The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-01-21

ain Crasghill also spoke briefly Of the
fortifictions at Fort Caswen and in
formed the chamber that efforts were
being made, and they were being en-
dorSed by the commercial bodies or
New York, and other large cities. to
get congress Il increase the artillery
service of the country. The service
now consists of three regiments of 5000
men ard it is the desire 10 prevail upon
congress to add two more regiments
hich would add 1000 more men to the
service.
Upon concluding his remarks Cap
tain Craighill was very heartily APP
plauded. President Chadbourn re-
marked that ne agreed with him that
this occasion was on a most suspicious
day-the birthday of that eminent
Christian soldier, General E. Lee, Zap
plause.) He then called on Mr.. Geo. r.
French to speak on
THE LEATHER AND SHOE TRADE.
Nh. French spoke of the shoe and
leather trade as among the largest in
terests in this country. He re-
! marked upon it's growth, and said the
| shoe manufacturers of this country
were now exporting shoes to Europe
and South America. In London there
are two large stores selling American
shoes exclusively and they are very
| popular. He said the wholesale shoe
trade of Wilmington was in a prOmiS-
ing condition and that the dealers nav
| no trouble in selling all the goods they
are inclined to, considering capital in
vested in the business here. The repu-
station of Wilmington in the Wholesale
she trade was very Favorable, along
side of Richmond, Norfolk, L~ynchburg,
| CTba r1acfnn fRantimQ1~a and even New
York. He remarked upon modern shoe
manufacturing, and closed with hearty
applause for his hearers.
OUR ADVANTAGES FOR MANU-
FACTORIES.
Mr.. B. A. Jones. president of the
Roanoke Chemical Company, which
now has it's baking powder and soda
mandatory in our city, was called
upon to speak of Wilmington's advan-
tages for manufacturing. He said that
some months before removing his plant
ito our city he put himself in commune
cation with the general freight agents
at the various distributing points in
the south, and after comparing the
freight rates of other cities with those
of Wilmington as a distributing point,
he found that Wilmington had the
advantage over any otner city in the
! south. (Applause.) When he first
came to Wilmington he observed very
closely, as he intended to move his
! family here. He noticed the many
| church spires reaching heavenward, he
visited the schools and found their
equipment and efficiency compared
~favOrab1y with any in this country,
and he found here manly men and
WOmanly women He expressed him
self as very much pleased with Will
mington and said he was delighted
with his reception by u people. He
then made some criticism of the lack
of enterprise and made suggestions as
to the means of encouraging new in
dustries to he located here. He said
he vas surprised at the wonderful ad-
vantages our city has in the way of
water and rail transportation, and ne
stopped to wonder why diversified in
dSutries are not established here. He
then suggested wood working indus-
tries, and others as suitable to be eS-
tabliShed here, and made "a talk alto
gether that was to the point. His re-
marks were highly appreciated and
warmly applauded.
OUR TRUCKING INDUSTRY.
Mr.. Jno. F. Garrell was called upon
to speak ON our trucking interests.
He said he could say from four years
experience and observation that this
section was very favorable for the
trucking industry, and that trucking
here abouts had doubled in the past
four years. All who engaged in it
were doing fairly Well. He said the re-
giOn about Wilmington was happily
free from the danger to truck by Sc
we're cold weather, and said this was
an advantage, when it is remembered
that even the lettuce crop in Florida
had been killed put by cold weather
this winter. After speaking of the
value of the trucking industry about
Norfolk, and other matters connected
with the industry, he took his seat
amid the nos a~ppreciative applause.
Mr.. I. ". ClawsOn was called or to
speak for the press, but did not eX-
pect to be called upon and begged to
be excused.
The venerable Colonel James G..
u was called upon to talk about
Old Wilmington and he greatly enter
tanned the chamber with an account
and some anecdotes of the old method
of doing business sixty years ago.
The then adjourned.