The Struggle for Industry in Fairhaven

The Chamber of Commerce was organised in August 1891, with a total membership of seventy-two, which has dwindled down to thirty, including now the most active, liberal and public-spirited citizens of the place. Instead of censure from the organ of the company whose recognized policy for two years has been depression rather than progress, these men deserve the greatest credit for having maintained a most excellent organization all the while that hope long deferred has made the stoutest heart sick. Time after time they have sought to secure the establishment of productive enterprises only to be sat down upon by men upon whose ears it appears no sound would grate so harshly as the hum of industry. It is only a few months since the largest shingle mill in the state was located at Whatcom simply because a site was denied the owners here where they were most desirous of locating it. Two other mills were moved away to the line of the Seattle, Lake Shore and Eastern because of the high rates demanded by the Great Northern for shipment from here.