The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1905-06-06
"a ID CITY-NIT."

"a MODEL CITY-NTT."
Under the above heading The OBJ
server, of Charlotte, a few days ago
published the following interview with
a travelling man:
Do you find The Model City dull
these days?" asked an Observer nia
yesterday. Of a we'll known travelling
salesman who has been coming to
Charlotte for the last twenty years
"Dull! That is no name for it: and
if you people persist in passing little
fool ordinances about buying cigars.
and .iineade and the like. on Sunday.
you might as we'll stick up foul tomb
stones at the great independence
Square. for the towns name is Ill
That is the truth. There was a time
when the fair city OF Charlotte was
praised by every me but that is not
true today. Everybody kicks at her
now.
If your people have not found that
it is dullcr than it has been before
III 10 years. it is because they have
not taken stock.
why. what are our real estate
men doing? Where do your archi-
tects find employment? It's not a.
home. but in h adjoining cities.
Ia " Sooi f
have to get out Of Charlotte to do
business. Dull? Yes, I should say so!
II see from the papers that you have
to dig hard to get up $1,000 to enter
tain an encampment Of soldiers. What
DO YOU think OF that? Dull? That IS
not the name for tits dead"
Eyes. but it is a Model City," de-
clared the newspaper man
so I hear-yes. it's a Model City,
all right
The News takes The Observer up and
makes the following comment on the
above:
The gentleman must not know the
roDeS.
The above article is misleading
throughout. and false in almost every
statement made. and we cannot rc-
frain from EXPIRE ssing our urpris at
The Observer for allowing it to go UNI
CHALLENGED.
The News knows from it's own ex-
perlence and patronage that business
is anything else hut dull here COM
| pared with the same season in other
years, and it has too much apDrecia-
ton for the generous patronage it re-
oeives from our merchants to allow
soreheads to misrepresent their bust
ness and this city withou entering d
vigorous uIolcSt. VIC AAh~
Observer to give the name of this
| man Who has so m:srepresented Char
lotte. and if they refuse to do SO we
challenge him to admit that he made
these charges and to furnish the proof.
We are sorry hat our brother edi-
tors have gotten into such a contro-
versy. We do not know which side to
the question has the facts with it. If
the travelling man is giving a correct
account of the business situation in
Charlotte that city is entitled to the
sympathy of the whole state, for she
surely is in a bad way. What sur
prises us is that The Observer, even
if it knew the travelling mans state
ments t. be true, should have published
them. If you can say anything good
about your town, then keep quiet, is a
mighty good rule. We are glad to know
that there is no reason for applying
that rule in reference to our city. The
trouble with us down this way is TO
keep up with and to post u readers
on the progress Wilmington is making.
We do not have to keep silent for fear
of injuring the reputation of our city
if we attempt to depict the situation
here. Wilmington is not on a boom.
We are glad she is not We fight shy
of boom towns. They are no good.
Booms always collapse. But here there
is a steady progress and increase OF
business in all lines. Here we will
mention only On class of busines-the
wholesale trade IN groceries and othe-
staple goods. No one outside of the
men engaged in this business and those
whose occupation throws them n
close touch with these men knows me
extent of this trade of our city. ANY
one not acquainted with the amour. OF
this business would be perfectly as