The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1907-01-08


A remarkable showing which evil
dences the wonderful growth and de-
yelopmeat OF Wilmington during the
past few years, is gathered from data
recently compiled from the records az
City Building Inspector II. E. Bonitz.
this official himself having worked
for several weeks TO get the matter in
an interesting and comprehensive 1OIn
and he yesterday gave 20 a representa-
tive of The Messenger an outline of
the complete statement.
The figures given out include the
building work that has been actually
done within the city limits, and docs
not take into consideration q vast
amount of building that has gone on in
this immediate section, which really
should go to the credit of this city,
as the material and labor and capital
were all furnished from Wilminton.
In this outside work it will be recalled
that tremendous sums of money have
been expended by the railroad compan-
les in the improvement of their yards
and warehouses and that the erection
of Il mammoth $50, 600 fertilizer fac
tory IS now going on across The river:
also that there nave been extensions
n improvements in cotton mills and
other nearby manufacturing plants
that all go TO show remarkable pros
perity for this section. The whole of
the surrounding country too, is now
thickly populated, hundreds of neat
cottages having been recently built
on the different splendid mac8Gam
roads that run to all sections from
out of the city. The marked growth
and development of Wrightsville
Beach and the other nearby resorts.
all of which are fostered and kept
up by Wilmington capital, are not
taken into consideration either. This
in itself would make a gratifyingly
large showing.
Mr.. BonitZ, in speaking of the work
done in the city and in the surrounding
country said: Il believe a cUnserva-
tive estimate of two and one quarter
millions of dollars have been expended
in the city of Wilmington and its i'm
mediate vicinity in the past four years
for building Improvements. This is
! the statement of the city building in
spector. and a prominent architect,
who is in an excellent position to base
his knowledge on official facts and fig
ures. 1t is a surprising statement and
must be a source of qualification 10
every Wilmin gtonian. There is little
doubt but hat Wilmington far leads
every other city in the state in The
number and character of it's improve
ments and no city in this section OF
the cO'ntry is making a steadier or
more Itnarkable growth than is vii
mingtOn, its development in al
branches of business having been mos.
noteworthy.
The records of Building Inspector
Bonitz show that during the past year
there have been erected, or licenses
have been granted for the erection Of
346reSidenceS at a total cost of $3.50
600. or an average cost of ST, 400 each.
In the same length of time, there have
been erected 40 mercantile buildings
at Il total cost Of 1925, COS. This
makes the fine total of 395 buildings
put up during the year al a COS: OF
s775,6O5.
During the past OF years, 1907.
1904, 1905, 1906, the total number of
new buildings erected was 512 ut Il
cost of s1,667.135. this being divided
between $50 residences built IL the
city, costing $4,000 and 81 mercantile
establishments przcas INFO h etaOinsh
houses, erected at an outlay Of 500, sos.
The figures for each of the years.
1903, 1904. 1903 are as follows:
1903-There were 1913 residences
erected at n cost of $123, 900, or en- av- (
erage cost for each residence of s. 900.
There were 10 mercantile buildings
erected at an estimated cost OF SIG
600, making a total of 1873 buildings +
erected at o total estimated cos Of
$240,0 00.
1904-There were 1874 residences built
at an expenditure of S117.9 45. OF an
average Of $3.50 each. During the same
year, 10 mercantile houses were put
up at an estimated cost OF s193 ,200-
this making a total Of l53 buildings
erected at an estimated cost of S233,-
l45. !
1905-DuriDg this year h number
OF residences erected was 227. at q
cost of s@0o.385. or at an average Of
1880 each Also there was built II
mercantile houses at a cost OF see, 900, |
this making a total of 241 buildings
erected at q cost of 1891 .3S5.
The figures for the year 1906 were
given above.
AS said in the beginning of this
article. the figures o given do not
include any buildings such as guano
factories, additions TO cotton mills.
cotton seed oil mills, and other build
ings erected in b immediate vicinity