The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-02-23

lsSlnc, purchased IN 1853 was named
in honor OF Captain Adrian, who was
the father Of the company, its success
sor bought in 1885 and still In acti~e
service, retaining the same name.
He said the company had won prizes
at several of the firemen's tourna-
ments held i'm this state, prizes being
captured at Charlotte i'm 1884, two in
New Bern i'm 1895, two in Salisbury in
1896, and two in Fayetteville in 1897.
He quoted the company's motto well
Do Our Best" and closed by saying
that this VIZ had done.
Captain James d. Mcneil, president
of the North Carolina Firemen's Asso-
citation, and also president of the Ma
tional Firemen's Association paid a
fervid and eloquent tribute To THE
Volunteer Firemen." which was his
toast. His eloquence stirred the
/ guests to a high pitch of enthusiasm.
In closing he said if called on to model
a statue to the highest type of Amer
lean citizenship he would picture a
volunteer fireman, with a babe. which
he had saved from the flames clasped
to his breast, underneath the inscrip-
ton being chisselled 1.-The Defender
of Our American Homes"
"Our City," was responded to by Mr..
J. Allen Taylor of the chamber of
commerce, who brought forth great ap-
plause in his statements showing the
| progress that Wilmington is now max
ing, declaring that its development in
the past ten years has been without a
parallel by any other city of equal pop
ulatiOn in the south. He cited the fact
4 &h4& 4.~-~ - L
this city, and it is the headquarters
of the great A. c. L.. system; also that
, the s. A. l.. is projecting a road
through the mountains to make a great
coaling station here. The ~transporta-
Oon facilities are splendid and are
shaping for a greater development.
The banking facilities have increased
one-third within the past two years
and Wilmington now leads the state
iii banking. Yearly commerce of the
city ahlounts to $45, 900, 900, and ex-
ports n imports amount to $3O,OO0,-
OOO. POstOffice receipts, which he cited
as a fair index of a towns growth,
ave increased 1OS per cent within the
past v years. He declared that the
n thing most needed to help and
accelerate the city's growth was paved
streets, and this sentiment was hearth
ly applauded. Paved streets create
values after which other things are
possible.
MI. II. DOnlan the oldest member of
the organization gave al interesting re-
Spouse to "R~ecollectiOns." He recall
ed big fires in the past and the part the
Howard Relief members took in them.
He stated that the members not only
gave relief in time of fire, but that they
succored any member who was in sick
ness, and after death they saw to the
comfort of his wife and children. They
have built this club, he declared, where
members may meet like brothers and
keep up the fraternaI spirit of the past.
In responding to German Settle
m~ents," Rev. W. A. Snyder, Pastor Of
st. Pauls Lutheran church paid a meri-
ted tribute to the influence of the Ger
man people on our civilization. Their
ideas of frugality and thrift made them
good citizens and the only man they
despise is the man who idles. They
have assimilated themselves quickly
with the American people.
An ovation greeted 1.-THE Watch On
the Rhine" played by the orchestra
after this address.
Mr.. l.. b. Rogers of the Merchants
Association said there are over 400
wholesale and retail Establishments in
Wilmington, employing thousands of
men and women. The business done
b. these amounts to between $1S,0OO,-
600 and $2O,OOO,0O annually. The
percentage of failures IN Wilmington
is less than any city in the south with
it's population. Facilities here are I'M
surpassed 5000 carloads of mer-
chandise were either received or sent
out from Wilmington in 1905, and the
A. G. L. authorities are preparing to
enlarge the freight facilities at this
point. Mr.. Rogers toast was Our
Business Men,"
Mr.. B. G. Empie gave a witty re-
Spouse to the toast "Remisniscence of
a Fireman." which kept the house IN
an uprOar. In seriousness though he
paid a splendid tribute to the old col
Ored fire department, which did yeo-
man service here in the past, and his
feeling remarks were loudly cheered.
After the last of arranged toasts
had been gone through with, several
gentlemen were called on for impromp-
tn remarks, and these all responded in
an interesting n instructive man
ner. The impromptu speakers were
Mr.. Hugh MacRae, Alderman O'Brien,
Chairman McEachern of the board of
county commissioners, Father Dennen,
Mr.. James Cowan on behalf of the
press, Messrs. G. w. Polvogt, H. E.
Bonitz and w. f. VonGlahn.
The orchestra then played the Ger
man and American national airs, the
b~anquetters Joining heartily in the
singing, and as Dixie was played the
evening came to an end.
The beauty of all the speeches last
night, a synopsis fails to give any
idea of their interest, was their brev-
ity and conciseness. Each speaker
had apt illustrations which brought
laughter and many of the anecdotes
told brought down the house.
Tonight the Ladies Banquet and So
oia1 will ho oiyou in Further oplohra-