The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-04-13
THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

Regular Monthly Meeting Yesterday-The
Chamber Has Done For Wilmington
The Baptist Convention.
he regular monthly meeting of the
Chamber Of Commerce was held yester-
day afternoon at 4 o'clock, President
James H.. C~hadbourn, Jr., presiding
and Colonel John L. Cantwell, the
secretary, being at his post.
The minutes Of the last meeting were
read and approved.
MIR. c. f. Borden, Of the special COM
mittee, appointed to request the board
of aldermen and the board Of audit and
finance to appropriate 800 each to ad-
yertise Wilmington in the forthcoming
special edition of The Manufacturers
Record, made the report for that Gem
mittee. He reported that Mr.. }. 1.
Stevenson and himself q gone be-
fore both boards, and that Mayor
Wright said he would appoint a COM
mittee to look into the matter, bat the
county commissioners said they could
not make the appropriation ske for,
as they had already appropriated 1920
to defray the expense Of publishing the
book advertising Wilmington and New
Hanover county.
The committee was continued and
will make an effort to secure from the
city a sufficient appropriation to d to
the 1920 appropriated by the board of
county commissioners to enable the
publication of 5000 copies Of the book
advertising Wilmington and vicinity,
instead of the number which it was
intended to issue. The proof Of the
book is already in the hands Of Profess
sor NJ. c.. S. Noble and Mr.. f.. S. Ten
nent, who have it's compilation imme-
diately in hand.
The secretary read a written report
from Mr.. Geo. X. French of the auditing
committee, stating that he n Colonel
J. w. Atkinson had performed the duty
Of examining the books of the treasurer
and found his accounts correct, with
proper vouchers for all disbursements.
Colonel John L. Cantwell, secretary
n treasurer, made his report OF re-
ceipts ard disbursements from Apri
9th, 1895, to March 9th, 1897. The total
receipts were 81, 09S.10 and the disburse-
ments $719.16. leaving $118.4 in the
treasury. Deducting 500 appropriated
to advertise Wilmington at the Nash
vile exposition, the net balance will be
1854. He reports that the chamber
had seventeen members in 1895, and
now has ninety-three active members
and eight honorary members, making a
total Of 101. This shows a very crafty
ing growth.
The annual report of President Chad
bourn was presented. He gives a
synopsis of the proceedings of the
chamber at it's various meetings during
the past fiscal year, and from it we
foLn tho fnl1nuyinpr anapifI1l fInn of
the excellent work accomplished for
Wilmington by the chamber:
I think it worth while giving here a
resume Of the things actually accom-
plished for ourselves and Wilmington
by the chamber during their past year.
The following are some that we might
mention:
The chamber a had a net gain of
eighty-two members, active and honor
airy, and has held thirty meetings.
We succeeded in inducing the Stand
ard Oil Company to make Wilmington
an oil tank steamer station for supply
ing oil in bulk in North Carolina, South
Carolina and portions of Georgia.
We secured the establishment of
harbor lines on our river front.
We secured an appropriation of $4,000
for a light house on the pitch of Cape
Fear. |
We secured a reduction Of % per cent
III DllOldSc Ou COdSlWl Use NcSStlS, d Ditd-
sure of incalculable benefit to our port.
We published a Doc in memoriam of
Wilmington's most distinguished citi- |
zen, the Hon. George avis
We had printed Autograph maps of
u river and bar, showing the depth
and width of the channel from here to
the sea, and the depth of water on the
bar, showing our summer resorts, our
railroad advantages, and the |
of this vicinity for truck farming.
Largely through our efforts, the !
Southern Baptist convention will meet ,
here in May, bringing several thou
sands of strangers to u city.
We secured the encampment of the
state guard at Wrightsville last sum-
mer.
The Chamber was successful in it's :
efforts to bring the cruiser Raleigh to
Southport to receive a testimonial from
North Carolinians in North Carolina
waters.
Through the efforts Of our body, the
government improvement of our river
and bar is continued on a plan provid- |
ing a channel $50 feet wide and 20 feet
deep at mean low water from Whining |
ton to the ocean.
We have prepared and will soon is
u a book advertising the |
and advantages Of Wilmington and
New Hanover county. |
we nave TAKEN steps W duVeTIlSc |
Wilmington at the Tennessee centen-
exposition to be held at Nashville.
We secured the annual meeting of the
North Carolina Press Association in
Wilmington last summer
Through our efforts, the board of
aldermen adopted an ordinance regu-
lating the erection of buildings within
the fire limits and along the wharves. |
Mr.. Borden complimented the inter-
eSting report Of the president, and said
the chamber had accomplished a great
deal for Wilmington for the 81, 900 ex-
pended in pushing the various matters
it undertook for the good of our city.
President Chadbourn remarked that
it was the best s., 1000 ever expended for
Wilmington.
Mr.. Borden moved that 1000 copies of
the presidents and secretary's reports
be published.
Colonel Walker Taylor said he had
read the presidents report and it was
very thorough. He seconded Colonel