ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
CINCINNATI
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
AND
MERCHANTS' EXCHANGE,
FOR THE
COMMERCIAL YEAR ENDING AUGUST 31, 1884.
CINCINNATI:
WILSTACH, BALDWIN & CO., PRINTERS AND STATIONERS,
NOS. 141 AND 143 RACE STREET.
1885.
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CINCINNATI CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
REPORT OF THE SECRETARY.
CINCINNATI, September 8, 1884.
To the Members of the Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce:
The year now closed marks the first under the provisions by which the Board of Directors was enlarged to fifteen members. The number of meetings held by the Board, during the year, is forty. The average attendance at these meetings has been over eleven, or about 75 per cent. of the members of the Board.
This, also, has been the first complete year under the change limiting the member-ship, by which no new members have been admitted excepting by transfer of certificates of retiring members. The total number of these transfers for the year is 156. Of the non-certificate memberships, twenty have terminated during the year by resignation and death. There are now 2,253 paying memberships, of which 2,181 are represented by certificates, and 72 non-certificate memberships; there are also seven honorary memberships, in three instances of which certificates have been issued, but are non-paying. Total membership of all classes, 2,260.
The Board of Directors has had submitted to it twenty-four complaints from members, with charges of unmercantile conduct preferred against fellow-members, during the year. Of this number, the committees to which these complaints were referred, under the rules, succeeded in having the questions in dispute either amicably settled between the parties to the complaints, or, by their consent, submitted to arbitration, in eighteen instances; four cases were brought to trial, of which two resulted in a verdict of indefinite suspension, one of expulsion, and one of reprimand; one complaint, after careful investigation into its merits, was decided as not of a nature for trial by the Board; one case was dismissed, on the ground that the respondent signified a willingness that the differences should be settled by the Arbitration Committee. In one of the instances of indefinite suspension, which involved two members of a firm, one of said members had his disabilities removed by the Board three days subsequent to the rendering of the verdict, the other member being reinstated in ten days. Concerning the other case of indefinite suspension, a resolution was laid before the Board contemplating a termination of the period of suspension, prompted by the knowledge that the party interested had fulfilled the obligations which he had previously refused to fulfill, and which made the basis of the complaint, but this party not only declined to apply to the Board for removal of the disabilities, but requested that no such action be taken, and, consequently, this party continues suspended from the privileges of the organization.
The Grain Call Board has been continued throughout the year, but during a large part of this period it has, apparently, had little of usefulness to members, owing to the diminished and quite limited volume of transactions. Early in the year now closed, there were complications in the wheat trade, resulting from the introduction into this market of a Western variety of wheat known as Turkish, early arrivals of which were graded as No. 2 red wheat, under authority of the Grain Inspection Committee, following which were large sales by contract for forward delivery of No. 2 red, with a view of filling such contracts with this wheat. Buyers, however, claimed that it was inferior, differing from red wheat, and the Grain Inspection Committee recommended the Board to adopt a new rule by which such wheat should be classed as Turkish, which recommendation was approved, and the new rule went into force on November 1st. Turkish wheat was tendered on contracts for No. 2 red, which, being refused, led to various controversies, which were, in a large measure, instrumental in curtailing transactions on the Grain Call Board. In May, the Board of Directors was requested to investigate into the expediency of discontinuing the Call Board, and a committee of the Board was appointed in compliance therewith, which found among the grain trade a pretty evenly divided sentiment between an immediate discontinuance of the Call and its maintenance until the movement of the new wheat crop might help to solve the question. The subject has been left to be determined by the incoming Board.
The following new rules have been adopted by the Board of Directors during the year:
RULES FOR THE REGULATION OF THE GRAIN TRADE.
CLASSIFICATION OF GRAIN. — RULE 3, SECTION 1: Turkish Winter Wheat. The grades of numbers 1, 2, and 3, mixed and rejected, shall correspond with our same grades of regular Winter wheat, except that they shall be of the Turkish variety, or mixtures thereof with other wheat.
RULES GOVERNING REPORTS OF SALES.
All challenges of sales entered on the Sales Book shall be heard and determined by the appropriate Standing Committees on Inspection.
