The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1908-02-11
kEEDs ONLY DEtPtH CHANNEL
Every Section Of the State Would
be Benefited
Kind Words for Progressive VIII
mington from the Raleigh News
and Observer-A Plea for AIDE
quate Aid by the Government

AS the most important North Caro-
lima seaport, Wilmington bears q pecu-
liar relationship to the rest OF the
state and its welfare and progress, sc
marked during the past few years
along all lines, is 2 direct and sugni-
tcant expression OF the forward move
ment of the state at large. The sea
port is the pulse Of the commonwealth
and, as beats the pulse, so thrives the
body. 1t is of special interest there
fore, to note, that Wilmington, which
by reason of it's great strides felt the
panic" more severely than other
Moth Carolina towns, is practically
fully recovered from the temporary
: stagnation of business and that the
figures Of it's port transactions indicate
a still further and more marked ad-
! vance. Says the Wilmington Messen-
ger:
The fact that business conditions
are again becoming normal in this city,
where the effects Of the depressing f.
naRcial situation the last few months
was felt in considerable degree, as it
was felt in practically every place in
the country has been evidenced in
numerous ways recently by the re-
sumption Of work st plants that had
been idle and by general improvement
in business conditions and it Is believ-
&c that the situation will continue to
grow better as the spring advances
THE lumber mills, employing hun
dreds of hands. which were closed
down for a period OF several weeks re-
sulting in the enforced idIeness Of a
! great many of the wage earning class,
which proved a real hardship, have
ali resumed operations and are
running ON full time with their form
er force of employees.
THE Cape Fear Machine Works,
which early in November red eel tie:
hour of work from 10 a day 70 eight
a day ON Tuesday last resumed the full
ten hour day and the Wilmington ron
Works will on Monday next also re-
sumo full time operations. Thee
changes result from the increased busi-
ness offered and the nearly 100 men
effected are glad 80 get again on the
old basis"
Gratifying as these facts are as IT.
dicating the early and complete re.
covery not only OF Wilmington but cf
large enterprises operating in Eas,ern
North Carolina generally, from the re-
suit of the money stringency, it is
more gratifying to nG,e the remarkable
advance being made by Wilmington
as a port-inanciaf conditions to the
contrary.
From the same issue oil The Messen-
ger are taken these remarkable figures
Of port business this veal compared
with last season:
"The receipts and exports have
reached a very large amount which
can only be appreciated when compar-
ison is made with former years. Not
only, however, have the receipts and
exports far surpassed that of any other
year, but the prices have been good
and tremendous sunls of money hav
gone to the growers whose Gotten is
purchased by Wilmington agents,
"The receipts for the week ending
yesterday amounted to 1902 bales,
compared with 1894 bales for the COR
responding week OF last year. and the
seasons receipts FROM September 1st
to date have amounted to 1885, 26 bales.
compared with 2S5,863 bales of the
corresponding period a year ago, the
present receipts being more than 100
O0C bales ahead of last years receipts.
The total exports from the port of
Wilmington since September 1st have
been 1920 bales domestic and foreign
AIT $50.
''The number Of bales ashore and
afcat 1T this time is 1854. against
II ,293 for the same time last year"
/ Unless We are much mistaken Will
mington is already the largest port in
A: point of business, on the Atlantic sea
, board south Of Baltimore. That it is
not much larger in every way and
IlIuSA 11AIpOA ldIiL IS UuC y SIc uI--
! gardly attitude taken toward it by
congress that appropriates TO fresh
water states more money for the riv-
err n horbor improvements than it
does to North Carolina, which so sore
V needs the deeper channel in the Cape
Fear at Wilmington and the opening
! of Beaufort as a world harbor. The
, progressive people of Wilmington have
succeeded wonderfully with the limi-
tation put upon their city's growth by
this unjust policy Of neglect, but they
are determined and every right inter
est in the state and south should assist
i'll the undertaking that the matter OF
! the deeper channel so important to
the government as well as to the state
shall be pressed and prosecuted until
4, If shall ha Nhfoiua,