682 Chronicles of the Cape Fear Rwer

Another scion of this ‘Brunswick family is Hon. Charles Mills
Galloway, whose fine talents and high character led to his being
selected by President Wilson as one of the three Civil Service
Commissioners of the United States. He has added honors to
the name he bears so worthily. He was born in Pender County,
August 15, 1875, and attained prominence as a member of the
South Carolina press. His father, James M. Galloway, was
a member of the mercantile firm of Foyes & Galloway, in Wil-
mington, and clerk of Pender County. All through life he has
been most highly esteemed.

Another descendant of Samuel Galloway—in the fourth gen-
eration—was Bishop Charles Betts Galloway, of Mississippi,
who was more widely known than any other bishop of the Metho-
dist Church of his time. He was one of the greatest orators of
the South, and was a man of unsurpassed power and influence.

Thousands flocked to hear him preach.
A review of prominent persons of Brunswick County who

have served well their day and generation in public and private
life would be incomplete without the mention of one of her fair
daughters whose honored name, Kate Stuart, has been for many
years a synonym for goodness and mercy and loving-kindness in
the hearts and homes of the Cape Fear people. Of rare intel-
lectual gifts and fine executive ability, her accurate knowledge
of historical events and her wise counsel in local affairs have
made her an authority on important local questions, and the
charm of her conversation has added much to the enjoyment of

those who are favored by her hospitality.
Bladen, unlike Cumberland, possessed no central settlement

of overshadowing local importance, its principal inhabitants
living on their plantations. William Bartram, Joseph Clark,
Robert Howe, Hugh Waddell, William McRee, John Grange,
John Gibbs, Thomas Robeson, William Salter, Thomas Owen,
James Council, General Brown and Major Porterfield, in their

generation, were among the first men in the province.
In after years the McRees, MeNeills, McKays, Owens, Gil-

laspies, Browns, Wrights, MeMillans, Gilmores, Melvins, Lyons,
McDowells, Purdies, McCullochs, and Cromarties, proved them-
selves equal to the best, and some attained national reputations.
General McKay and Governor Owen ranked high among the

public men of their day.
While the development of these particular counties has been

of great advantage to Wilmington, so also has the prosperity of

 

 

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Peace Restored 683

each of the Cape Fear counties been of decided influence, and
with pride we witness their substantial improvement and realize
that in their continued prosperity Wilmington has a better hope
of greater growth and importance in the years to come. :

THE GROWTH OF WILMINGTON.

Coincident with the river improvement, there has been
gratifying increase in the business of the city of Wilmingto ;
While one of the largest factors in this splendid sitet kai’ =
the development of the trucking industry, yet much is t ies
attributed to the increased commerce of thes port: To the eat:

ing industry may be ascribed a considerable proportion of th
large bank deposits, and the general diffusion of prosperity; b :

the remarkable increase in commerce speaks for itself rr 4 fas
an assurance of the future importance of the city. Cs
: =a the eighty years from 1829 to June, 30, 1909, there
ad been spent on the river below Wilmington $4,328 000 d
the total annual commerce at the end of that geriod ives 864 O71
tons, of the value of $49,753,175. For the year ending J asi 30
1910, there was expended for river improvement $400,000 d
= value of the commerce rose to $52,214,254. At the ad of
; ne sgt June 30, 1913, there had been a total expenditure of
868,000, and the tonnage had risen in 1912 to 1,072,205
tons, and the commerce for the year was $60,863 344 The
exports were to eight foreign countries—Germany "France Eng-
land, Italy, Belgium, Spain, Haiti, and Chile ehihs Dhiiee soa
imports from ten foreign countries. For the weak ending June

30, 1914, the imports from forei
. oreign countries were $4,194,745
as against $3,460,419 in 1913; and the exports to tortion isis

tries were $25,870,851, as against $19,510,926 in 1913, show-
ing an improvement of about one-third in both exports asd im-
ports in one year. At the close of the year, June 30, 1915
total expenditure of $5,974,868.48 had been made ‘snd the
results seem to justify it. The increased depth of water to
twenty-six feet is having its expected effect on our commerce
Since the opening of the Panama Canal, it is expected that a
new impetus will be given to the commerce of the port because
of the natural advantages of the situation, Wilmington bein
south of Hatteras, only 1,552 miles from Panama, and sisetiag
superior railroad facilities, with connections uniting the is