The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1904-05-10
Ghs messrnger.
WHAT WILMINGTON NEEDS.

The editor dropped in on the cham
Der of commerce toward the close of its
annual meeting which was held yes
terday afternoon. He left regretting
that he had not put in an appearance
earlier. He was in time only TO hear
the closing remarks of Mr.. James II.
Chadbourn and a few words by Mr..
Hugh MacRae. These gentlemen were
discussing the prospects for industrial
development of Wilmington n the
adjacent trucking territory.
Mr.. Chadbourn when we entered the
room was giving an account of hat ne
saw during a days stay at Chadbourn
this week. 1t was n OF the big straw
berry days. He told how the sales were
made: how the truckers were piling up
the money. how that section was fast
becoming the garden spot Of the south.
Mr.. Chadbourn is OF an inquisiuVe
turn OF mind and he wants to know all
tina is going on He interviewed sew
eral OF the men who were there That
day selling berries and he. in an inter-
esting manner, detailed to h MEM
bers OF the chamber who were present
what he learned from these men re-
garding their success in truck farming
at that point. Men who went to that
neighborhood n few years ago and n
to buy their land on credit now own
good farms on which they do not owe
O dollar and have ~gOod-sized bank &C
counts. Mr.. Chadbourn mentioned n
man wig five years ago bought a farm
for five hundred dOllars-he bought 1t
on credit. He had only n hundred
dollars. Today that man has a nice
house on his place; the land has been
well fenced and ditched. The man does
not owe q dollar on account Of purchase
or improvements Of his farm and has
over four thousand dollars on deposit
in the bank OF C~hadbourn. Mr.. Chad
bourn mentioned several instances OF
this kind. His purpose in citing these
individual cases and in giving an -
count OF the wonderful progress that
had been made in that section was to
show what could De done in the Will
mington section If the people would
take the matter up with the same spirit
and energy as have those of Chadbourn.
He declared that the lands arou-- this
oity were as well adapted to the raising
OF Strawberries and vegetables as were
those OF the Charbourn section. His
remarks were exceedingly interesting
to one who vas not acquainted with the
facts
Mr.. Hugh HacRae in a playful way
expressed fear that Mr.. Chadbourn
might ~depopulate Wilmington if he
continued to depict the glories of the
trucking business of C~hadbourn. This
speaker made the statement that it was
possible to double the population of
Wilmington in ten years by a desirable
class OF immigrants from France, Ger
many and Italy, were proper measures
taken to induce these people to come.
He thought that our immediate sec
ton could be made the garden spot Of
the United States. Mr.. MacRae's sug-
gestion was the direct importation OF
these immigrants instead OF combat
ting with other sections of the country
at Castle Garden. New York.
There is no doubt abou it thai were
the proper steps taken to induce the
right kind of immigration and to en-
courage truck farming this Immediate
section could be wonderfully improved.
We have the climate, the soil nnd the
shipping facilities, with an ever in
creasing demand for garden products.
All We need is the people OF energy and
perseverance to come in n tax uD
the waste lands and turn them into pro-
ductive fields. There is a mint of
wealth right around US. All we need
is the men to dig it out of the earth.
Mr.. MacRae said that Of course he
did not expect to see our population
double in ten years but that he felt
sure It could be done and that by n
most desirable class OF farming immi-
grants If the work were undertaken in
the right way.
We do not suppose there is any one
in this community who is better ac-
quainted with local conditions, with
what is necessary t improve them and
with what methods should be adopted
for their betterment than MI. Hugh
MacRae. He has acquainted himself
with conditions at home and abr ?
both by study and by personal observa-
ton in both fields. His views, then re-
garding the advantages to be derived
from immigration of the class of for
eigners mentioned by him and the man.
ner of securing them should be given
due consideration by those OF our people
who wish to see our city built up and
our section made the garden spot of
tho Ian.I"