The semi-weekly messenger., 1902-10-03


tee on Industrial and business enter
prises held an interesting and impor-
tant meeting yesterday to take action
on the project 10 erect a tobacco ware
house in Wilmington and to encourage
the farmers of this and surrounding
counties to cultivate tobacco
The members of the committee in at
tendance were Chairman NJ. w. Jacob
and Messrs- W. E. Worth. w. H
Brown, George o. Gaylord and ]. H.
Boatwright
Chairman Jacob read a letter from
Mr.. James II. Ckadbourn, president of
the Chamber OF Commerce, relative
to the importance of making Whining
ton tobacco market and the estab-
hshment Of a tobacco warehouse in
this city. He also read a communica-
ton and submitted TO the committee a
subscription list continuing the names
OF eight citizens who subscribed eight
shares OF stock as the initiative in or
ganizing a tobacco warehouse COM
pany. The committee received the list
and VIII take steps to secure additional
subscriptions and secure information
to place the matter in a practical way
before our people.
An interesting letter from Mr.. E. N.
Pace, who is connected with a tobacco
warehouse at Wilson, was read. He
suggests the way to start a tobacco
warehouse and endorses the movement
to make Wilmington a tobacco mar
ket.
A letter from Messrs. Blalock q
Stallings, practical tobacco warehouse
men, of Kinston, was also read. They
give valuable information about the
business.
There was also read a letter from Mr..
george w. Watts. of Durham, one of
the managers of the American Tobacco
Company. He makes some practical
suggestions about encouraging the cui-
ture OF tobacco and the making of Will
m1ngton tobacco market. He says
there is no doubt that a warehouse in
wilmington will pay if enough weed
is grown to make business for it. He
gives interesting statistics of the growth
of the tobacco business at Durham.
and suggests that the best way to en-
courage the farmers to raise tobacco
is to distribute literature about it's cul-
ture and employ practical tobacco
farmer to explain to the farmers the
He says New Hanover county ought to
grow as good tobacco as is grown about
Kinston, Rocky Mount, Wilson, and
In the tobacco belt Of South Carolina,
where it has been made great sue
cess.
Mr.. Gaylord read a letter from Mr.
Frank Andrews, of Tar Landing, Ons-
low county, in which he mentions that
Mr.. E. w. Dixon, of DiXon's Curve,
Onslow county, recently hauled to-
bacco seventy miles to the Kinston
market and that it brought the high
est price during that days sales. MI.
Dixon cultivated six acres in tobacco
and sold his crop for 5000, having raised
it on land which he cultivated in cot.
ton last year, producing three bales
that brought $120. The difference is
notable and it must be remembered
that Mr.. Dixon reports that it cost him
about the same to produce cotton as
it did to grow tobacco.
Mr.. Gaylord also read a letter from
N. c., giving practical in
formation about the details of operat-
ing a tobacco warehouse.
Mr.. Worth expressed the opinion that
it would require capital of $4,000 to
$50, 900 to work up and handle the to-
bacco business in Wilmington and in
this section. but he had no doubt what
ever as to the success of the enterprise,
the only abstacIe being the lack of
farmers to grow the weed hereaboutS.
The concensus of opinion among the
committee was that it will be feasible
to draw tobacco to this market from a
radius of sixty to seventy-fiva miles,
and that Wilmington will make an ad-
market, considering our
facilities for shipments by rail and
water, and the advantages Of our
freight rates and our opportunities for
doing an export business.
Mr.. Gaylord stated that he was deep
ly interested in making Wilmington a
tobacco maket and thought nothing
should be left undone to establish a to-
bacco warehouse here and encourage
our farmers to cultivate the weed. as it
will afford them a money crop at
time of year when it is lacking.
After enthusiastically discussing the
project, the committee decided to go
forward with it's efforts, and in fur
therance of the project Chairman ia
cobb appointed a subcommittee con-
sisting of Messrs. George o. Gaylord
and w. E. Worth to visit Kinston,
Goldskoro and other tobacco markets
to inspect warehouses and secure de-
tails for their operation, together with
about the business In gsn-
eral.
On motion Of Mr.. Gaylord, the com
mittee decided to have a tobacco booth
during the Pythian Carnival and Mer-
chants Fall Festival to be held in VIII
mington, November 3rd, 4th, 5th, 9Th
and 7th. He offered his vacant lot ad-
Joining his store on Front street 1or
the booth 1t is proposed to have an
exhibit Of tobacco in the booth and 10
have a practical tobacco man on hard
TO explain to farmers about tobacco
culture and give information generally
about the business.
Mr.. Gaylord read a letter from
Greenville giving an account OF a re-
cent tobacco sale. showing that rnahog-
ony wrapper sold at As cents pound,
filler at 16 cents, white wrap
per at So cents and smoker at IA cents.
After discussing the matter an hour
and a half the committee adjourned
Messrs Worth and Gaylord will prob
ably leave today to visit several tobac-
CO markets.
Typical South African store.