The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1905-07-14
A GROWING ENTERPRISE
Remarkable Growth of Ono of Will
mington's Business Institutions.

The regular annual meeting of the
stockholders of the Willard Bag AMI
Manufacturing Company was held in
the office Of the company on Water
street yesterday morning. There were
32S shares of stock represented either
in person or by proxy.
Mr.. William f. Springer was called
to the chair and presided over the
injecting with Mr.. f. Payson Willard
Iacting as secretary. The annual report
of Mr.. E. Payson Willard was submit
ted for the past year and showed a
Substantial growth i'll the business.
The following directors were elected:
Messrs. J. A. Springer, j. w. Yates.
W. z. ToOn, NJ. S. Willard and W. Il.
Springer. The directors have not yet
met for the purpose of electing officers.
At the present time Mr.. NJ. S. Willard
is president of the company and MI.
l.. Payson Willard secretary and treas
Iurer and also general manager.
This company began business in
1893 with Il paid in capital stock of
5000. One year ago this was increas-
ed 10 $20,GO1 and the capital has now
been increased to $4,000. There are
but few people in Wilmington who
anything about the extensive
|ress of this business. From less than
100000 bags per year the output has
grown to 2.S1IyGa,9 bags sold last year
10000 dozen oveRaIIs. IN money value
this represents ars increase from $1,000
Ito 100000. In 1902 ryeraIs sold
brought s. ,4GO. ifF 1903 they brought
1900; 1904, $4,000, and 1905, $780,
PIG. The company has sold ahead ,.
-..Gatt, 900 bags.
Tnis company occupies q large build
ing on Water street. On the first floor
is the storage room and here car be
found bales of burlap and denims. The
stock Of these carricI is about $4,000
each. And just at this point it would
be of interest to note that aEi the bur
lap comes from Calcutta, India, and q
duty of one cent per yard is imposed.
Zach year the company pays to the
United States government from $4,000
to $4,000 as an import duty. Hereto
the goods have been shipped to the
northern ports but MI. PaySOn Will
lard says that now since the pIEOtaSe
system has been abolished that the
burlap will be brought direct to Will
mington. which will mean THAT the
duty on imported goods will be increaS-
ed from a very small amosa11r to- about
$4,000 or more per year, a gain Of
" Ell $4,000. This will show in the
house receipts.
About 3.OOO.O0O bags, representing Il
value of $4,000 were sold last year.
The bag department is ON the sec
ond floor and here are employed abont
81 women and a dozen men. On
the third floor is the overall depart
ment. and this is entirely separate
from the second floor, the entrance to
the building even being separate. On
the third floor there are 50 white girls
and 6 white men. Most OF the girls
on machines. The ovoralIs are cut
the first floor, seventy .thicknesses
If cloth being placed on a table at onc
time, the size of the OverallS marked
and they are then cut with Il machine
cuts through the. seventy pieces
of cloth.
This company is known but very lit
tie in Wilmington, but in reality it is
one of the city's most successful enter
prises. Mr.. f. Payson Willard is the
general manager: Mr.. w. J. Farrar.
superintendent of overall and bag de
partment and Mr.. Frank Brown also
has charge of a part of The work in h
department.