, 1859-10-15


In Saturdays issue we published IN article
from the brunswick {s1o.) Ctatsa1 City, show
ing that the tide Of commerce Of the Grand 1tir~
er Valley Of Missouri is now tending towards
Chicago, aud that st. Louis is fast losing the
trade Ct its own State Below will be found an
article from the Missouri Democrat verifying
The statements therein made, and revealing
decline in the trade and commerce Of St. Louis
] which few people dreamed Of:
Yesterday, we published table in our conl-
| uercia1 columns, which must hare furnished
| our merchants. or rather tue entire body Of our
citizens, with food for graTe refection-He had
utmost said, cause for alarm. We refer to tue
tabular statement Of the receipts of produce by
river and rail in this city for the current md
preceding year. In the article Of -four there is,
It appears, 4 falling of this year, compared with
Of more than 200, 900 barrels. The decrease ia
! wheat exceeds 400, 600 bushels; and in oats
nearly the sane enormous depreciation IS ex-
peTienced. Still comparing both years Tor the
/ same period, We find falling off in hemp to
The extent Of Oslo bales, and in whisky Of IT.
] go barrels.
This showingjs calculated to inspire g7are
concern in aN-whsle il calls for the serious de-
liberation OF our capitalists and business meu.
Whatever Imay be its causes, land We believe
they are neither occult nor remote, no one can
refuse to recognize in The figures re have quoted
the register ot the startling and rapid decline Of
most important branch Of our commerce. 1t
may be said thcy oulr show M eddy in the cur
rcnt. m ebb in The sea of our prosperity, but to
assume the correctness Of my such hypothesis,
would, it seems to us, be tatuitous in the ex-
t1eme- St. Louis has been1Ae victim Of illu-
sion long enough. and the sooner she awakes 10
sense Of her real position, the sooner Will she
redeem the past, Improve the present, and FORE
cast the future.
IL contrast TO The state Of thiu2s here, We
find marvellous augmentation in the receipts
Of produce in Chicago this year-or, more cor
rccty speaking, Of the article which is the great
staple sta in that city--eomparsd with last year.
lust month was little lyss than double the quau-
tlty received in the same month OF the preced-
ing year, and exceeded by soc, 600 bushels, lex
pressing the -four in wheat measure) the gu.n-
lity receired in September, 1s57-a rear which
was distinguished by abundant harrests, md in
the Chicago mart We might safely infer from
this one fact--wc mean the increased receipts
in ChicaEo-that the yield Of wheat tli. rear in
the West il fur greater than it was last year.
and Jet should re trust the data furnished bT
tie transactions on Change in our own city, ne
should arrive At quite contrary conclusion.
The records Of the Chamber Of Commerce. were
other sources inaccessible, would superinduce
the opinion that = blight had fallen o. the vi.
ley Of the Mississippi, destroying or greatly in
jurlng its cereal productions. The falling of
in the receipts Of produce here cannot, there
fore, be explained by the theory Of deficient
harvest. Tbat ta1ling off must. therefore, be
attributable 10 local causes. And besides, the
annual Progreas Of settlement mud emigration
westwardly should yield m annual addition to
the quantity Of grain shipped to st. Louis,
We're no coqnteracting agencies brought into
play to The detriment Of our commerce, the re-
ccipts Of produce would increase pari pottu
with The adrance Of settlement md he coose.
quent extension Of the area Of cultivation.
1he decrease IN the imports Of Iron and Lead
has, perhaps, ertn more sinister Significance
than the decrease Ia the imports Of agricultural
productions. Our foundries made use Of 1000
ts1r foas otf o. itco 'ast Jsa up to The 4t Of
have the Iron Mountain Railroad IN operation!
Thus ne see our manufactures are declining not
less than our commerce. We hxt been told fle-
quent]E that many Of the fouudries were givine
employment to fewer bands this year l6au ia
previous gears, but we confess we utterly filled
10 reah1e the extent or The character Of the ca
iantty-tor such il mnst BE- designated, in viem
Of the interests which it infolye4.
without enlargicE further on The foregoing
topics, ne will say that they are feanght wi,d
solenu wa1n 1niogs to The people Of St. Louis. md
espee'a4y TO The mercansiie md manufacturing
ASFNt - 4ka 24A4A&H~ A04 1ACk CAL NO
longer be Concealed that New York and Boston
hare steadily come iuta competition With St.
Louis, and With no mean success, for the CON-
aerce Of; the Missouri rsver coun,ry. Much ot
tbe produce which found its way to market
solely b. that sires. is aow transported over
Iand to The East; aud We learn from uaaoubted
authority that ststen Of railroad extension u
projected BY the capitalists Of Wall street, which
will harrow the commercial TERRITORY Of St.
Louis to rery limited compass indeed, unless
these enterprises arc encountered On our part
with energy and wisdom.
Some weeks ago. we adverted 10 the siniste.
feeling manifested in St. Joseph, (which city is
at present the frontier fortress Of New Tork and
Doston cupiditg) IN eonne1ion with the propo-
xiion for extending the Pacific Railroad to Kan
sas City, aud We remarked that Missouri w.s
virtually dismembered: in 4 commercial sense.
bythe Hannibal snd s.. Joseph Railroad. The
statement is hut too true. Tbs figures prove it.
Onc Of our local eotemporsrics made the remark
a text tar display Of generosity at our expense
and in favor Of the: interests which control that
Railroad, and which arc undoubtedly antsronis-
tic to the intezests Of St Louis. Ne know Of
"a biuerer: <stoEt Hhieh could b made to such