The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1904-04-26

10
F. Keith, c. w. Palvogt 1. II. Bear.
Walker Taylor. f. B. Rogers, ]. Allen
Taylor, G.. J. Boney, George L. Morton,
Thomas w. C1awson, w. p. Mangum.
Turner, H. T. Bauman, J. A. Springer,
J.. Springer, II. 0. Wallace, A. B..
Judge Z. A. Mcneil OF Lum-
berton; Hon. ]. A. Brown, Of Chad
ham; DR.. z. Porter, Of Rocky Point,
and MINT. Harry Brown, Of Chadbourn
The bill of fare was as follows:
Little Necks on Deep Shell,
Olives. Cucumbers.
Green Turtle a Ia Angiaise,
Sailed Almonds, Celery.
Planked Shad au Drawn Buttes,
Tomatoes. Pomme Julienne.
FYilet of Tenderloin, with Mushrooms.
Green Peas, Creamed Potatoes,
Strawberry Ice Cream. Cake.
Coffee,
Champagne.
Mr.. 2. w. Whitehead. editor OF the
Carolina Fruit and Truckers Journal,
was POSTMASTER, and after the inner
man had been satisfied, he announced
the different speakers and the sub
jects hat had been assigned them.
The first speaker was the Hon. William
E. Springer, mayor of Wilmington,
who delivered the address Of welcome.
He said:
Mr.. POSTMASTER and Fellow Members
of the American Fruit and Produce
Travellers Association:
FAMOUS the wid world over for the
open handed hospitality Of her people
and the inherent spirit Of chivalry
among her citizens, on behalf of the
city OF Wilmington, the great seaport
city of the "Old North States" il be-
comes my privilege and pleasure alike
to welcome to our midst and hearts to-
night. you, the members of the Amer
lean Fruit and Produce Travellers As
ISOLATION on the occasion OF your
seventh annual meeting. Standing for
all that is honorable and fair among
business men between the grower on
the one hand and the receiver on the
other. we greet you as the harbingerS
of a better understanding between two
great interests, and the forerunners OF
an expanded prosperity, such as the
present and succeeding generations
might welcome with acclaim, m her
aid to the foul corners OF h civilized
world with renewed pleasure and de-
light, as the dawning of a brighter day
for our people.
Around the camp fires of competition
today we are all fighting the battles
for supremacy. but that competition
can be made honorable in every sense
Of the word. and organized ~ostensibly
for that purpose in order that closer
business relations might be cultivated
between the grower and dealer to u
mutual advantage, it comes within the
purview Of your association to make
itself a mighty factor, by precept and
example, for the incubation of those
immortal principles of right and JUS
tice everywhere recognized as the pass
port between business men and thu
cOunterSign among gentlemen. As
such I bid you welcome. thrice well
come, and would assure you that the
pleasure is ours of having you minele
and break bread with us ON this occa-
sion under our wv vine and fig tree.
The head and centre of the greatest
strawberry and vegetable district in the
United States, and 1 might well add
in the known world. it is both practi-
cal and feasible that you should have
selected our beautiful and growing
city as the logical meeting place 70"
your annual gatherings where you can
confer, one with the other, compare
notes, discuss and formulate ways and
means for the betterment Of those con-
ditions with which YOU have to deal
and contend.
Aside from being the great Clearing
House for an industry unsurpassed by
anything within the confines of North
Carolina, we have and I bid you well
come to a city of twenty-five thou
sand and odd souls, with It's highways
OF and resident streets that
will compare favorably with the most
beautiful and attractive; palatlal homes
and business blocks OF modern archi-
lecture; q public school system as good
as the best. churches for public wor-
ship, whose towering spires point
Heavenward to that mansion above
not made with hand" where all nation
alities can worship their God accord
ing to the dictates of their own o
science; a railroad center that keeps
us in close touch with the busy, throh-
bling arteries of permeating
the uttermost parts of the. earth, and a
deep water connection with the ocean
that makes us neighbors with continent
tai Europe, Cuba and Porto Rico.
Blessed with all these, and more, ]
would not have you overlook our re-
nowned and popular seaside resorts
Wrightsvflle and Carolina Beach. one
just beyond the border limits of our
city and made a suburb of Wilmington
| by our superb system of electric rail
ways, while the other is no less aces
sable by a delightful ride down the
historic Cape Fear. Proud of my peo-
| pie and my adapted city, and speaking
as the executive head of our munich.
pality. it gives me pleasure to say thai
here assembled is a specimen of oul
citizenship and before you is an object
lesson OF our monographs nature AMI
hospitality.
Response by Mr.. j. G.. Thompson, OF
the American Fruit T. Produce
Travellers Association, "Old in expert.
ence, a veteran of many years, bu
young in looks and activity"
Mr.. ToaStmaSter His Honor, the Mayo
- Naturalization anl CantlnnQn.