The Wilmington morning star., 1940-03-10
CIVIC PROGRAM

Dear Sir:
Numerous citizens have approach
ed me relative to my letter carried
in YOUR columns Feb. % asking II
had any one in mind suitable as
q civic leader or any plans for
development.
Frankly, I had in mind only this
| Get busy. Go to work. Stop argu'
ing over immaterial matters. QUIT
knocking. Start boosting.
Far be it from me to attempt TO
dictate an Improvement schedule. l
can only suggest.
T think that we should forget
that we are members Of any par
| ticular organization and should com
| bine our strength in one unit for the
betterment of u community.
I I'M in full accord with your
| (Star-News) program but can see
no material benefit in the extension
Of the city limits just now. This,
of course, will come in due time.
To my mind the most important of
your program is that of the indus
trial and ~promotional agency.
A successful agency of this ma
ture will carry with it the fulfill
ment of the others.
My suggestion is that the cor
bined membership of all civic or
carnations go into a joint confer.
ence to ascertain the reason for our
failure to expand, get the obstacle
out of the way and lay plans for in.
creasing our businesses and popula-
ton.
AS is known to all, we have in
our civic bodies practically every
successful business man in and
around Wilmington and most Ger.
tainly they are capable of making
| plans for our future.
Seems to me that We should con-
centrate on our detectives one at a
time. When that is accomplished,
move to the next.
First, we must have a leader and
if we have none among us that is
able and willing to assume this,
then it would be fitting that we i'm.
port one
Wilmington is noted world wide
for its hospitality and has advan-
tages that no other city in our
state can offer. Among these is a
thirty foot channel from the sea to
the city, connecting with the inland
waterways, both north and south.
One of the safest harbors in the
world, a river navigable for more
than a hundred miles inland, ware
house facilities, and means of in.
creasing as needed, transportation
to interior points by water, rail-
roads and trucks. Fine schools and
excellent living conditions with a
climate that permits year round
outdoor work.
All of the above can be used to
induce manufacturers and other
businesses to locate here. If neces.
sary we should offer them tax-free
sites for a term of years. We could
lose nothing thereby.
Observation shows that a short
time since a small group Of men IN
n OF our sister cities organized
and through their efforts increased
the population of the city about
forty per cent and had a large in
crease in new businesses.
A few years ago a Wilmingtonian
was appointed city manager of a
North Carolina city. This city
doubled in population and the bust
ness about quadrupled. This in a
very short time.
With proper leadership like things
can be done for Wilmington.
Cooperation with the businesses
already established here will be the
means of attracting others to us.
I am sure that our city and county
officials will lend an attentive ear
to any constructive ideas that you
might. advance.
Then let's get busy, find the mar
as leader, unite, concentrate and we
will accomplish. We need the bust
ness. Why not try some new meth
cd? Seems that the old one has
failed us.
FRANK GARRISON.