United States. Let the people see to it that these unequaled facilities for the transportation of persons and property, are distributed with an impartial hand, and that the natural and inherent rights of the people, in this regard, are observed and secured. To this end the Inter-State Commerce Law was created, and for this end it must be upheld. The law is salutary; it is elastic in respect to carriers; it is tentative in its character; it embodies no new principle; it is in consonance with enlightened public policy; its provisions announce well settled principles of common law applied to common carriers, and whatever difficulties have been or may be encountered in its administration, it must prevail and be so thoroughly imbedded in the legislation and jurisprudence of the country, that the smallest shipper shall feel its care while the largest shall not be exempt from its power. Respectfully yours, GEORGE F. STONE, Secretary. NOTE. I am indebted to Messrs. Howard, Bartels & Co.; United States and State Statistical Departments; United States Weather Bureau: Comptroller of the City of Chicago; E. E. Hooper, Secretary of the Lumbermen's Exchange; J. C. Brown, Statistician of the New York Produce Exchange; J. F. Woffindin, Chairman Chicago Committee Central Traffic Association; Hon. Washington Hesing, Postmaster; Department of Public Works of the City of Chicago; Cincinnati Price Current; John Jones, London; Hon. Martin J. Russell, Collector of Customs of the City of Chicago; William B. Thornton, Chicago; J. L. Kellogg, Chicago; Hon. Worthington C. Ford, Chief of Bureau of Statistics, Treasury Department, Washington, D. C.; Hon. Henry A. Robinson, Statistician, Department of Agriculture, Washington, D. C.; Eugene Seeger, City Statistician, Chicago; J. C. Denison, Secretary Union Stock Yards and Transit Co.; and to Railway officers. REPORT OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS. To the Board of Trade of the City of Chicago: GENTLEMEN-Your Board of Directors has the honor to submit herewith its report of receipts and expenditures for the fiscal year ending January 4, 1897: FINANCIAL STATEMENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADE OF THE CITY OF CHICAGO, FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JANUARY 4, 1897. Expenses of delegates to National Board of Trade.. Furniture for Exchange Hall, Visitors' room....... 619 50 106 25 49 75 150 00 508 33 130 94 Statistical information: New York, Buffalo, Custom House, Stock Yards, Illinois and Michigan Canal.. 1.426 SO Special Service...... 13,383 10 Construction account of 1894 truss work in Exchange Hall... 12,075 00 561 86 1,000 lists of members for distribution... 279 00 Uniforms for Door Keepers...... 53 00 Wm. Fries, expert accountant, examination for 1895. Telephone in office, to January 1, 1897.. Insurance on furniture.. Engrossing resolutions on death of Messrs. Lightner and Dunham... . . . 175 Messenger badges.. Stenographic work, German Option Law, etc.. Miscellaneous expenses. Paid E. G. Keith, Treasurer, for East St. Louis sufferers.... National Transportation Association assessment ....... Paid Appeal fees held in trust from 1895.. CASH ON HAND JANUARY 5, 1897. In hands of Treasurer.. In Office: Checks, vouchers and currency. LIABILITIES. Bonded indebtedness.. Accrued and unpaid interest on bonds.... Due on contracts of 1895, 1896, Real Estate De partment CHICAGO, January 5, 1897. . $13.910 95 3,625 41 $17.536 36 75.00 104 17 56 00 48 15 25.00 182 70 317 28 5,256 00 155 00 10 00 $273,622 75 $1,250,000 00 .$17,860 00 7.975 00 $25,835 00 This is to certify that the foregoing report of the receipts and expenditures of the Board of Trade of the City of Chicago for the fiscal year ending January 5, 1897, is true and correct. I audited all the books of accounts, proved the record of receipts and disbursements, and examined all vouchers. JANUARY 9, 1897. WM. FRIES, Auditor. The total bonded indebtedness of the Board remains the same as it was one year ago, viz: $1,250,000. The receipts derived from rent of offices in the Board of Trade building amount to $109,395.16, as compared with $106, 648.60 in the year 1895, and $109,841.77 during the year 1894. Expenditures real estate account during the year have been on the following accounts: 12,075 00 Construction of 1894 (payment enjoined). The present membership in this association is 1,840, and the number of transfers made during the year was 150, yielding a revenue of $3,750.00. In accordance with the recommendation of the President at the last annual meeting, which received the unanimous support of the association, your Directory has made every effort to suppress bucket-shops and to bring all those connected with them to condign punishment. Its efforts have met with signal success. Your Directors recommend that such continued and vigilant attention be directed against bucket-shops and bucket-shop methods as will render this pernicious imposition upon the community unsafe and utterly disreputable. At various times during the last few years the engineer of the board has called attention to the fact that the machinery in our building was being over-taxed, especially our engines and dynamos; and also, that our elevator machinery was in need of thorough repair. The views of the engineer being confirmed by outside experts, your Directors decided to put in, substantially, a new plant. The Board of Underwriters condemned the system of electrical wiring formerly used in our building, which rendered it absolutely |