The Wilmington morning star., 1940-02-24

ing the year Tor world ldIHouS CoH'
certs."
W. w. Storms suggestions:
Seaside Highway
"The other day I wrote you in
connection with what I called the
Sand Bar Highway from Fort Fish.
er to Hatteras; might say from
Baldhead to Hatteras. In this con-
nection I was talking to a gentle
man yesterday who informed me
that it is possible to go from Vir-
ginia Beach to Roanoke Island by
a route that follows the ocean
strand. AS elaborate as the plan
may sound it is perfectly possible,
though expensive, but in my opin,
ion an Ocean Strand Highway"
would certainly connect all the
beaches along the North Carolina
coast up as far as Virginia Beach
and the travel back and forth On a
scenic highway of this kind ought
to be of tremendous advantage to
North Carolina and, Of course, to
Wilmington. After thinking the
matter over it seems to me it
should be one of the most attractive
highways anywhere along the At
lantic Seaboard, and as the govern
ment has spent millions Of u dol
lars in western North Carolina in
developing scenic highways in the
mountains why would it not be pos
sible to develop an Ocean Strand
Highway at sea level?
I'm connection with the above
proposal would suggest also a pro,
posal to take care of all the ocean
strands or sand bars along the
North Carolina coast by preventing
erosion. In a small way this has al
ready been done but if the Ocean
Strand Highway could be built in
the future protective measures of
this kind would lend to the safety
of all North Carolina beaches. This
too may sound ambitious; at the
same time, nothing ventured, moth
ing gained.
Another proposition which we
may give some thought to is in
connection with a survey for flood
control and drainage in connection
with the Cape Fear river and trib-
utaries. 1t would appear that mil
lions of dollars have already been
spent on similar projects and there
is no reason why this section
should not get in on some Of it. AS
you perhaps know, there is a ire
mendous hydro-electric project 60
ing on in South Carolina. Evidently
the South Carolinians are a little
more successful in Washington,
through their representatives than
we appear to be in this section.
"1n regards to the establishment
Of a number Of wineries here in
Wilmington I have been told that
one reason why we have not the
wineries at this time is because Of
the fact that when the wineries
which were here closed up Turing
the days of prohibition that the
farmers ceased growing grapes in
sufficient quantities to warrant the
establishment Of a large winery. l
recall the Bears having been in
the winery business here in a small
way and I am of the opinion that
if some ~enterprising citizen wishes
to go into this business that there
ought to be some money in it. The
main question at present to consider
in connection with wineries is the
encouragement Of the farmers to
grow sufficient grapes in the ur-
rounding territory to make the en-
terprise profitable. When the farm
ers begin to realize their loss
appeal to a number of them as a
method of escape from the burden
brought to bear upon the tobacco
farmers by large SURPRISES and the
recent action Of England in turning
thumbs down on Jul tobacco.
wilmington needs at least a
5000 ton dry dock for the reason
that lots Of marine work is getting
away from Wilmington on account
of the lack of facilities. Wilmington
also needs some shipbuilding plants.
When 1 refer to s%hipbuilding plants
I mean plants to build such boats
as tugs. barges, and other transpor-
tation facilities up to two or three
thousand tons. After all is said and
done we are on the ocean and the
Inland Waterway. Because Of this
boats could be delivered anywhere
in in the east at a very reasonable
figure. Another thing in this con-
nection is that in the neighborhood
we have an ample supply of Juniper
and cypress and other woods suit
able for ship and yacht building. In
addition to this, being on the Inland
Waterway, all sorts Of steel COM
modities could come down to Will
mington through the Chesapeake
Bay at a reasonable rate, which
would enable Wilmington to com.
pete with other localities.
Wilmington is an ideal place for
the production of low grade furni-
ture and several factories of this
sort would be a great addition to
the city.
"Of codrse, a pulp and paper mill
would be an asset provided, how
ever, the plants are located far
enough away from the city so the
city would not be subjected to the
terrible odors emanating from the
plants of this kind. Evidently the
Riegel Paper company, which was
to have located at Bolton, has tenn
%porarilv dried I'D. The West Vir.