The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-09-23
TOBACCO WAREHOUSE SCHEME.
Strong Reasons Why Wilmington
should Become a Market for To-
Geo. O.. Gaylord Pre-
SCENTS n Plan to Organize the En-
terprise-This is n Fine
Region.

Wilmington, y. c., Sept. 20. 1902.
Editor Messenger:
Every business man you meet is
alive TO the great advantage the tobac-
CO industry be TO US a. q City.
This city oTecs more as a wholesale
market than any city in the southern
states. Dur railroad facilities leading
in from the tobacco growing counties
are better for the following reasons:
First. this city is a seaport equal TO any
on the Atlantic coast, and we have
many different ines Of steamers and
sailing vessels running UP and down
the from Beaufort, N. c., to
Georgetown, S. G. Tobacco can be
grown at a profit throughout this en-
tire belt OF about $50 miles scope Of
country and marketed at point for
less freight than at any other large
center. The Cape Fear river, with
Black river and Town Creek and its
other branches, runs through the finest
tobacco lands his state has. The rate Of
freight is practically nothing, as the
different boats have competing lines
and they do the work as low as can
we'll be done. The Clyde line makes
regular trips to Georgetown weekly
and we could control the tobacco from
that point IL we offered a market that
was not equalled at other places.
There is large portion Of our tobac-
CO SHIPPED to foreign countries and now
Norfolk and Newport News are the
shipping points, thereby causing the
farmer pay two freights When one
would answer, as the largest ships can
be loaded at our wharfS for the export
trade. We have five railroads, as I
mentioned in my former article. This
places us as a competitor for freight
rates not offered to other cities, and
the light sandy soil Of our surrounding
country, 1 understand, produces the
golden leaf tobacco which brings the
best prices for wrappers for fine tobac-
cos, and it has been fairly demon
strated that the light sandy soil makes
the brightest tobacco and it brings the
best price on the market.
The town Of Darlington, S. c., has
three warehouses and expects to build
the fourth by next season.
The town of Mullins, S. c., has three
warehouses and expects to build the
fourth by next season.
Darlington has two StemmerleS for
preparing tobacco for the export trade.
Kinston, N. c., a eight warehouses
and real estate in that town has in
creased in value ten times since its
first tobacco sale.
The town Of Greenville, n. c., has six
tobacco warehouses and the sales in one
of these averaged $4,000 pounds last
week. The tobacco warehouses in that
town are paying out to the farmers
every day from $685. 900 to $5S, 500.
If Greenville can make such a show
ing as this, what can we will our great
facilities accomplish?
The warehouses of the town of Oar
lington have sold and paid out to the
farmers, as I lave been reliably inform
ed. this season $260, 000.
A gentleman of II years of 6 had
lived on rented land all his life in OAR
lington county, s. c. Last season ne
bought a very poor, sandy, one-hors
farm, all on time, for 5 1000. His bill at
the store for supplies in cultivating this
| years stock was $3.50. He has Sold his
this years tobacco crop and paid for his
farm in full and his store account and
has money in the bank besides. This is
one instance n there are thousands
Of others just as good and some even
better.
Now, my good people, farmers, labor
ers, capitalists and merchants, we need
as a start in the right direction two
warehouses, n let us have no small,
cheap buildings. Let them be 10Ox1OC
sleeping departments for our farmers,
and stables for teams and carts.
Let's appoint a committee to thor
oughly investigate the raising and cur
ing of tobacco. Furnish all our farm
ers with tobacco seed at cost, n lei
every man who is interested plant a
small crop of tobacco and get his
neighbor to do so.
There is money a plenty to build the
warehouses. One man offers to build one
himself. Everybody wants stock. My
J plan is this: Sell shares for $1.00 a
share and let $500 be the limit for any
one stakeholder or a company. Give
each stockholder the right to vote for
the officers and directors.
I ask other men that are interested
in the tobacco move to let us hear from
them and everybody give it a lift in the
right direction.
There are many Others besides myself
who are deeply interested in this mat
ter, and We mean business, and unless
something unforeseen takes place we
will have the warehouses by next sea-
SOn GEO. ..
THE POLITICAL CAMPAIGN.
Hon. Locke Craig and nat