The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-03-11
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
f0RTY-NlSTH ANNUAL MEETING YES.
TsR0AY AFTERNOON.
Report of the President Showing
the Years work-An Omeers Re-
-eiected-Proposition ta Consolidate
ALI the Commercial Bodies

The chamber OF commerce held its
f~orty-ninth annual meeting yesterday
at $50 p. m. at its rooms In the Sea-
board Air Line building. President W
M jacob presided and Colonel John L.
Cantwel. the secretary. was in attend
ance.
On motion the reading OF the minutes
OF the forty-eiR.hth annual meeting was
dispensed with. The minutes OF the
last regular meeting were read and
approved.
Under the e OF committee reports.
I. w. Clawson. of the joint committee
on securing double daily passenger SER
vice on the Seaboard Air Line. by a
train leaving Wilmington early In the
morning. e a letter from General
Manager ]. NJ Barr, Of the Seaboard
Air Line. stating hat he would be here
next Thursday. March 18th. TO meet and
discuss the matter with the committee.
The committee appointed TO secure
more prompt delivery OF freight from
Wilmington. Raeford. Rockfsh. and
Dundarrach by way OF Aberdeen. hav-
ing secured favorable action by the
Seaboard Air Line. vas discharged.
Mr.. ]. A. Taylor, of the committee
appointed to consider the request to
cooperate in securing the passage OF a
general bankruptcy act. reported that
the committee had taken action and
forwarded the endorsement of this
chamber as directed. The committed
was discharged.
President jacob reported progress for
the committee appointed to secure a
larger appropriation for our river and
harbor.
Mr.. d. L. Gore. of the joint commit
tee appointed to invite speakers here
to address our people on the develop
ment of the resources of Eastern North
Carolina and of this particular section,
reported that DR.. George T. Winston, of
the Agricultural and Mechanical COL
lege, had accepted the committees in
vitation and would address our people
tonight( Friday at the Y. NJ. c. A. au-
ditorium. He said DR.. Winston expect
ed to arrive here by the Atlantic Coast
Lin this morning, and that the public
is invited to hear his address tonight.
LONG DISTANCE PHONE.
The committee appointed to work in
the interest of long distance telephone
but no member of the committee was
present. Mr.. T. S. McManus, manager
of the Southern Bell Telephone and TEL
egraph Company's exchange in Will
mington, by request, made a few re-
marks touching the long distance line
which that company proposes to build
to Wilmington. He aid the company
had already taken action on that mat
ter n a decided to build to Will
mington but lie could not say just yet
what progress was made in that con-
nection. He would say, however. that
steps were being taken to orange all
the details for building the connectio On
to Wilmington from Raleigh. Two rep
resentatives of the company are now IN
Wilmington on that business. One ar
lived here January 10th and arranged
for the poles necessary to build the line
and another representative arrived here
a few days ago to take preliminary
steps for the construction Of the line
He said the company was as nxiou &C
build the line as the people of Whining.
tong are to have 1t, and if the Plans are
not impeded he believed the line would
be in operation by July 1st and not later
than August 1st. At present everything
iC wnrRinO smoothly and in viQU ~ III
building of the long distance line step:
were being taken to reconstruct the To-
cal exchange by putting in a metallic
service equal to any commercial city OF
his size in the United States. He stat
ed that he had worked hard to get long
distance service to Wilmington and the
prospects now are that he will see his
hopes realized at an early day.
WILMINGTON DAY.
Mayor A. NJ. WaddeIl was present and
addressed the meeting briefly in the in
terest of Wilmington Day at the Char
lesion exposition. He said he was not
present to appeal 10 The pocket books
OF the chamber of commerce. but to
suggest that the public interest and the
prophecies Of the occasion demanded
that III city should be we'll represented
at the exposition on Wilmington day
He stated that at the request OF Major
J. c. Hemphill, one OF the directors Of
the exposition. he had named Friday
April 18th, as Wilmington day. and as
everyone well knew that North Carols.
ma week is from April eth to IA h. and
the governor would be there with q
composite regiment OF the state guarC
and a battalion of the naval reserves
Of North Carolina, II would be a good
opportunity for the people OF Whining.
ton to be there in as large numbers a,
possible to make a good showing fol
our city. He said II might also be wei
to wea a button or badge representa-
tive Of Wilmington, and he though
some effort might be made to work n
sentiment and secure : reduced rat
over the Atlantic Coast Line for thos.