The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-05-15

building up a new city in it's entirety.
You have but to look around you and
behold the handsome residences, the
large and spacious wholesale n retail
business houses, manufactures and
many other improvements too numer-
Gus to mention. Our old sand-hflls
have given place to handsome macad-
amized roads and our streets are paved
with Belgian blocks and vitrified brick.
Our wealth when properly listed at lis
true value for taxation would show
twenty millions of dollars. Our taxes
are not excessive; our city bonds sell
readily at a premium. We are the fifth
cotton port in the world having nam
died 324 900 bales the past year, and
the largest producers of strawberries
and early vegetables in this section to
be found in America. We q more Odd
Fellows than IN city in North Carroll
ma. We have an excellent police de-
partment. one of the best equipped paid
fire departments in the country; Our
newspapers compare f~avorably with the
best; u preachers are consecrated and
~eloquenet; u legal talent is most pro-
found; our merchants are the mos-
progressive on earth: We have more
wholesale grocers Than any city be-
tween Baltimore and New Orleans; our
climate is excellent; the temperature
averaged for 1902 only 81 10 degrees,
our death rate is low: our mechanics
are skillful; our forests are full of fra
grant flowers; u streams are full Of
fish, our ladies are handsome; our
babies are just too sweet and lovely for
anything; our citizens are full Of pluck.
push and thrift, and President Winston
Of the Agricultural and Mechanical col
lege, at Raleigh, on a recent visit here,
declared that We had the best public
schools in the state; we ave twenty
Gr-1 f1o+ 20 --24@- @,- Io~ -1 ~
ableS ships carrying 5000 bales of cot
ton TO come and go; we have six lines
Of railroad centering here, and the
finest railroad offices n workshops,
employing eight hundred people, under
the control of the Atlantic Coast Line
system, which employs 700 people in Our
city; we have two large cotton mills,
employing 600 hands; two cotton COM
presses, giving employment during the
busy season to 500 hands; a $50, 900 to-
baccO warehouses; nan saw mills
| which furnish labor for 1900 people,
machine shops n other manufacto-
ries; numbers of sailing crafts and
steam boats trading on our beautiful
Cape Fear river and its tributaries
| We have recently erected one Of the
finest electic plants in the south: the
| power house alone costing $3.50 900; a
| modern system of water works, consist
ing of sixteen miles of pipe, and Ill
| public fire hydrantS, with q pumping
capacity of three millions of gallons IN
tWenty-fOur hours. We have q system
| of sanitary sewerage, and many travel
ing men regularly employed by our job
| bers covering North and South Carroll
ma. We have -four Of the finest sea-
side resorts on the Atlantic coast. We
have five banks containing deposits of
| $3.50. O32.69 We have all these things
and many Others that we could name,
but time will not permit This should
| suffice.
The commercial exchange reports
the value of products and merchandise
handled the past twelve months ending
| April l, 1903 to be twenty seven mill
| lions of dollars in DUN numbers.
Our p~ostoffice receipts for twelve
months was $54, S15.4S.
ITO sum UP, there is no parallel IN
| the history Of this city for the marvel
| GUS change that has place in 4
| material and business way for the past
few years. On every side there Is tn
| spring evidences of prOgresslVeness.
| There is a spirit of hopefulness such as
\ has not existed in many years. We are
| a happy and contented people. and I
| take occasion to advise any of you
! gentlemen that are contemplating CIV
| ing up your own vine n fg-rree ID
| come to Wilmington. 1t is a veritable
| Eden.
I'm conclusion. permit me to say that
in the name of our whole people L greet
| YOU. We are pleased. we are delighted
to have you with us: the city is yours;
| take it, but do not abuse its privileges
being gentlemen and odd Fellows. you
will not violate the laws-yOu are our
friends and OUT guests. l bid you well
come.
The first to respond to the addresses
r-a-I ATnc+nr Tnhn
F. Griffith. of Winston. In his s
attractive style he said:
My Brethren: l could not find Ian
guage to portray my feelings on this
occasion. l do not feel like l can ex-
press the wonderful kindness you
have already shown. l could not begin
to estimate the greatness of your city
Of Wilmington | simply pass that ps
and rejoice in the words and state
ments made by my distinguished
brethren of your city
81 remember we'll the struggle you
had and sympathized with YOU we
rejoiced When you threw off the yoke
Every true North C~arollnian reJolcec
with lou.
wilmington could not be otherwise
than a great city, as it is the home
of odd Fellowship. You now have -four
lodges with a large membership, com
posed of the best citizenship.
Il feel like the man of old when he
felt too full for u~tterance. and feeling
full of fraternal love exclaimed. 1t Is
good to be here We appreciate, J
assure you, the hearty, touching anC
splendid addresses of your distinguish
ed and honore brethren. 1t is really
no more than we expected or antici'
pated. as your fame had preceded You
I 1t had gone forth that Wilmington
knew how to entertain n those who
accepted her hospitality felt badly
when the time of departure was a.
hand, and 1 feel that way already
One of the brethren spoke of you
ladies. They have already honorec
ME. Last night they permitted me Il
1oin their Rebekah Lodge. treating m
royalty most elegantly.
W expect to urn ourselves loos'
among you and have a good time. blu
want to remind all that while We an
enjoying hospitality. we must not for