The Wilmington morning star., 1946-02-07

centers. he calls 1t sign Of good
health, economically.
The market, CT retail area. has
an economy predominately agri-
cultural in nature-and an aggre.
gate buying power Of s317, 758, 900.
Summarizing the area, the
Simons report says:
:. .. the Wilmington trade area
Is 4 fast growing and developing
one "a growth Of $4,000 from 1890
194O. possessed of rich natural re-
sources responsive to further ex-
ploration and development j.
this area is worthy Of every con-
sideration the economic influences
OF Wilmington can extend to it. In
this area having nearly 90 per cent
Of its land under cultivation and
producing about $4,000, 900 Of to.
bacco annually. there is also a d.
vsrsification Of manufac turina en-.
terprise pro d u ing a product
valued At $50, 900, 900 Climber and
pulpwood-EDo. It Is an area that
belongs to Wilmington because
Wilmington can service it better,
quicker and to greater advanta ge
than any other point. To achieve
a position Of commercial dorni-
nance in this area, however, the
business interests Of Wilmington
must be able to serve and pro-
duce to such a degree that people
and interests in the tributary area
Will have an eager desire to visit
and trade in Wilmington. -
Having outlined the two major
areas tributary and marketing
which Wilmington can serve, and
in turn be served, Simons lists
seven factors comprising Whining
tons economy. He lists them in
the following manner:
l. - Transportation (port, rail.
highways and air).
2. - Agriculture Cruel and
bulbs; cattle, dairying, tobacco,
cotton, etc..
3. - Forests wood products.
lumber, pulp, furniture and plas-
TICS.
4.-Commercial local trade and
distribution and activities In the
market area.
s. Service facilities (banking,
professional, mechanics, amuse-
ments, hotels, etc.,.
6. - Manufacturing textiles,
furniture, foods and plastics).
7. Cultural and recreational
In terms of geographical To-
cation, and considering the Port
(beaches, educational, sports and
churches and music).
Around this seven-point econo-
my, the consultant says, Whining
ton must build for the future. He
holds tenaciously to the theory
that Wilmington is the logical cen
ter Tor WelI-oalanced North Car
DINA economy because Of its port
and proximity to a land of plenty
fairly bursting with potentialities.
His chapters on the tax struc-
ture of Wilmington, New Hanover
county and the state of North Car
DINA show by black-and white
figures that few places the country
through have more inducement in
that field for the consideration Of
the manufacturer or industriaist.
Wilmington's economy, he says,
is stable and sufficiently diversi-
fled to grow within its existing
pattern without threat of I'M
balancing by influx of new indus
tries, even if duplicating, indus
tries already established here.
To one familiar with Whining
ton today, a study of Sirnons' re-
port suggests that only bold mag
ination and bold action are neces-
sary to bring into being a Will
rnington of a 100000 population, or
more. Certainly the resources to
sustain such a population, or one
even much greater, are at the
city's door.
The key to that door is the port.
In Sundays fifth article OF this
series. the past, present and poten-
tial future of Wilmington's greatest
single asset-the port-wlll be dis
cussed in detail, presenting many
of the Simons findings on that SUD-
iect. as we'll as others pertinent to