The Wilmington morning star., 1947-12-03
CITY
CONTINUED From Page One)

this port at cheaper freight
rates than through any other
port-north or south - the city
manager said that it has been
estimated that a minimum of 81
a ton or possibly 81 a ton of
the freight moving through the
city would be spent here.
"We must show a community
spirit-a united front-in devel-
oping the port" he added. "We
must act; we can't all leave it
to the next fellow"
Fox Stresses Need
President John Fox of the
Civitan club also stressed the
need for development of the
port as the key to Wilmington's
future progress. ''The port of
Wilmington offers a source of
income that heretofore we have
not been able to tap in the
amount which we could" he de-
clared.
"There is something wrong
here" the Civitan n president
said, in pointing to figures CIV
EN- by SPA Chairman r. B.
Page to the effect that the Fed
eral government has given or
loaned to other ports on the
East coast staggering sums
such as $10,0O0,000 or $12,000,-
900, while 'We have had trouble
in even purchasing land which
we can use for our port"
While the State of North Car
olina has provided $50,000 a
year for ports, this recently, he
said, Alabama appropriated
SIS, 1000, 900 for the port of Mo-
bile alone. Alabama had bene-
fitted from this expenditure, he
pointed out, by the attraction of
many new industries to the
state almost Immediately.
Fox pledged the support of
the Civilians for any move ito
get the ball rolling for develop
ment of our port"
Farrell Presents Facts
John H. Farrell, secretary of
the Wilmington Chamber of
Commerce, told Rotarians a n d
their guests that Wilmington
was stymied in its attempt to
bring a number of new indus
tries which would like to settle
in this area here because of the
lack of incentives provided.
Farrell representing the XII
wants club explained that he
has been in contact with some
200 to 800 industrial prospects
during the last two years. Many
of these firms located in the
North and Northwest would like
especially at the present to To-
cate in the Southeast to enjoy
the recent 10 per cent freight
rate reduction and the potential
market for their goods in this
section, he said.
"But when we get down to
brass tacks with them,' he
said, "and they see our high
taxes and other lack of induce
ments, they invariably turn
elsewhere. They like Whining
tons natural attributes; but if
they should want to settle in the
city, they are appalled, by he
double city and county taxes
they would have to pay
Farrell punctuated a state
ment that other surrounding
Southern states are taking ad-
vantage of their opportunity to
draw new industries now by
pointing to an editorial in the
Morning Star yesterday which
congratulated South Carolina
for obtaining a potential S60,-
100000 plant of the Celanese
Corpor alton of America.
% New Firms
In offering a brief review of
Wilmington's industrial develop
ment since 1910, the Chamber
secretary said that % new man.
ufacturing firms employing
from 800 to 1000 persons have
located here during that period.
These concerns will employ ap-
proximately 500 more persons
during the next year, he said.
There are 121 manufacturing
concerns in the area today.
Pointing to the decrease in
the local payroll from 1945 to
1916 (when the shipyards an d
other war industries closed), he
said that in 1945 New Hanover
county's 1929 employees ac-
counted for an annual payroll of
$46, 100000. Last year there
were 1862 employees with a
payroll of $26, 100000
The average wage in 1S45 was
$45.88 a week, as compared with
$38. .35 in 1916. In 1916 there were
6,045 persons employed in in
dustry in New Hanover with an
annual payroll of $12,o54, $780,
"Despite the decrease in the
amount of the payroll he ad-
ded, "a recent report shows re-
tail sales of $36, 872, 900 for Will
in 1916 as compared
with sales of $27,712,o0o in
1945."
Exchange Club President
Sam Berger declared that
"something must be done and
ao,, ,oy, If Wilmington is to