The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-12-06
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
Regular Monthly Meet
ing Yesterday.
INTERESTING MATTERS.

Several Important Questions Discussed
Trophies of the War with Spain to be
Brought to WiImingtOn-The City
Charter Hon. Frank MCNEIL for
Railroad Commissioner-For the Up
building of Wilmington.
The Chamber of Commerce met IN
regular monthly session yesterday af-
ternoon at $3.50 o'clock at it's rooms in
the MacRae building. President Jas.
II. Chadbourn, Jr., was in the chair and
Colonel John l.. Cantwell was at his
post as secretary.
The following members were in at
tendance: Messrs. T. D.. Meares, A. b.
Shedding, F. L. Woodruff, H. A. Burr,
M. w. jacob, Iredell Meares, George
l.. Morton, Thomas F. Bagley, K. M.
Wescott, John D. Bellamy, George K.
French, w. E. Worth, James Kyle,
Hugh MacRae, r. w. Hicks, J. A. Tay-
Tor, C. e. Borden, Sam Bear, Jr., F.
l.. Higgins, Clayton Giles, w. J. Mar
tin and T. w. Clawson.
The minutes of the last regular and
special meetings were read and APP
proved.
CONGRESSMAN BELLAMY ELECT
ED A MEMBER.
On motion of Mr.. W. E. Worth, the
Hon. John D. Bellamy, the democratic
member-elect from this district, was
unanimously elected an honorary
member of the chamber.
Congressman Bellamy was present
and in response to applause and calls,
he briefly addressed the Chamber. He
expressed his thanks for the n
conferred upon him, and commended
the work of the chamber in the up
building of our city. He said he knew
of no part of North Carolina that needed
more congressional aid than Whining
ton and this immediate vicinity. We
need appropriations for the improve
ment of our river n harbor in the
interest of navigation and to build up
the chief seaport of the state; we need
an appropriation to complete our coast
defenses; an appropriation is desired
for the construction of a road to the
National cemetery; and appropriations
are wanted for the quarantine station
and for marine and army hospitals.
Speaking of the marine hospital, he
said DR.. c.. P. W~ertenbaker, the sur
geon in charge, had shown him plans
of two buildings for hospitals, one for
the purpose of taking care Of sick sail
ors and one for sick soldiers. It is
believed that appropriations can be Sc
cured for building these hospitals, and
for other purposes, and Congressman
Bellamy assured the chamber, which
interests itself in the welfare of the
community, that he would use his ut
most e~ndeavors in congress to secure
appropriations for the objects named,
and to cheerfully do whatever is in his
power hat is necessary to be done for
building up this port. He declared
that it would be his delight to be of
service to North Carolina in the ma
tional legislative body, and asked the
chamber to call his attention to what
ever they wanted done and pledged
himself to attend promptly to all mat
tiers presented to him. (Applause.)
A HISTORIC GAVEL.
When Congressman Bellamy was
about to take his seat, Mr.. w. e.
Worth handed him a gavel which he
requested Mr.. Bellamy to present tC
the president in behalf of some of the
members. Mr.. Bellamy, holding the
gavel in his hand, said:
Mr.. President:
You are the presiding officer of a
body which devotes it's attention tC
the uplifting of the material interest
of the chief seaport of North Carolina
and which looks always with jealous
regard upon all matters which con
Germ the reputation and welfare of thu
state.
The Insignia of your office, and tina
which is used in all de~liberative as
semblies is the gavel, and l am re
Quested by Mr.. w. E. Worth in behal
of himself and other members, to pre-
sent you for you use, in ~dischargin:
your duty as president, n that nov
hold, which has connected with it
b. some very important historic associa
lions.
1t is made of wood, that fOrme
a part of the mansion of COrneliu
Harnett, which stood for more tina
a century, on the banks of the Cap
Fear, at Hilton, the place of residenc
of that great patriot Of the America
revolution.
Many of you, are not unfamiliar wit
the incident, hat at that residence
Josiah Quincy, of Massachusetts,, i
his travels through the colonies, seek
ing kindred spirits who would unit
in a common plan to rescue the cole
mics from British oppression and st
cure their independence, met Corne
Jus Harnett and General Robert How
and together they formed a schem
which widened and broadened in i
scope, until the American revolutio
became a fact, and independence We