The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-03-30
OUR NElCHBoR ny THE SEA.
4 Stranger vir-t Impressions Of south
p~"rt-Ssme Sug<-sti"ns Co the City Faith.
~r--T"- Naoy Natural Adxnotsg~s -
this Pleasant Town.

Editors Messenger:
Robert Burns. the famous Scotch
| poet. gave expression 10 the idea that
we could improve our condition by See
: ing how we were regarded by others
Not being strong on Scotch dialect 4
am not sure that the quotation Is cx-
actly correct but IL runs about this
way:
oh. wad some power, the glstlc gie
Us.
To see ou-sels as ithers see us.
Twad fr2e many a blunder free US.
And foolish notion"
Perhaps IL is a wholesome thing now
and then, TO take a look at ourselves
through anothcr's speCtaclcs and on
this idea | propose 20 give some of my
impressions Of Southport. IL these lines
should aDpear to c~riticisc i, viii be
with the kindest intentions.
While talking with a newly arrived
E~nglishman. many years ago. I asked
what impressed him most strongly on
his reaching his country. His reply
was: The price OF matches" They
were selling for 5 cents per box then
Under similar circumstance should
say the first and strongest impression
| had OF this pleasant little town was
its darkness. its absolute Egyptian
darkness en- the streets after nightfai-
In vain We try 10 steer a straight
course down the street. from one corner
To another, where we hope In lind a
friendly lamp post. The post was
sometimes In evidence hut not "A ray
OF light other than the stars. save here
and there a stray beam which escapes
through a window shutter To some
hody's parlor or sitting room.
II may be that the inhabitants OF
Snarth saars ~.
long line Of pilots. 90 not feel the need
Of street lamps. Il is said that a skill
ful pilot develops a sixth sense. in the
power OF knowing where his vessel is
and how She ought to 70 even in the
darkest night. as IL by instinct.
fut how is a Granger to know that
in order To reach the post Office from
Harper's store he should steer south
west, half-west. until Bald Head light
bears On his port bow. then Put his
helm hard n starboard. othcrwis, he
Will surely run afoul OF Pixies office.
If his course should be In the dircc-
ton OF the wharf. along the regular
channel OF Moore street. with The wind
fresh from the southwest, he IS ex-
pected To- luff up sharply while tho
lights az The combination are Just ahart
his starhoard quarter or he Will Capsiz-
somewhere in the ~neighborhood OF Tho
court house.
AS a matter OF fact, unless the strau-
ger gets his bearings all right and
heaVes his lead very often. the guile
less wayfarer with n limited knowl-
edge of the stars Will run afoul or
about every thing within reach, before
he reaches the haven OF his Intentions
1t seems remarkable that a town OF
the size and Importance OF Southport
should have no street lamps. We do
not expect electric lights or even gas.
but kerosene is cheap and good. The
city fathers should wake up and illu-
inmate. 1t would not only impress
strangers more favorably but would 10
a comfort to homefolks, while its cost
would be n mere bagatelle.
That the community is remarkably
quiet and Law abiding is proven by the
fact that one man constitutes the chief
and only policeman required. Local
option prevails here and those who are
b~ibulously inclined are required 70 steer
to the northwest, a mile or so, to slaks
their thirst.
Unlike n seaport town on the South
Atlantic, Southport Is on high ground.
well drained, dry and we'll shaded. The
streets are broad. level and well shaded
by beautiful live oaks. These stand
just where nature put t.iem. a. often
in the centre as on one sid OF the
streets. Between and among them the
vehicles pass and in SO doing make a
serpentine track on its otherwise green
surface. These live oaks are green all
the year round and furnish n grateful
shade in summer, while the high loca-
ton OF the town, facing the ocean.
makes 1t delightfully."- breezy and pleas
ant. To one who wants a place to en-
joy his dolce far niente there is here
every requisite. These qualities. with
the added attYactions OF the water, In
III a-,-- 8 q
ing, make Southport an ideal place for
a summer resort, IL IL had a railroad
In the matter OF railroads they have
had high hopes but the present condi-
ton of the projected railroad is not
very fattering. Still II must come and
it will come. Places OF less size and
commercial importance have secured
roads and Southport will do so 600. IL
they keep on hammering at IL.
With the road built the town would
keep full Of health and pleasure seek
ers all the year round, for winter sports
may be had, in the way OF hunting tho
wild ducks, turkeys and deer I'm the
immediate vicinity. AT present IL takes
more time and trouble to come here
from Asheville, Charlotte or Raleigh
than TO reach New York from those
places.
The magnificent harbor makes IL u
splendid place OF refuge for all coast
wise vessels bound north or south and
a fine coaling station. These things
are bound to come but they viii come
very slowly, unless our people get y
move on them" and help 10 push the
improvements along. We must not dc
too much waiting for something to turn
up but do some OF the turning ourselves
Southport has many natural advan-
tages and should grow into a large
, and important seaport. with n good
foreign trade. That such will be the
result | am fully convinced.
It is said that one may have the finest
and most perfect invention or machine
EnoTn and stu the world will not run
after IL. The owner must advertise
and push 1t TO make IL a success. IL IL
the same way with "a town; We must
all unite 10 shove it along the road Of
progress or We Will not get there.
fre potent factor in this way IL q
good home paper. Its power To do
! good in the line Of progress is inesti-
-aaDIe II builds up trade and keeps