The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-04-11
CHAMBER OF
Annual Meeting Yesterday fternoon
Mr. w. 4. Worth Elected President.
other Matters C~onsfdered

The chamber Of held it's
annual meeting at $3.50 o'clock yester-
day afternoon at its rooms in the Mac
Rae building. President Chadbourn pre-
sided and Secretary Jno. L Cantwell
was at his post as usual.
On motion, the reading Of the minutes
of the last annual meeting was dis
pensed with. The minutes of the last
monthly meeting were read n ap-
proved.
NEW MEMBERS.
The application OF Messrs. Sol tear
& Co., for membership, was read, n
they were unanimously elected as
members.
The secretary rea a letter from Mr..
Fl. Walters, president of the Atlantic
| Coast Line, under date of Richmond,
Va, March oath, thanking the cham
Der for electing him an honorary mem
Der and expressing his appreciation or
the courtesy.
The secretary read a letter from Cap
tain ". E. Craighill, lately chief OF the
United States engineer corps engaged
in river and harbor improvements in
| North Carolina, rendering his resigna-
ton as an honorary member OF the
chamber. In rendering his resignation
Captain Craighill informs the chamber
that wherever his lot is cast he Will
take a lively interest in the work of
the chamber.
On motion OF Mr.. R.. W. Hicks. the
secretary was instructed to cknowl-
edge the receipt of Captain Craighilps
communication and express the re-
grets OF this body in accepting his res
ignation.
NJ u;oIyc +bap moyad that rantaip
f. w. VanC. Lucas, successor to Cap
tain Craighill, be made an associate
member of the chamber. He said 1t was
very important to be in touch with the
engineer in charge of our river and
harbor improvements, as the chamber
would be better posted as to the work
and could lend it's assistance when
needed. A former engineer had asked
him why we wanted our bar and river
deepened further, and he replied that
it was a We want to see our port
grow, as the increased facilities for
handling larger vessels woul develop
our foreign trade and increase our
trade with the West Indies, etc. The
question was no doubt asked to ascer-
tain what appreciation is felt by our
people of the Importance of the work.
Mr.. Hicks said we want closer contact
with the engineers, in order to build
up our port. His motion to elect Cap
| ain Lucas jill associate uGlIlDcT was
unanimously adopted.
The committee appointed with refer
ence to the proposed visit of the New
England Newspaper League made it's
report and was discharged. They rec
commended that in view of the fact
that the league required $3.50 as a con-
sideration for visiting our city and
writing it up, hat the matter be drop
ped. Later they extended an invitation
to the league to visit our city, but no
expense or remuneration would be
guaranteed. The league, however, went
on south.
The committee consisting of Messrs.
w. F.. Worth, William Gilchrist and
M. w. jacob, appointed to use it's
best efforts to secure the election of the
Hon. Frank Mcneil as a member of
the railroad commission, made it's re-
port. They report that their efforts,
with the assistance of others, had been
successful, and that Mr.. Mcneil had
been elected a m of the commits
sion and made it, chairman. On motion
the committees report was received
with thanks and it was discharged.
THE CRUISER RALEIGH.
Captain George L. Morton, of the
North Carolina naval brigade, a mem
Der Of the committee appointed to lave
the cruiser Raleigh sent here to deliver
to the city of Raleigh one of the guns
captured from the Spaniards at Ma
nila,, reported that Captain T.. D.
Meares and himself visited Washing
ton and were pleasantly received by
the secretary of the navy and the as
sistant secretary. They also had valua-
BILE assistance from Assistant Attorney
General Boyd, and he was glad to state
that the indications were favorable
that the Raleigh would be allowed to
come here. He said he did not think
- >,,11 h. 1880 4Io+ r MAN rnNo~f
that the secretary of the navy had in
formed the mayor of Southport that it
would be impossible to sen the Raj
eigh to Cape Fear waters, and he felt
certain that the ship will be allowed to
come here to present the trophy.
Colonel Cantwell said it was due our
state by naval etiquette to send the
Raleigh within our borders if she is to
be our guest, and he hoped she would
be sent here. The committee was con-
tinued, with instructions to keep up it's
efforts to AVE the cruiser sent to our
port.
BRANCH PHOTOGRAPHIC OFFICE.
Captain Morton asked the co-opera-
ton of the chamber in securing the es-
Establishment at Wilmington of a branch
of the photographic office. He said
while in Washington a couple of weeks
6 he made it a part of his business
TO ascertain WndC chances Cnere WOulO
be to have a. naval officer sent here to
instruct the North Carolina naval mill
tia, in view of the increased interest in
that branch of the service in our state.
The navy department informed him
that an officer could not be detailed for
this purpose, but suggested that if a
branch of the photographic office could
be secured at Wilmington, the officer
in charge could instruct and drill the
naval militia of the state. At every
branch of the photographic office a ma
val officer is always placed in charge
and the office keeps on hand charts OF
every port in the world, and gives in.
formation to ship commanders and ship
owners that could only be secured
in the photographic office. Some Of the
charts are distributed free and others
are sold at cost, and he was satisfied
that it would be greatly to the a.
vantage of our port. Norfolk n Sa.
vannah have branch offices and prob.
ably Charleston. He moved that G
committee be appointed to urge the es-