The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-08-10

Governor Russell sat down but he
Jumped up and said he wanted to say
just another thing. We nav a peni-
Tertiary at Raleigh and what to do
with it was one Of the problems of the
It is full Of ~convicts, and it was
the aim of the state to hire them out
at reasonable terms. He said he didn't
see why the people Of North Carolina
were not willing to pay good prices for
them. We nave got to feed and cloth
them, and we want to hire them to peo-
pie and corporations who will give the
most for them. Governor Russell said
vertised in the newspapers.
President Chadbourn called on DR..
Strange who said this company would
sooner expect to near him preach a
preach a sermon and would take for
his subject Faith" He had been i'm
pressed by reading the reports in the
daily papers Of the proceedings OF the
chamber Of hat they have
faith in themselves, faith in their city,
other. Faith is the foundation Of prog
ress in every community, and that was
what he wanted to impress by his re-
marks here. (Applause).
Mayor s. P. Wright was called o
He responded briefly, saying that in
H. 1o$korc he rood from non.
pie seeking new homes and new fields,
the three principal questions asked
were as to the condition Of the roads,
the sanitary condition, and the quality
of our drinking water. He added that
he could answer them satisfactorily as
to our sanitary condition but he was
compelled to say we need better roads
and artesian wells. (Applause).
Colonel Walker Taylor said he no.
ticed that there was present a gentle
man who was a Wilmingtonian but
who had been absent many years. He
would like to hear the opinion of that
gentleman on the improvement of our
city since he left here. He alluded to
Mr.. John D. Sprunt now Of London,
England.
Mr.. Sprunt responded to calls and
said it was a pleasure to be present
and to look into so many familiar faces.
He noticed a great improvement in
Wilmington but he was particularly
impressed with the development Of this
region for growing Strawberries and
vegetables on lands once considered Of
little or no value but now worth humid
reds of dollars.
Mr.. T. Wright Meares said he saw
present Mr.. James H. Chadbourn, and
he knew it would be a pleasure for all
to hear what he thinks Of Wilmington:
In response to applause and calls, Mr..
Chadbourn said he came to Whining
ton forty-two years ago and that he
mington, and if I can say or do any
thing for her advancement I will take
the greatest pleasure in doing it. Some
say hat Wilmington is not growing.
The only way to see whether that is
so or not is to GO C to a certain
pcI1Ou dIlO NY COAAPdA 1911 WAAo VIC
have accomplished. In 1870 the popu-
lation of our city was 13,446. It has
increased to not less than 23,5O0 which
is an increase Of Is per cent. and a
very safe growth. 1t is a good idea for
us to look back and see what has been
done in the past twenty-seven years.
We have a successful cotton mill, en-
ploying 200 or more hands. We have
four large saw mills, two large COM
presses, a cooperage factory a big cot
ton seed oil mill, the Standard oil plant,
the United States postoffice and court
house, the new county court house.
All the school houses in the city have
been built and, now we have the best
school houses and best schools in the
state. He also called attention to the
increase in handsome private residen-
ces and enumerated them, n closed
by declaring that no citizen of Will
mington has any reason to be discour-
aged at the prospects Of the city. Gap
plause).
Colonel F. w. Kerchner, former pres
1UGuI OIL TIE CudA1UCI, was SdlACu OA
and arose amid applause. He said he
had for many years been interested in
the development of Wilmington. What
We want to do is to let North Carolina
Know that we have a port here that
can bring in all the articles needed and
ship all the produce of the state,
whether cotton or manufactures. There
was a time during the war when the
people remembered this and they were
glad enough to avail themselves Of the
fact. This port vas the only one dur
ing a great portion of the war that the
confederate states could use for get
ting supplies. In times Of peace this
pnnr and wook