The semi-weekly messenger., 1908-03-10
Remarkable Cotton Records
For This Season
/ BIC GAIN IS REVEALED
Business at Nearly All Other Ports
Has Declined

Chaxieston Shows Small Increase as
Compared With WiImingtOn's Great
.Gain-NorfOlk and Savannah Both
Behind Last Yesd.'s Record.
Order Issued to Engineers and Con-
duc4Ors Thot Entire MOtter OF Re-
duction Had Been Called OF.
Frequent reference had been made
aS to Ihe remarkable showing OF VIII
mington III the amount OF cotton
receipts for the present year, the rec
ord from September lst to date hay
ing exceeded by more than $1,000
bales the highest record ever made
before for an entire year. The best
record ever made for whole year,
until now, was 375,O00 bales for the
year ending September lSt 1906, but
there have already arrived at IhiS
port since last September 1st the
tremendous number Of 456,OOO bales
when compared with last years rec
ord the increase in cotton business is
Geen to be even more remarkable, the
total receipts for the whole of last
year having been only $4,000 bales,
which Is more than 100000 bales be-
hind the record for the present sea-
son TO date.
This record is exceedingly crafty
Ing and it shows that the progressive
Sprunt firm had not been idle a sin
gle day during the season, but that
through its buyers they have caused
Ito be brought to this port for COM
press and export the largest amount
Of cotton every brought here before.
Wilmington now stands as the fifth
cotton port in the country, being ex
ceeded only by Galveston, New Or
leans, Savannah and Norfolk, the
latter city's receipts being just 1O,-
600 bales ahead of the receipts at
Wilmington.
When viewed in comparison with
the record of other ports for this
gear the additional very gratifying
4 fact is shown that Wilmington's in
crease has exceeded that of any
other port in the country nearly all
the other ports having shown a de-
cline i'm receipts as compared with
! last years record.
Savannah, the whole of last year,
had a. record OF 1,46S, 600 bales while
fts receipts this year to date
1aMgnt only to 1,345,O00, more than
10000 bales behind it's last sea-
SONS record.
Norf0lk last season received 604 900
! bales, while it's receipts to date are
naore than $4,000 bales behind that
number. being only 466,OO0.
Charleston shows a gain of less
THAR 10000 bales, it's receipts last
year having amounted to 149, 900 bales
while the present seasons record is
i1S6,OOO.
Wilmington is far ahead of that
record, its present season showing
receipts OF more than 10000 bales
in advance of. that of last year.
The point, however, that is decided
Fly in favor of Wilmington is that
both Charleston and Norfolk buy
cotton in the same territory as Will
mington and the achievement of 10
E cal cotton men is seen to be almost
marvellous when this fact is taken
into consideration.
Mr.. J. P Caldwell, editor of the
{ Charlotte Observer, on his return to
? Charlotte from a recent visit to this
city wrote a highly complimentary
editorial and the following extract
is taken, it bearing on Wilmington's
commercial prosperity which is shown
In no other manner so marked as in
its cotton business.
Mr. Caldwell says:
'It is of Wilmington, it's people and
its commercial consequence that we
would say word. The city is unique
among our communities and one can
not visit it and mix with it's popula-
tion and leave with other than the
most agreeable memories. The old
and the new are fascinatingly blend
ed there; the modern activity which
distinguishes it has not effaced the
old courtesy. hospitality and gentility
for which the name of Wilmington
stands. Growing? Indeed it is. Its
commerce is increasing rapidly It's
cotton receipts for February were
1856 bales against 1906 bales for
February of last year, and the re-
ceipts from the 1st of September last
to the 1st inst. were 454 ,S20 bales as
against 297,045 for the corresponding
period of the last cotton year. The
exports have increased in like proper
ton When the Cape Fear has a thir-
ty-foot channel from Wilmington to
the sea the city's commercial i'm
portance will be greatly enlarged. To
the accomplishment of this object all
North Carolinians should lend what
aid they can. Our principal port, Will
: mingtOn deserves to be an object of
common interest and of all the
: friendly solicitude of us all"
10 rhor or S3.vron [Tia oava.