The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1905-03-04

ly large and it would furnish a mar
ket for timber otherwise useless as
well as prove a paying investment for
the proprietor. Investigate the bust
ness right away.
4 great many people from the North
are now in the State seeking homes
and investments. They come on low
rates offered by the roads and are al
lowed a stay of something like twenty
or thirty days. If they are good citi-
zens we need them II every man
should extend them a hearty welcome.
The success OF any nan against
seemingly inSurmOuntable obstacles is
the admiration Of an ap~preciative pub
lie Where brains, energy and capital
win in fair combat with opposing
forces of a non-progressive character
the discerning pOpulace is ready to
heartily applaud. Such has been the
case with Capt. J.. T. Jones in his cam
paiSn TO give mississippi a deep wa
ter harbor and safe port for handling
the commerce of the country.
GulfpOrt offers to the marine inter
ests of the world a safe and conven-
e n harbor with something like TWEEN
ty-ive feet of water. A direct north
and south line of Dad offers unex-
celied facilities for transporting the
products for import and export. An
anchorage basin of large proportions,
but to be increased shortly, offers am
pie room at no cost for the mOOring
OF vessels and the discharging or TAX
ing on OF cargOes. A substantial pier
with railroad and electric car tracks
extends out into the sound more than
a mile, running alongside the anchor
age basin for a considerable distance.
Work W! shortly begin on the CON
StructiOu of a second pier to parallel
the other side of the basin, thereby
doubling the present capacity for
handling freight. About half a mil
lion dollars will be expended in these
improvements. Others Of equal i'm
pOrtancc will be made from time to
time until this port will be equal to
If not better than my in Southern
waters.
Gulfport was first opened to com
merce in January, 1902, the export of
lumber for that year being 19,O35,252
feet, board measure. The next year
showed a most remarkable increase,
the amount being 105, 849,252. last
year, 1904. came uD with the splendid
record OF 2~45,213,S29 feet loaded into
bottoms for export. Besides the ex-
port lumber trade, there has sprung
up d thriving business in naval stores
that IS increasing rapidly and prom
Uses not to be one Of the least of Gulf
ports items of commerce. During the
last six months of 1904 1922 O7 barrels
Of pitch and 263 $50 gallons of turDer-
tine were sent abroad. A mammoth
naval stores concern has been organ
ized and It IS confidently expected that
An increase of several hInIroI noe
cent will be experienced during the
present year. The port is not without
a satisfactory list of imports also, dur
ing the latter part of the year recei,-
ing 6,1O0 tons of iron pyrites and 1000
tons of acid phosphate. The new wear
has opened up under bright prospects,
January showing the clearance Of a
net tonnage of 22,473, carrying 49,
Alb 900 feet, board measure. InGica-
lions are that the present year will eX-
coed last year by a larger Der cent
than 1904 did 1903. A phenomenal
increase in business making dock
room Insufficient, necesGitates the
building of the second pier. When
iris is completed vessels VIII be cla-
bled TO come in and discharge their
loads and take On an outgoing cargo
without having to wait in the channel
for their turn, as is frequently the
case at present,
The city of GulfDOrt is experiencing
a growth in proportion to that Of the
ICrt. n recent nSu gives il q pop
ulatiOn OF 300 souls inside tue cor
pOrate limits. 4 large suburban pep
ulatiOn resides outside and the figures
are placed in the ne~ighborhoOd of
1900 as the grand total. Stately
blocks Of substantial brick and stone
buildings are going up, replacing the
pioneer ShackS that AVE served their
days of usefulness. A magnificent no
tel with several hundred rooms affords
comfortable quarters for the travelling
public n the hundreds of Northern
visitors who spend the winters enjoy
ing a mild and salubriOus climate.
The COmmOdiOus pavilion at the end
OF the pier, connected with the shore
by broad board walks and an electric
car line, offers a pleasant and unique
place for spending a few hours each
cay. A C~hatauqua will be held there
during the first days of July and large
numbers of people will take advantage
OF the opportunity to visit the coast
and lear the celebrities engaged for
the occasion. A number of large
manufacturing plants are already in
operation and a number being built at
present. A liberal policy toward en-
terprises Of every nature is pursued
and every encouragement given them.
The mercantile establishments will
compare favorably with those of much
larger cities. A great many substan-
tial homes have been built and the cit
lzenship is of the best.
The building of the great Panama
cana will turn the attention of tae
world to u gulf coast, and it is con-
tidently expected that two or more
great cities of maritime trade will be
built on Mississippi soil. Gulfport is
destined to be one of these, and with
the start it already has, will not be
SLOW in asserting itself. Great is
GulfpOrt and greater still the magni6-
cent future hat is before it.
Waynesboro growers are experience
ing great results from Elberta peach