The financial exhibit of the Treasurer shows the money receipts of the Chamber to have been $68,096 22 for the year; expenditures, $43,193 46 — leaving $24,902 76 as the net gain in funds for the year. During the preceding year, the receipts, exclusive of initiation fees, amounted to $71,960 59; expenditures, $49,938 57 — the latter item including $8,125 00 in premium on U. S. bonds.
Under the rules, the Board of Directors has transferred to the control of the Board of Real Estate Managers the funds of the Association, as follows: On December 20, 1883, $370,000 00, including the investments of the organization; on September 2, 1884, $30,837 99 — making a total of $400,837 99 thus transferred. The recurrence of another extraordinary flood, in February of this year, inundated a considerable proportion of the business section of our city, seriously interrupted business operations and travel, and brought losses and suffering to many in the laboring classes, which latter fact appealed to the generosity of citizens who could contribute to the mitigation of such suffering. On February 6, in conformity with action by the Chamber, a Relief Committee of fifteen members was appointed, to co-operate with a similar committee of the Common Council, to receive and distribute contributions to the flood sufferers; the committee was empowered to enlarge its numbers, and the following-named persons served as the said committee: H. C. URNER, R. H. COST, LEOPOLD S. FECHHEIMER, J. D. ELLISON, MICHAEL RYAN, SIDNEY D. MAXWELL, HOWARD DOUGLASS, W. P. WALKER, JR., WM. V. EBERSOLE, J. L. KECK, M. E. INGALLS, JAMES LOWMAN, THOS. G. SMITH, JAMES M. GLENN, THOMAS J. STEPHENS, E. H. HUNTINGTON, WM. H. DAVIS, BURT D. BISHOP, JAMES H. FOOTE, S. F. DANA, B. EGGLESTON, J. L. STETTINIUS, L. M. DAYTON, C. W. ROWLAND, FRANK ALTER, JOHN E. BELL, E. O. ESHELBY.
The report of this committee, through its Chairman, HENRY C. URNER, shows that the money contributions from citizens amounted to $96,680 12, in addition to which large quantities of food and clothing material were received and distributed. To this fund the Chamber of Commerce made a subscription of $5,000, by unanimous vote. This committee also received from non-residents the sum of $97,751 22, which was disbursed for the benefit of sufferers outside of Cincinnati.
In February, the Chamber authorized the President to appoint a committee to investigate and report upon the expediency of raising the lower level of the city, and otherwise taking measures for averting disaster from floods . This committee, as yet, as made no report.
Among the contributions received for the benefit of the flood sufferers, were 56 cars of corn from citizens of Kansas — 31 from Wichita, Sedgwick County, and 25 from Butler County — all of which was sold at auction on 'Change, and the proceeds duly added to the Relief Fund.
On April 28, the Board of Real Estate Managers made a report to the Chamber, in which was embodied a recommendation for authority to purchase property known as the Mitchell lot, on Fourth Street, adjacent to the Post-office, having a frontage of 33 feet on Fourth Street, at a cost of $175,000. This recommendation was duly submitted to the Chamber for vote on May 19, and was not approved, the result being as follows: For the purchase of the Mitchell lot — Yes, 204; No, 890; Blank, 2.
On June 28, the Chamber adopted a resolution urging the Trustees of the Cincinnati Southern Railway to grant permission to the lessees to change the gauge of the road to conform to the Northern or standard gauge of 4 feet 8½ inches. Various other subjects have been before the Board of Directors and the Chamber, including matters relating to bridging the Ohio, Kanawha, Kentucky and Mississippi Rivers, Trade Dollar and Silver Coinage questions, etc., which have had attention, and the action taken duly recorded in the minutes of the meetings of the Board of Directors and of the Chamber.
The following persons were appointed to represent the Chamber of Commerce in the Board of Commissioners of the Industrial Exposition of Cincinnati for 1884: EDWIN STEVENS, LEVI H. BROOKS, JAMES B. WILSON, W. P. WALKER, JR., CHARLES H. JACOB.
In the selection of legal counselors, the Board effected an arrangement for the year with MESSRS. HOADLY, JOHNSON & COLSTON.
