The Portland daily press., 1863-01-07
Trade and Commerce of Portland DUR
ing the Year 1862.

Trade and Commerce of Portland dur
ing the Year 1862.
Contrary to the general expectation, un-
wonted commercial activity has characterized
the wear lust ended. Within the memory of
this generation no war seriously affecting the
interests of trade had arisen. Nothing could
have betrayed more surely the peaceful habits
of the nation, than the apprehensions so rife
year ago. Men expected to see the wharves
deserted, the streets overgrown with grass,
and the storehouses closed at MONDAY. This
is no exaggeration. 1t was hard to realize
that in the midst of this struggle for national
existence, when, as DIR. Holmes said, bread
and the newspaper made up the sum of every
mans wants. the means of procuring these
essentials must still come in the old way
that foreign and domestic exchanges must con-
tinue as heretofore; that the business of the
world takes precedence of any war, supports
war itself in fact, and would summarily end
war operating as an absolute bar to trade.
The actual effect of the war upon the BUSH
ness of this city can be be best learned from
the statistics of trade during the past year.
For the accuracy Of the statistics of which
we purpose to make use in this article, no
pledge will be needed, beyond the statement
that they are drawn from the Portland Price
Current, favorably known already in its sec
ond volume, and edited by Mr.. NJ. n. Rich,
whose weekly review Of the markets consti-
tutes a valuable feature of the Press. The
Price-Current for January Sd contains an elab-
crate Statement of the Trade and Commerce
of Portland for the year 1862" As an in
stance of the patient care with which this
statement has been compiled, we may mention
that single aggregate, brought forward in
three lines, embodies the patient investigation
Of two busy days.
The whole number of vessels arriving at
this port in 1862 is 661, against 652 in 1861 !;
while 247 duty paying cargoes were entered,
exceeding the number in 1861 by 32. One
ship, seven barks, four brgs, two schooners,
two steamers and one steam tug-in all II yes
sells, have been built and registered in this dis
trict. In 1861 the number built was 1s and
the year before II. The aggregate tonnage
of vessels built last year, however, is 1918 Ga
95ths tons exceeding that of 1861 by ass rs
95ths tons, and of 1860 by 3056 27-95ths tons
The total value of exports from this port for
the year has been SALT, ,292 OS indicating
large increase in foreign shipments. Many
merchant ships of the largest class, hitherto
loading chiefly in New Orleans, have come TO
this port for the Western grein, which begins
to seek this outlet since the Mississippi has
been closed to navigation. The city has been
cut off from its usual supply of wood over the
Grand Trunk railway, by the continuous pres
sure of Western freights. In 1851 there were
five or six -four dealers in Portland; there are
now so wholesale dealers, who have secured
the trade of the State, of New Hampshire, and
to some extent of the British Provinces. all
supplied formerly from New York or Boston,
The whole number of barrels shipped to for
eign countries, not including what has been
sent to St. John by steamers, is s4,0S4. The
average price of flour during the year has been
$3.50 GIG. The foreign shipments of corn
amount TO 7060 bushels; of wheat, to 57S,5S2
bushels. The stock ofcorn in this market on
the first of January was 140,572 bushels of
wheat 10000 bushels; of flour, 1854 barrels
besides 5000 on the way.
Operations in lumber have been heavier and
more remuneratlve than ever before. 1t is es-
timated that the ruling prices have netted
dealers 20 per cent. more than in former
years, and box shocks and cooperage have
yielded an increased profit of not less than so
per cent. The local consumption of lumber
has been perhaps less than in previous years
but the shipments to Europe have largely in
: creased. Thus, for example, 4,492,O92 feet
deals have been shipped to foreign ports, and
in some instances st. John shippers have been
able to fill European orders more favorably
here than at home. The shipments of hogs
head shocks and heads amount TO sec, ,296, in
cluding 245.000 which sold at an average price
of S2.25, while the shipments in 1861 amount
ed to only 5000 shocks at an average price
of$1.65. The shipments ofbox shocks TO Gu
ba amount to 1,050, 900; and from August 1st
to January 1st, 1863, to 100000 boxes, about
$4,000 more than were shipped during the
same season the year before. Freights on
box shocks have gonesup from Is l6 cents
paid six or seven years ago,as high as 40 cents
the past season. These rates are due to the
falling Off of return fall freights from Cuba, OBJ
liging many vessels to come back in ballast.
The number of gallons of molasses imported
and gagged at the Custom House is 1924. .O42,
and is S02,5l4 gallons more than in 1861. The
first receipts of the new crop reached this
market on the 10th January. The prevailing
distrust at that time had a tendency to check
importations; those who were wise enough to
buy however, realized handsome profits. The
imports ofsugar amount to 9031 hhds. 1924
boxes, AGO tierces, 202 barrels The Portland
Sugar Company has manufactured 10000 bar
res sugar, 10000 hhds. and 5000 barrels SUI
gar house molasses.
The pork and beef business in Portland has
never been large. About 5000 barrels pork
and 5000 beef, packed for this market the past
season, have been readily sold at high prices.
There have been large shipments of potatoes
to Cuba and to Southern ports held by United
States forces.
The expectation of tobacco has been 96,9S9
lbs, Is cases. The best brands have been
worth 20 a 75c. since the first of November.
The Portland Duck Company have manu-
factured 31l,3 ,30l yds duck at an average price
of 45c. per yard against 1885,, ,229 yds at an av-
erage price of 32c. the year before. The scar
city and high price of cotton tba oo,sao,,ant