Southern standard. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1851-1856, 1852-03-06

| the last five years
GROSS RECEIPTS FROM CUSTOMS.
,s, New Orleans Cincinnati, St Louis Louisville I
1913 i488o 3iis8 % @ 564 % G9 @ 6o5i5 IS IS } 86I8 81
1887 1851 5SsS q q 19ss ss e 1fis5s % % s22s
The revenue collected at Cincinnati, ST. Louis
and Louisville, and other ports similarly situated
was derived, says he, from mportatons of foreign
merchandise, via New Orleans.
The importation of Coffee free at New Orleans
does not appear in this statement.
The returns since July 1st, 1851, compare fa-
vorably with last year up to the present date.
There are other places in the valley where du-
ties are collected ALSO but this table shows regu-
lar, steady and business like increase in the direct
importationS OF foreign merchandise into the Mis-
sissippi valley by way of New Orleans The du-
ties upon it have increaseL during the five years
ending with the 3Oth of June last, in round num-
bers, from S1,715 90, to 50, 1872, 90, at the
average rate of nearly twelve per cent.per annum.
+ Now the reason that the export sea trade of
New Orleans has decreased, and its foreign i'm
port trade increased, if traced back to first princ
pies will be found depending for an explanation
upon the railroads which have crossed the noun
talns from the east to sap your valley, upon the
Improvements of ocean navigation, and ship build
ing in other parts of the country, which have
opened new mouths for the produce of the Missis-
sippi valley on the one hand, and upon the OBJ
sJructions to navigation at the mouth of the Mis-
sissippi river, which have choked up old channels
the other.
! In consequence of the three first of these a
punctuaty and certainty have been given to
commercial transactions which as before stated,
have broken up almost entirely these transactions
which were formerly known @ commercial spe-
culations. -
Punctuality in filing orders and delivering goods
where they required is vital principle to
wholesome commerce. Dealers and factors are
brought down to the smallest margin for commits
Sons and profits. Merchants will tell you that
profits now consist in parings made by close cut
ting a little here and little there therefore, to
have the handling of the produce of the Missis-
sippi valley on its way to market, is profits.
Hence, all that produce which used to be ship
ped from New Orleans to New York, and then
re-shipped thence for European markets. and all
that foreign merchandise which used to be impor-
ted into New York, and sent thence to New Or
leans, is beginning to 60 and come direct to New
: Orleans, in order to save the transhipment Ma
: nv of the agencies that used to be employed be-
tween the producer and consumer, have been
stricken down by the lightning and the tenden
cy of steam and the telegraph is to bring the pro
ducer and consumer more and more into direct in
tercourse.
In evidence of this we may point to the lmpor
ting houses that are springing up in the cities o
your great valley, in st. Louis for example there
the wholesale merchants do not, as formerly, buy
= of the eastern importer, and of course pay hin
his fees, commissions and profits, but they arr
beginning to 90 direct to the foreign producer
e as the eastern importer does and order direct
thus saving the expense of one agency or the par
of one at least. Hence we account for an lncreas
= of imports.
n The enterprise of Illinois has created anothe
e mouth to the Mississippi and placed it in LAX
p Michigan. Much of the produce which formerl
touched at New Orleans, on its way to market
S now goes through that canal, and for certain art
ces its influence is felt even in the State of Louis
lana itself; for some articles even from there ar
g turning about and flowing up instead of dow
o stream Sugar is one, Molasses another.
" Before this canal was opened the sugar of Lou
l. isana in order to reach the consumer in the lax
country, had to 90 down to New Orleans, the
J. round by sea to New York, then up to the lake
:, and so across by water, boxing the compass
d get to Chicago. Now this canal is beginning
,, supply that whole region of country with sugs
k and molasses which it attracts up the Mississippi
II This lessons the receipt of freight at New o.
d leans, but it benefits both producer and consl
W mers, and it is not apprehend, any part Of til
n objects of the convention to interfere with bus
ness so legitimate and proper as this is, and whlc
re all the railways in the world can no more brlr
l. back than they stop up that canal. 1t is IL
re object of the convention to assist the sugar an
m molasses to get to Chicago by railway, if sug
e and moasses shall prefer that to water carriage.
Another case; now buy Virginia han
Id here in Washington that cured in Terre Haut
on the Wabash. By the old and natural road
n market that could not be- The route of the han
t. would have been down to New Orleans, then
nd by ship to New York, and thence by packet IN
n the capes of Virginia, and so up the Potomac
Washington-a two or three months voyage, d
We ring which in consequence of the climates throus
he which 1t must have passed and the storage it mt
"a encounter. it probably would have come to l
again At any rate it would have been quite t
ng lively Tor the market by the time it reached tt
sh place.
gn Now in consequence of these railroads wbi
sse have been sapping the Mississippi valley, t
rly g WestpAalius " of Terre Haute can reach he
gn in week or ten days, by paying one quarter of
IL cent per pound. They come up the Ohio inste
re- of going down, and cross by railroad instead
lth around by water, consequently so much the Il
picked pork now goes to New Orleans.
are The commercial history of this ham, which us
ar to appear in New Orleans in the shape of M
ew pork, is that of much produce in the valley of
upper Mississippi. Here therefore, in these 81
ng ping railways, is to be found another OF the sh
rd causes which have lessened the deliveries OF p
of duce at New Orleans.