The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1946-02-17
Transition Year OF 1916
Shifts Industrial Tides
Wilmington Banks, Building And Loan AS.
sociations, Swollen With Record Deposits,
Urging Eager Public To Build
TRANSPORTATION EXPANDED

IRANSf UNI AlIOlN EAFANDED
Industrial emphasis in Wilmington and Southeast
ern North Carolina shifted from the urgency of the
nresent to the possibilities of the future as 1916,
transition year, changed from war-wobbly uncertain
ty into bold reality.
The evidence of transition was everywhere.
Camp Davis 100000 installation stated at
fine by 100000 men, was deactivated. Bluethenthal
Army Air base became Buethenthal airport North
Carolina Shipbuilding company customers no longer
we're the Army and the Navy, but Grace Lines and
Iykes Brothers Steamship company.
Wilmington banks, swollen with record-breaking
wartime deposits, and Building and Loan associations
with S10O00000 to loan, began to promote home build
inc ideas to public already eager to buy.
Industrial Properties, Inc, group of local business
men, became the most driving force in the city for new
industry people, new and larger payrolls Their
efforts were rewarded early in the year when two $780,,
900 plants, the Port City Hosiery mills and the France
Neckwear company broke ground and began construc-
ton on factories. And negotiations were underway with
other industries negotiations backed by bank balance
running into the tens of thousands of dollars, and
nerOus business concessions.
TRANSFORMATION in Wilmington became three
dimensional with the end of the war. National
Air Lines inaugurated daily air service into Blue
thenthal to New York and Miami. Southeast Air
lines provided an air line for the city and other
points in Piedmont North Carolina. Air Cargo
Transport company, purveyors of air freight all
over the United States planned to initiate its serv-
decided and a report facilities obtained.
The American-Hawaiian Steamship Line resumed
operations into the port of Wilmington, and the Nor
folk Baltimore and Carolina line indicated their ships
would be plying the waters of the inland water
way.
The point to which the network of airnes and
Atlantic Coast Line and Seaboard railroads led the
port Seaside Cities ordinarily considered handicapped
by their threesided tributary trade areas were not
comparable to Wilmington as seaport for goods pro-
duced in North Carolina, because the port of Whining
ton outlet to the rest of the world for those
goods
As major distributing point for the counties
of New Hanover, Brunswick, Pender, Duplin Col
umbus Baden, Sampson and Onslow, Whining
ton served 257,967 people with effective buy.
ing income of s154561,0 900 and 1914 retail sales
record in the of SCI, S43 900, according to
plations of "Sales Management"
But no CLOSING of the facts was necessary to sell
the Port Of Wilmington to shippers and manufacturers
interested in cheap, efficient transportation for their
products For example, rates favoring Wilmington over
other ports prevail in the following products and
modities.
Timber from the tributary regions of Bladen,
brunswick Columbus Cumberland, OnslOw, Pen
der, Robeson Sampson, Scotland counties in North
Carolina, Marlboro, Dillon, Marion and Horny com-
ties In South Carolina. Commercial timber acreage
In the area totals 1897 100 acres, including 746S.S
million board feet of soft timber and 4,294.7 million
board feet of hard timber.
Cotton, from Salem, Reidsvile,
Ureenvlle Wilson and Durham. Rates favor Will
mlngton over Norfolk and Charleston.
Petroleum can be shipped at cheaper per-car
rate from Wilmington than either Charleston
Norfolk to Charlotte, Durham, Fayetteville, Gas
'ona Greensboro, Raleigh and Winston-Saiem.
w, Tobacco be shipped to Wilmington from
MlnstonSaem, Durham, Reidsville and other
lNorth Carolina markets cheaply than it
Ut sent to Norfolk or Charleston.
m Inc transition was evident during 1916 in
WHIT Ve OF the cty-s size Jan. l, 1916, the size of
rulngton increased from 1910 census population
bo OF less than 10000 to possible $4,000 showing
MI gVy from eighth to third place among cities of
NV lti a Oarolna Land area of the city increased
m 10 miles, But what the extension of the city limits
"5S 10 wilmington commercially was Unreasonable.
for @ vi company of New Jersey drilling
Ol III Eastern North Carolina in 1916, and
t SPOKESMAN said 81 900 900 would be spent in the
tho Gitllngs At the same tme huge addition to
aIons y petroleum storage plants was sprnging up
Co., the cape Fear river below the shipyard site
etf@y OF the Socony Vacuum company terminal was
I'd ateo TO be 100000 gallons.
lrYate commercial buildings began dottng the
inoa gton skyline early in 1896 Skeetonzed build
AeS began filling out.
socra An Industrial Agent John H. Farrell former
Was 0s@y OF the Wilmington Chamber of Commerce,
@ppomted to investigate Industrial ORGANIZATIONS
st o9t to them the advantages of wilmington as
q Tnu ala them in locating here.
uiless all the tme-tested signs we're wrong Viii
ba Jolted out of its commercial compacency by
M impact OF wartime necessity was ready to deal with
reality of