The semi-weekly messenger., 1907-12-03
wILMINGToN's WELFARE
Its Citizens Confident ard Determined
in Advancing 1t.


her enterpTising citizens are day by
ray aiding to their well-fortified
commercial position, and upon the
solid foundation OF the past are build
Ing strongly for the future. II man
ufacturers, in trade, in agriculture.
the course of the city is still upward,
as facts unansweTably IroTe.
The figures showing the business for
the present year are rot at hand, for
the very obvious reason that the year
is not ended, but those Of a year ago
tell the progress of the city, and as
surances are plentiful and induoi able
that the same progress has been kept
up and the rate still holds good. Last
year the banks handled $3.50, 900 900
in the ordinary course OF business--a
fine showing FOR a city claiming but
$4,000 people.
In 1906 the barking resources were
$9,300,O0O as against $8,O74 900 the year
before, an increase of Is per cent. The
total business done at the port IL 1906
was S48, 900, 900, as against $45, 1875 900
for 1905 and 1885, 900 for 1904. The
pOstoffice receipts were $89,957 for
last wear. as against SG3.151 for 1908,
the last former wear for which | Us
able to get the figures. The amount
sDent in buildings last wear was S77j,-
600, against G249,GO0 il 1903 the last
figures available
But better han any G" these things
as showing the suirit Oi the people,
their confidence in si;oir own town and
their determination 10 build it. up
is the fact thai duriDr The past spring
thew voted for an issue o. $500 coo in
bonds TO? streets ana sewers.
The streets are being laid in the
business. .D0rtf5ns OF tEe civ and where
the hauling is heaviest wiki granite
blocks and brick, but in the residence
portions = native stone that with some
wear forms q sort OF concrete is be-
ing put down as a macadam. This
makes a dei.1h1frI smooth surface,
lacking only the sprinSy quality to
make it equal to asphalt %Ol one
of the main streets laid last spring
with for q small space. and the expert
ment seems entirely satisfactory In
deed, tn wooden blocks show less wear
and have preserved the shape of the
street better than the brick with which
the balance of it was laid at the same
time.
Rv the Way these blocks wera treat
ed for preservation in 2 way some
thing different from the ordinary meth
cd of treating wood, They were sat
urated with wood creOsOte oil, which
has been found to be an excellent pre-
seryative. in 4 wav much more SIM
pie and easy of accomplishments than
that of forcing the oil in bv pres
sure
The blocks are sawed to the desir-
ed size-2x4xS inches and put into
a tank into which the creosote oil is
turned. The whole mass is then sub
iected to q heat of about 24O degrees
AS water evanorates and becomes
steam at 212 degrees, the moisture of
the blocks .evaporates and passes off In
steam the tank ~, retort beine CON
structed to allow this.
The oil which does not boil under
800 degrees. rushes in to fill the va
cuum caused bv evaporatinp the wa
ter and thus fills the blocks in every
fiber where moisture formerly Iurked.
THE blocks thus treated preserve their
Tesiliency and when laid in a pavement
lack little of being as smooth and de-
IiphtfuI to ride over as osnbaIt Crosse
ties have also been treated in the same
manner, and upon being chopped to
pieces were found to be thoroughly
saturated with oil
This wood creosote Oil was used in
treating the ties laid by the street car
company of this city 19 years ago.