The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-09-06

Important Movement to Develop
Our Foreign Trade-The Projected
Railroad Connection With the Coal
and Iron RegiOns-GoOd Roads
Movement Set on Foot

Yesterday afternoon at 3:3U O'Clock
was the regular time for the monthly
meeting of the Chamber of Commerce,
but no quorum was present. Several
matters, however, were informally dis
cussed and disposed Of.
An inquiry from Mechanicsville, Yer
mont, concerning a desirable place to
locate industries was referred TO a
committee to consist OF Colonel Walk
er Taylor and Mesrs. J. 3. Mercer n
d. L. Gore.
TO DEVELOP FOREIGN EXPORTS.
President Chadbourn stated that Mr..
Edward b. Taylor, Of Philadelphia, Pa,
southern representative Of The Phil
adelphia Commercial Museum, was
present and would make a few re-
marks concerning the museum and it's
objects. President C~hadbourn said he
had received several letters concern
ing the museum and the concern IA
vOrably commended itself to him.
At his request Mr.. Edwards explain
ed what the museum was. He stated
that the object of the museum was to
develop the foreign trade Of the Unit
cd States and cultivate trade relations.
The idea originated with DR.. Wilson,
an eminent man Of Philadelphia, and
it grew out Of the exhibits made by
the Central and South American
States at the Chicago exposition. These
exhibits were so valuable hat the
idea was conceived to make them per-
manent. Through DR.. Wilson'S sug-
E~estiOn, the city Of Philadelphia under
took to DO this and got the consent of
the countries making the exhibits. Of
fetal action was taken by the Phil
adelphia municipal authorities and the
large buildings of the Pennsylvania
Railroad, on Fourth street, were Sc
cured for the These build
ingS embrace 100 rooms, and the ex-
hibits of the Spanish-American coun-
tries are preserved in them under
competent management. From a
mere exhibition started in 1896 the en-
terprise has sprung into a museum.
and the South American and Contra
American States are interested in it,
and are cooperating in its purposes.
In the museum is preserved the goods,
patterns and styles. with prices at
tached, best adapted to the wants of
the Spanish-AmeriCan countries, so as
to give American manufacturers some
idea of the kind and quality of goods
required. and the competition they
must meet. Besides the exhibit fea-
ture. the museum combines an infOr-
nation bureau on a large scale, and
with the Information secured by the
United States consular service, the
purpos is to develop the xpOrt rad
of our country. The city Of Philadel-
phia has donated sixteen acres of
ground to the museum, and the state
Of Pennsylvania has also come to the
aid of the city, so that it is a state
institution as we'll. National aid is to
be asked for. The museum is not only
national, but international, as it's ad-
VisoTy board consists of representa-
tives not only from the Unit
cd states, but from the va
rious states o Central and South
America. The Chambers of Commerce
Boards Of Trades and industrial or
CARNATIONS of this cOuntry are re-
quested and urged to appoint repre-
sentatives Of the advisory board, and
put themselves in touch with the move
ment. Mr.. Edwards said he was here
to ask this chamber to appoint repre-
sentatives and get in touch with the
museum. No cost is attached to it.
Mr.. Edwards said he was interested
in the south and had made invest
Iiiti-i9 civ Nv tIlIN Yeas dSO, anu / l.
afforded him pleasure to interest this
section in the museum. He is now de-
NelOping 10000 acres of cypress lands
on the Wateree River in South Caro-
lima He exhibited reports published
by the museum giving information in
detail concerning repOrts to South and
Central American cOuntries-not only
giving the quality of goods. but the
quantity supplied, where shipped from,
by whom and to whom sold. and at
what prices. The value of these re-
ports can. therefore. be easily seen.
President C~hadbOurn n Mr..
Taylor for his remarks. and ap-
pointed Messrs. J. A. Arringdale and
r. w. Haywood to represent his
chamber in connection with the mu-
scum. 90
TO THE IRON AND COAL FIELDS.
President Chadbourn called atten-
tion to the recent publications concern
ing a project to nnec Wilmington
by rail with iron fields of western North
Carolina and coal fields of Tennessee.
He said this was a very important
matter and such a project carried
out would be the making of our town.
He said he had some letters from some
of the promoters of the scheme and it
was desirable that Wilmington be
kept in communication with them in
order to secure the desired connection
for Wilmington. BY request that he be
one of the committee, President Chad
bourn appointed the following commit
tee to take up this matter: President
ChadbOurn and MesSrS. T. w. ClawSon
and w. f. Worth.
Mr.. F.. L. Higgins reported concern
ing the recent entertainment here by
the chamber of Mr.. Stanley G.. FOw-
Ter. editor of Seaboard Air Line Ma
gundi. and his party. He said he was
glad to say tina Mrs. Fowler's health
was wonderfully improved by her stay
at the seaside as a guest of the Sea-
shore hotel.
\ letter from Mr.. Fowler was read
thanking the chamber for the enter
tainment and the courtesies extended
to him while here.
GOOD ROADS.
Mr.. Thomas f. Bagley inquired if
Mir. higgins was ready to report about
thn va ~ ~ x-h5ah I> 90