The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-04-17

Six years ago . Wilmington had a
! population of 2O,976 according to the
official census taken in 1900. Today
Wilmington has a population of more
than 10000 and to place it around
thirty thousand is a conservative esti-
mate. And again this is not purely an
estimate but there is foundation for
making the statement
Among the duties of the letter car
riers in every town Or city where
there is free delivery is 10 keep a
directory of persons who reside in the
district served by them. This direc-
tory they are supposed to keep clear
| ed of persons who have moved from
the city and those who have moved
into the city. Of course they cannot
ecure as complete directory as is done
| when the regular census is taken but
| nevertheless from their records can
be secured a very good estimate of the
size Of the city.
The number of square miles within
the limits of the city of Wilmington
according to the official plan of the city
J is 3 8 10 miles. The estimate num-
Der of square miles served by the city
| carriers is 2 95 100. From this it can
be seen that the carriers do not serve
the entire city. They don't deliver
| mail to those who live near the city
limits in several sections of the city.
| Postmaster Thomas E. Wallace stated
last night that the number of persons
served by the carriers in this city
| according the directories kept by the
| carriers is 29,O2S.
These will be startling figures to
some and others, those who have been
| watching the city's tremendous growth
| during the past few years, will not be
at all surprised. No large town in
North Carolina has grown during the
| past few years like Wilmington. Now
that the city is going forward with
| such enormous strides the citizens
cannot help but feel gratified at
the fact and have to tell their sis
ter cities what they are doing.
A glance at the number of people
seen o the streets on any afternoon
is sufficient to convince the skeptical
that Wilmington has grown to an
enormous extent within the past few
years. Last night the streets were
thronged with people and every store
along Front street was crowded and
the people were buying goods too. AS
this article is being written a promi-
nent Front street merchant is standing
back of the writer telling of what an
enormous business he cid yesterday.
He says business has increased enor-
mouiy during the past six months.
This merchant is no exception. All the
Wilmington merchants are in fine spir-
its and the people who are so fortu-
nate as to own real estate are wear
ing a happy smile.
Recently some have remarked about
Wilmington real estate being so high
but they were comparing Wilmington
with the other towns of the state and
lost sight Of the fact that this is by
far the largest city In the state. 1t
has been only little more than a year
since Mr.. Hugh MacRae in a speech
before the Chamber of Commerce
made the statement that he would
| predict that Wilmington would be q
city of $4,000 inhabitants in less than
five years. Many at the time, and even
those who viewed the city'S growth
and advancement from an optomistic
| point of view, expressed themselves
as hoping that Mr.. MacRaes's pred;c-
ton would come true but feared that
it would not During the past SIX
months the public has begun to see
that unless there is something to stop
the city's growth the fifty thousand
mark will be reached in less than
five years. Wilmington has increased
30 per cent as TO population during the
past six years, an increase OF 10000
people which is certainly not had.
1t is confidently believed that in
Guiding the suburbs, Delgado and Eas,
Wilmington, that the city has a popu-
lation of not less than $4,000