The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1907-02-01

FROM the cordial words nf p5.-
Hieh' ana support that were voice,
yesterday afternoon by some q. :be
most prominent business men ana re,a,
ing capitalists Of Wilmington. it woIp,
seem almost a certainty that a mo iarn
tourist hotel, along plans that have a.
ready q outlined, will soon be era,t.
ed IN this city, the question TO be 1efin-
itely determined after an active can
vas for subscriptions, which will r
started in a few days, among the bust
ness men and other. citizens
The hotel meeting called for 4 o,.ocI.
aC 'he chamber Of commerce yester iay
AFTERNOON was largely attended. among
those present being the following:
MessIs. }. w. Murchison, r. c. DeEos-
set, T. w. Wood, ". c. Peterso. !
ohrlef, H. WOolcott, c. H.. Fore. p
Pearsal1, John D. Bellamy, Hugh Mac
Rae, c. N. Evans, NJ. W. jacob. Walk,
Iaylor, William Calder, J. F. Rulfs
George Rountree, H. RaraIje, 4. s.
Root. d.. K. Foster. J. VanB. Metts. r
II. Wright w. NJ. Cumming. NJ. O'Brien
lsadore Bear, w. H. Northrop, Hender
son Cole. NJ. J.. Heyer, Clayton Giles
Jr., }. A. McGeachy. c. l.. Dickinson
John McEachern, H. K. Nash, Patrick
O'Brien, T. E. Wallace and Mr.. Nc
trllSfL a I'no1 ocfofo ar0~+
York. ,
Inc meeting was called 10 order by.
MI. C. n. Evans, who made a Motion
that Hon. John D. Bellamy be requested
to preside. The motion was unanimOus-i
ly carried and Mr.. Bellamy took charge
Of the meeting. In a short, spirited
speech, Mr.. Bellamy spoke most opti-'
unsteady of the brilliant future before
the whole south and especially before
North Carolina, this stale, he sale,
having been recently named the Empire
State OF the South by a travelling man
or observation, who said that this state
Yves making more rapid progress il its
development than any other southern
state. He then spoke more explicitly
on the possibilities Of this immediateI
section and of the wonderful growth
Wilmington if the citizens will get
the proper spirit Of public Development
Nothing, he said, is now more urgently,
needed to place Wilmington before the
world than is a modern tourist h0se!,
one that will attract northern tourists;
to come to this city and will furnish
them the accommodations and service
are willing to pay for, after they,
get here.
Mr.. G. n. Evans was then called IN,
md he made the report TO- the conf
.1ttee which was appointed by he,
chamber of commerce some time age to-
the question as to the ad2is-I
ability of the erection of a new hntel
On that committee We're Messrs. Will
lam Calder. C. n. Evans, w. A. Djc1l
md c. L. Dickinson.
Mr.. Evans spoke first Of the needs
# a hotel here and the effect it wculdi
lave on the progress of the city. The
Of the Selwyn hotel, in Cn2I
Otte, he said. caused the price Of real
state to advance at least IS pei CEN
q that city. Reporting for he ccn1-
he said they were unanimously
avorable to the plan &c build a large,
otel. Going into detail as to how far 8
he committee has gone into the matter
e said the property on Second and,
hestnut streets, 1872 by 165 feet CAM
e purchased for s31, 200. This place
lie committee considered an ideal To-, .
alton. though of course there was I
binding any company that may |
g formed, to choose that property. He ,
that a definite organization be
,rmed and that some way be given for j
lie committee TO know if citizens will =
the movement.
Mr.. Caldert another member Of the
,mmittee. said no effort TO raise money!
Id been made, but the committee had
endeavored to arouse the inter-
t Of citizens in the subject and that
"a large attendance shows there is
manifested.
Several other gentlemen then entered
to the discussion of the matter among
csc being Messrs. NJ. ". jacob, Hugh
acRae, 1. Shrier, NJ. O'Brien, 2. Pear
II. T. H. Wright. c. l.. Dickinson IA
anB. Nets, and others, and every ole ~
these gentlemen spoke most heartily or
favor Of the project, all deploring the st,
elk of such a hotel as the greatest be
ed of Wilmington ur
sr. Evans, in response TO a question: M M
id the idea of the committee was 10, no
ise about a quarter Of 4 million do4- trc
IS for the enterprise. The hotel
,uld be modern In every n Of the