The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1905-07-11
WADE HARRIS on WILMINGTON.

Us AoLLC IsCAiaS Vii
knows a good thing when he see It,
and he has the gift Of telling the read
ers Of his paper about 1t in a pleasing
and interesting way Years ago-out
OF consideration for Brother Harris
We wont say how many-he was a res
ident of our city. We remember that
in those days he used to Stake his
thirst with water from the famous
Rock spring. The tradition, as he
knows, is that d person who drinks Cr
that water imbibes an attachment for
Wilmington that time cannot efface, no
matter how far he may wander from
the old town. The frequent kindly lef-
n t our city in the editorial COL
umns Of The Chronicle and the annna,
visits Of it's editor to our seashore in
the hot season show that there is truth
in the saying and that the waters of
this famous spring, drunk by him years
ago, have not yet lost their effect on
his system.
After his return to Charlotte from a
sojourn of a weak or more at our sea-
shore resorts Brother Harris publishes
the following editorial in his paper un-
der the heading "Wilmington":
We remember the time when there
was but one building on Wrightsville
beach-the Carolina Yacht club house
--and it could be cached only by a
sail across the sound. That was in 1879
and We wrote On article in a Whining
ton paDer urging the building Of a
railroad from the city to the beach.
the erection of hotels ana cottages and
the founding Of a great summer re-
sort. The people of the town at that
time considered the proposition too
steep n would take no stock in it.
But later on they walked up. The rail-
a to the beach was built about fif-
teen years &C.. AT first steam trains
were orerated. hut later electric cars
were put on. Meantime. the beach
was built up with cottages. hotels and
naViEons and now the whole sea front
for a distance of two miles is one
stretch of buildings. Wriehtsville
beach has blGssomed out into q full
f1eGged seaside city-for CITY it is.
1t has q summer population of about
5000 DcOple.
The people in charge of the electric
road have built a pleasure house at
the terminus. called Lumina. 1t is
ahcut as fine a thing as can be found
at Atlantic City. Asbury. Park. New
port. Or II other resort on the coast.
1t is a big affair and under its roof
are all varieties Of a~musements. At
night the outlines OF the building are
rough DOT in incandescent lights n
in that way it is as pretty a thing as
was seen at Buffalo Or st. Louis.
It has been said hat Charleston has
the best electric railway service of any
town IN the south, but VIC doubt it. #
it car beat Wilmington it is doing
Well. The Wilmington cars are
equipped with air brakes. There are
nc nerve rackine gongs on HEM. In
stead CT the clane-ctang- clang. result
Ing from the PLAY Of the motOrman's
foot on the spike head. there is a mu-
steal toot-toot from q compressed air
whistle. And the cars are run singly.
or in trains Of three. as occasion de-
nlands. They go c1iDpitv. Clip. too. and
the people getting off ave no more
time to lose than those getting on.
The Wilmington street car SYSTEM Is
about as well perfected as any in the
County,.
The Seashore hotel maintains its
popularity under the MANAGEMENT Of
Nj. J. Fl. Hinton and as usual is being
well ~patronized. Tt is srlendidly kept.
The dining room is again in charge Of
William D. Polite. the head waiter Of
whom this paper spoke last summer.
Polite has the same force Of neatly
dressed and attentive walters II the
service is Of the most satisfactory kind.
Much Of this is due to the personal eff
forts Of Polite. Between meals. last
Saturday. he assembled all the wait
ero j., tn, 1irino 1,0l1 ord Or va them
a lecture CT instruction. Parties at a
window near the speaker heard his
talk. He spoke to them On the right
and Droper way Of giving good service
as frst-class walters and the way to
get dong with steward and
head waiter. I'm the first place. he
SAID. 1T takes q good. moral. temper
ate man to make a waiter. for it Is a
demonstrated fact that if we are going
to be q waiter. anG are going to follow
this business for a iVing we have to
be most polite in every respect so rs
&C make a success 81 this kind Of work.
for that is what it certainly calls 1or
and there is always room for improve
ments even in the head walters posi-
ton. We have to be up win every
movement of all characters so as to
hold our wn. Now. bows. [ am talk
ing to vou fer YOUR own good. There
is something new about this business
to be learned every day. and YOU who
follow this business as long as [ have
Will certainly nave to come I'D to hotel
requirement and he a mar md do
an av with all this foolishness so rs TO
master Your position as a waiter.
otherwise YOU will alwys be rejected
by bead walters and hotel MANAGERS
The speech was listened to very at
tentively.
Mr.. Moores new hotel. the larry
moore. is being we'll ratroniZed. Mr.
Moore got the lumber for the building
from his land in Pender county.
h old Wilmington is a thing OF
tie past. The town cafsht the spirit
| of progress several years ago md the
| result is surprising. The new business
| buildings have COMPLETELY transformed
! North Front street. They are very
handsome buildings. too. FAR superior
| tC the cid style Of architecture of the
NV In all parts of the city are
| seen evidences of ~prosDeritv. but no.
where is his more noticeable than
| along the water front in the city and
for a mile on either side. up and down
+I1 ;x,Ar II sc n G0ana or 2cf1ylfN.