Clarksville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1865-1867, 1867-03-08
THE TOBACCO INTEREST,
why Trade is Dull In New Orleans!
From the N. O. Times of the 18th.


From the N. O. Times of the 18th. aa
There have been two meetings within the
last week of the leading tobacco merchants
OF this city, for the purpose of consultation
and of devising means to bring to New Or.
leans-to its old and legitimate channels
the tobacco trade of the rich country tribu.
tary to the Cumberland river. The tobacco
interest is an immense one, and before the
war had upset and diverted the channels oi
trade, New Orleans had very decided inter.
est in the control of this trade. Look at it:
as long ago as 1850, the United States pro-
duced 1870, o,o0O,0 pounds, or what would
present consumption is estimated at $780,
100000 worth. In regard to the crop Of
the present season, or for 1866, which will
be mostly marketed between this and June
next, we give the following statistics; In
Missouri, it is reported at $4,000 to $4,000
hogsheads. This is far below an averag,
crop, but II is said that the quality of the to.
bacco is unusually good. In Virginia the
crop has fallen off one-third--it is reported
at 7o,0o0,00C pounds but is athe best ever
made as respects quality" In some coun
ties OF North Carolina lands which had beer
previously devoted TO tobacco were this yeal
planted with cotton. The yield of thai
State is 35, 100000 pounds. The yield IL
$aryland is placed at 35,3Oo,00O; Tennes
39,50o,000; Texas at 90,00o Kentucky a
L61 100000; Alabama at 10000; Arkan
sas at 100000 Florida and Georgia eact
100000; Louisiana 10000; South Carolina
| $4,000, and the Northern States at 52,15O,.
500 pounds.
The great bulk of the unmanumcturet
tobacco OF those three great producing South
western States, Missouri, Kentucky and Ten
nessee, used to seek the New Orleans mar
ket AT present there are few of our mer
chants who receive hogsheeds from st Louis
That grown in extreme Western Tennessee
and Kentucky West of Paducah) still find
its way here by the Ohio and Mississippi
rivers. This with what other tobacco natur
ally has TO come here, WILL it is estimated
! by some, not reach in the aggregate thi
year over $4,000 or at most $4,000 hogs
heads.
But New Orleans formerly received from
Clarksville, on the Cumberland, alone, som,
$4,000 bogsheads tobacco, whereas at pres
ent she receieves next to nothing from al
that rich section of Kentucky and Tennes
see, tributary to Clarksyille. For it is no
the tobacco alone Of that section that has beer
directed from us to the East-to New York
The country below Nashville on the Cum
berland, used to ship about ten millions O
dollars worth annually to this city, Clarks
vile herself in one year, has shipped eigh
millions worth. There are forty or fifty
-four mills, four-ffths of them water power
| Vol i'm nj Of los Ia,,
Clarksville. One New Orleans commission
merchant alone, in 1861, sold over AZ, ,0O(
barrels from Clarksville, amounting then t.
the value of at least 100000. Besides, tha
same small city Of Clarksville in addition t,
what the innumerable smaller villages III th
rich country around it, sold, before the war
did business Of between $500, 900 and L,
600, 900 in groceries, all the staples of which
such as sugar, molasses, coffee, salt wines
brandies, fruits and other imports, were pur
chased in New Orleans. Much of the dr.,
goods sold there came from New Orlean
houses. Over 10000 barrels of pork pc
year, and in good wheat years, near 100, 0ot
barrels Of -four reached New Orleans from
Clarksville before the war diverted this trad
from us. The iron interest of the Cumber
land river country is also immense.
Whqt- benefit is New Orleans now deriv
ing from the trade of that country2 Yer,
little, and this is one of the causes of com
plant that business is dull here. New Yorl
and other interests antagonistic to us, hav
offered inducements, through greater capital
to divert this trade eastward. Agents @
New York tobacco Merchants are sent int
that country to buy the crops or make ad
| hnF nail
ry il at lower rates. the longer distance iron
Clarksville or Louisville to New York, thai
win the railroad companies whose lines ex
tend over the shorter distance from Clarks
vile to New Orleans. Freights from Ne,
York to the European tobacco markets ar
made lower than from New Orleans to th
same marts. Our city has no line of throug
steamers in the Cumberland river trade
The produce Of thai county is now shippe,
on one steamer to Paducah and re-shippe
up the Ohio. At Paducah, Evansville, en-
other points, you are met by agents of Eas
ern railroads with their reduced tariff c
freights, inducing you TO ship by their line
while no similar inducement is offered I
ship South. f .s
But as we said, our merchants are wakin
to their interests. They have appointed n
intelligent committee to act in their behal
which will purchase or charter steamers, {
give bonus or other inducemeut TO owner
of steamers who will run in the New Orleau
and Cumberland river line. They will pui
chase and send by such steamers, merchsr
disc suited to the wants of that country :
They will show the planters of Kentuck
and Tennessee that their crops can be ser
| hos. oh -. l..
and be sold equally well or better in Nc,
Orleans than in New York-that we have th
best levee in the world upon which to NOV
their tobacco, and that 1t will not be broke
up and spoiled as il is in railroading over
thousand miles to New York. 1NHa"p.
, Ii the tobacco merchants shall be second
? ed by the grocery aud other interests, SUI
cess will crown their efforts. Let those ir
terested appeal to the railroad companit
b also TO reduce their tariff of freights, and t
content with less profits until the trade
established. For it is undoubtedly true thi
p low rates Of transportation increase trad
r promote the growth of population and wealt
and is, at the same time, profitable to th
public carriers. Much produce which reach'
New Orleans, Is eaten up before its arriy,
4, by high freights and other charges. Cotto
from as high up as White Oak Shoals, 9
Red river, has to pay eight dollars per ba
: freight, besides 4 per cent insurance, and Il
: three cent Government tax. Further u
e freights are still higher. Corn, after costiu
y enormously at our levee costs, and can hard
# be carried TO the above point, for one doll
and twenty-five cents per sack. Let the bu
h den that hangs like milsione on the necl
- a A. q.
meYial centres, be speedily removed, al
trade will not long be duh in New 0rlear
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