The President was authorized by the Board of Directors to sign the Guarantee Fund of the Industrial Exposition for 1884 in the sum of $2,000.
The Board is pleased to acknowledge a donation of an elegant clock, for the Exchange Hall, from MESSRS . DUHME & Co., of this city.
The death list of members of the Chamber embraces twenty-five for the year, as follows: JOHN H. BARRINGTON, JOHN H. HAKMAN, JR., CHARLES MILLER, JOSEPH LONGWORTH, HENRY GIEBEL, GEORGE W. JONES, T. S. BROWN, HENRY A. JONES, W. L. MALLORY, EDWARD LARALDE, WILLIAM PROCTER, STEPHEN H. BURTON, DANIEL DECAMP, THOMAS GAFF, HENRY D. HUNTINGTON , B. G. STALL, JOHN B. GIBSON, WILLIAM BRYANT, L. E. WARNER, EMIL DEHLER, W. R. MCGILL, HENRY NYE, RICHARD TUDOR, JOHN GROSSIUS, HENRY PEARCE.
The executive and clerical force of the Chamber has not been changed during the year. The Superintendent, SIDNEY D. MAXWELL, is provided with seven assistants; the Clerk, JOHN R. MORTON, has one assistant-thus numbering ten persons as the regular force, exclusive of janitors. The amount of salaries paid, during the year, is $16,934 00, compared with $15,201 00 in the preceding year, these figures including payments to the Caller and the Live Stock Reporter.
No important financial failures have occurred, during the year, among our merchants or manufacturers who are members of the Chamber of Commerce.
The continued prosperous condition of the affairs of the Association, and the maintenance of its enlarged sphere of usefulness, are matters of congratulation by the Board of Directors and the membership.
On behalf of the Board of Officers,
CHARLES B. MURRAY,
Secretary
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POTTERY, ETC.
The business in pottery in the past year, while having participated in the general depression which characterized the later months of the year in all departments of trade, has varied little in extent from that of 1882-83. Prices were somewhat lower toward the close of the year, both for domestic and foreign goods. Our own manufacturers have little more than maintained their usual business, for the benefit to be derived from the change in tariff, which, it was supposed, would stimulate production, was largely neutralized by the effect of the general shrinkage in values which was going on, and the competitive influences which were at work to still further encourage the lowering of prices. The manufacture of pottery of the better grades, which has passed beyond the boundaries of experiment, and also largely out of the hands of amateurs, seems to have taken a firm root among our industrial agencies, and has, during the year, produced many creditable works of art, the sales of which have, by no means, been confined to this city. The fame of Cincinnati, which took the initial steps in founding this work in the finer grades of pottery in the new world, has, to some extent, created a demand for our product in other cities, and secured words of commendation from abroad. The marked progress in domestic pottery, which has been made in this country, is an encouraging feature of our times. Much of the decorated tableware now produced in the United States is very beautiful, and, by its cheapness, constitutes a formidable competitor with the goods of the better classes from Europe. A feature of the period is the importation, from abroad, of white goods, for decoration in this country, where skilled decorators, both native and foreign, are sufficiently abundant to produce marked results in what might almost be called a new industry. In the glass trade of the country there has been over-production, full stocks in the hands of jobbers, and the necessity on the part of some factories to dispose of their accumulations regardless of cost, all of which have conspired to reduce profits. This has been the case particularly in specialties, on the prices of which the sharp competition which has prevailed has made the larger impression. It is believed that the shrinkage of prices in the general average would reach fully ten per cent. The production in this city was probably ten per cent. below the previous year, which was, however, largely traceable to the strike among certain classes of operatives during a period of the year when there was the most active demand for such articles as they were producing, coupled with the flood, which suspended operations during the larger part of February. The business here in general has been conducted with more than ordinary vigor. Our products of this class not only go to all parts of the United States, but also to Canada, Mexico, and South American States, and in the past year special efforts have been made to reach foreign countries much more remote.
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MEMBERS
OF THE
CINCINNATI CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND MERCHANTS' EXCHANGE.
JANUARY 31, 1885.
(The first column indicates the number of the Certificate of Membership. Where a blank exists therein, the membership has no Certificate.)
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