The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-05-08

At the annual meeting of the VIII
mingtOn chamber of commerce held
yesterday the annual reports OF the
president and secretary were submitted
and they are certainly most crafty
ing to those who are interested in the
welfare of the city of Wilmington.
In every line of business there ha
been a substantial increase and in GER
tain things the growth has been Won
derful. There is certainly no town III
North Carolina that can show such a
volume of business. 1t is some
thing to be proud Of and still it IS
nothing more than should be expected
when n considers the advantages OF
Wilmington compared to the other im-
portant towns of the state. If the
people of the interior but realized the
importance of building up this port
and putting Wilmington on the same
basis as Norfolk; if they knew that 1t
meant cheaper rates for them, VIII
mington would be a city OV a hundred
thousand inhabitants in a very lew
years and while this city would be ben
Gifted so would every town in the IN
terror section Of the state; all could
get freight cheaper tina at the present
time for the rates are now based Oh
the Norfolk rate and to this is added
the local rate. from Norfolk to the
point where the shipment is going.
The report of President Taylor COW
ers the general business situation IN a
general way and the secretary's report
gives the actual figures showing the
business in each line for 1904 as COM
pared to 1905.
The following is the report made by
the president of the chamber:
To the Chamber:
The past year has been perhaps the
most prosperous in the history OF VIII
mington. Notwithstanding the calam-
itv last season to the trucking interest
of this section, due to inadequate
TRANSFORMATION service, the business OF
Wilmington has shown steady and
healthy increase, and the volume l.
now conservatively estimated at forty
five million dollars. The disaster 10
trucking was in a measure overcome
by equitable settlements for damages
by the transportation and car service
companies, so that the losses were not
as serious as at first promised; never
theless. the loss of business consequent
1nOn the inability to move shipments
promptly was sensibly felt by THIS Guy
There is satisfactory reason 10 pelle'e
that this experience VII not be re-
heated: indeed, we nave the assurance
that no effort Or expense Will Ut
spared by the transportation compd-
MES to provide adequate and ethclent
TRANSFORMATION for the season no"
opening.
Transportation Conditions:
The phenomenal growth in all lines
0f business has resulted in a conges-
ton in transportation unparalleled III
the history of the country. The con-
dition is peculiar to no locality or sec
ton but is common to he entire coun'
trv. and is but the price that is oelns
Maid for prosperity. There is no pos
sibiIitv of transportation companies
increasing facilities materially IN I'M
immediate future, but receivers a
it in their power to measuraoly aodt'
the evil by anticipating their want:
and Systematically allowing 1or un'
a~voidable delays.
This state of congestion naturall.
gives rise to complaint OF receivers o
demurrage charges, and the opinion
seems to obtain among not a lew ina
to penalize the transportation com
panyl demurrage rules would Wort
ont a remedy. This We think a mis-
taken view of the situation. In
cause of congestion is inadequate phys
ical facilities, and the ~self-interest o
the transportation company inc1tes
to dispatch delivery. Obviously, a car
rier company would not purposely o
unnecessarily delay delivery when bus
mess offering is beyond its ability {
handle promptly. The situation oe
mands the exercise of a spirit OF tor
bearance and accommodation on I'd
part of both the carrier and the pupil'
Interstate Commerce Law
The bill now pending in congress
enlarge the powers of the interstat
commerce commission is in response
an unmistakable public sentiment tina
confesses it's inability to appreciate To
propriety and justice of ~withhold1n
from the national commission power
equal to those which have for a nun
Der of years been wisely and conserve
lively exercised by a majority of tt
Stafas in the regulation of iuterStat