The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-05-04

tcc-FavOr an Appropriation OF
$50, 900, 900 Per Year Instead OF
$40, 900, OOO-ExceIIent Talks Made
by the Visiting Congressmen-Left
Last Night for Washington City.
Yesterday was an important day in
Wilmington and as a result of the visit
OF prominent members of congress who
spent the day here much good may
eventually come to the port. | nsome
respects the words of the visitors were
not especially encouraging but it show
ed the bus ess men of Wilmington
just how thA committee felt and thus
puts them in a better position than ever
ever before to take matters concerning
appropriations for river improvements
in an intelligent manner.
The party arrived on the 1910 Coast
James Sprunt, James H. Chadbourn
and H. G. Smallbones as the special
committee from the chamber of COM
merce , and with these gentlemen was
Captain r. P. Johnston, U. S.. A, chief
or the engineers Office in this city, and
Major e. ". VanC. Lucas. The visitors
were, Representatives j. H. Davidson,
of Wisconsin; W. L.. Jones, of Wash
.ington; J. E.. Ransdell, OF Louisiana;
John H. Small of North Carolina.
Representative G.. B. Patterson arrived
in the city on Tuesday night.
Messrs. Jones, Davidson and Rams
dell are all Prominent members of the
rivers and harbOrs committee of the
house and Representative Davidson is
Chairman of the committee ON rail-
FCs>EJ n canals, n of the most i'm
- DC-tdnt committees Of the house.
Immediately after their arrival the
party went on board the boat of Cap
tain Johnson, the Mercur, a beautiful
little boat and handsomely fitted up.
They went as far as the dram" tree
land then back to the United States rev.
enue cutter Seminole. On board the
Mercur was Representatives Jones,
Davidson, Ransdell, Small and Patter-
son, also Captain Johnston, Major E. J..
Hale, Mr.. J.. Allen Taylor, MI. James
AJp1 Il uILs III Ii. H., Il .
H. G.. Smallbones, Mr.. Merritt and Mr..
S. T. Ashe.
When they returned from the trip
on the river they were received Oh
board of the revenue cutter. The Off
GERS received them in q most cordial
manner and the visitors spoke in the
highest terms of the reception accord
&c them. AS they were leaving the
vessel a salute of seventeen guns was
fired, which is the salute given a com
mittee of congressman.
BY this time it was neal the hour
of 1870, the hour named for the special
meeting of the chamber of commerce
and here it was that the visitors next
went and the talks made by them
were certainly most instructive and
many present learned certain things in
regard to water transportation that
they had never known before and
which, if known generally over the en-
tire country, would make a wonderful
change in the annual appropriation
made each year for river and harbor
improvements.
The meeting of the chamber was,
without a doubt, the most largely at
tended held in Wilmington in some
years and it was possibly the largest
meeting of the chamber ever held.
Every available chair was in use and
then many had to stand. Those pres
emit represented nearly all Of the great
business houses of this city and, in
fact, enterprises of every kind. Mayor
M, G.. Guthrie of Southport, who is
greatly interested in all matters per-
tanning to harbor improvements, was
present. Those in attendance repre-
scented a great bulk of the money OF
Wilmington.
President Taylor in his usual force
full manner spoke of the great progress
OF t. is port and what was being done
here, the most important seaport in
North Carolina, and he asked that the
members of the rivers and harbors
committee pay special attention to the
report of Captain r. P. Johnston III
which "a feet of weter from Whining.
ton to the sea is recommended.
President TAYLOR then introduced
Hon. W. L. Jones, O. the state of Wash
ington.
Mr.. Jones is a most interesting
speaker and through his talk was {
vein Of humor which was most re
freshing. He prefaced his remarks b,
a few pleasantries in which he accused
the other members of the party o
wanting to do all of the speaking
Several of the cities in the south, h
stated, he had visited and the people
in each were of the opinion that theil
city was making more rapid progress
than any town in the south. This h
said, was true of Atlanta, Savannah
Columbia and Wilmington.
Mr.. Jones said the people nigh
wonder why it vas that they did no