Smyrna times., 1858-05-06
Wilmington Its Favorable Location
for our Trade,

We believe that there are advantages ant
claims of this city, upon the people of our State
that have hitherto been unknown, or, if known
unappreciated TO such an extent as to amour
to quite fault. Having but one large manu-
featuring city, we ought to possess pride il
her prosperity and extend the helping hand
especially when by so doing we are beneftting
ourselves:
1t is plain to every trading man, that the
manufacturers prices are lower than they are
in second hands, nd the merchants of our State
would be well repaid to buy at frs, hands and
near at hand. Plain cotton goods of every de.
scription can be bought in Wilmington, Just
from the loom, and at lower figure than in
Philadel phia or Baltimore. The wholesale men
have never been we'll sustained, because, per-
hapS, there has not been, until of late, relia-
BILE means of communication with the south
The completion, however, of the Delaware
Rallroad-meeting this exigency-should give
a new impetus to the enterprise and growth of
our metropolis, and inauguratea new era in her
mercantile importance. There are but few, if
any, merchants On this Peninsula, who buy
anything from importers,-they purchase of the
j'bber, in broken packages and quantities, to
suit demands of their individual trade and loca-
tion. The jobbers of Wilmington can buy their
stocks from first hands, in unbroken cases and
packages, as cheap as their competitors of
Philadelphia, and can afford 10 sell a shade
cheaper, because their expenses are much
lirhf frop IolD
Wilmington is very small, and that difference
would be made in favor of the purchaser. Sup
posing that we have made ourselves understood,
we think that it takes no argument TO prove
that heavy manufactured goods are cheaper at
the factory than anywhere else.-such as heavy
cotton and woollen fabrics, -four, castings of
iron or brass, machinery (rough or ready fitted
for servce) hardware, furniture, agricultural
implements, and other articles of trade, that
are extensively made and should constitute our
supplies. Taking this matter together, We
would say that we ought to trade among our
selves for the mutual interests of our common
wealth, by keeping our money, labor and enter
prise at home.
Wilmibgtonans say that the Railroad CON-
pany materially Injuries their trade, by conduct
ing business in such manner as to influence
traffic to Philadelphia. This is done by selling
tickets that admit of no delay at any point in
the city, to afford opportunity TO view either
its superior industrial branches or its "stock.
in-trade." Freight, also, is cheaper, on that
part of the road frsm Wilmington to Philadel-
phia, than propOrtionable distance below Will
mington. This, we imagine, is because of the
competition with which the road comes in con-
tact, from Wilmington up, and not design to
injure the prospects of our fair city. If it is
not so, the citizens of Wilmington have great
cause to protest, with an uplifted hand, against
such a monopoly. We wait to learn more
about this matter, before we cry out "mad
dog" But, it is certain, that in the number of
seven thousand tickets which were sold last
year for Wilmington, some good must have re-
suited from it TO the trade of that place, for it
was SO cut off in the days of water communi-
cation, that we may say that five of the seven
thousand persons would not have gone there
but for the railroad.
May the day speedily arrive, when our peo.
pie will buy such as we make, at home, before
it is sold to Philadelp phia; for who, when visit
ing our metropolis, and listening to the roar of
the foundries, the sound of the hammer, the
puff of the engine, the shrill echo of the steam
whistle, the rattling of the shuttle, and see-
ing the proud, floating iron steamers that lay at
her wharf, that does not feel exultant at the
enterprise and prosperity exhibited, and the
advantages thereby possessed throughout the
State