Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1869-09-10
Commerce of Wilmington.

| hi tue cases.
Commerce of Wilmington. .
We trust our merchants fully appreciate
the Importance, in a commercial point of
| view, of the approaching Fair of the Cape
Fear Agricultural Association. Whining
ton has lost the trade of certain sections of
country altogether, and of others in part.
This has resulted partially from natural
causes, bnt such as can and mnst be over
come, and partially from orr own fault and
negligence. The leading business men
and farmers will be gathered in our city
this Fall from the very sections in which
orr business needs reviving, and at the
very time when the crops are ready for
market, and when the stocks of the coun
try merchants and the supplies of the
farmers need replenishing. Ii under these
favorable circumstances substantial steps
are not taken to renew our business
corrections with former friends, the fault
will be our own.
If We glance at the sections the trade of
watch we have lost in part altogether, we
will find that generally it is those sections
in which cotton is raised in part, or forms
the chief product. Indeed. there are dis
tricts for tho trade ofwhich Wilmington and
Norfolk Oh the one hnnd, and Wilmington
and Charleston on the other, put forward
riva! claims from which the naval stores
seek our port, while the cotton goes North
to Norfolk or South to Charleston. If
this be trne, and such is onr information,
1t IS evident that our merchants do not
court tho cotton trade We are aware that
there Is more than the ordinary CONNER
cial risks IN buying and selling cotton. The
price Is more variable and the changes
other articles of trade. Bat our expert
ence, notwithstanding this fact, is that
prosperity always attends leading cotton
marts, and the cotton raising sections Of
our State and those South OF us, are the
most prosperous agricultural portions of
our country. For instance. the county of
Mecklcnburg, almost tho most northern
limit of successful cotton culture, is to -day
enjoying prosperity quite without par
alel in her former history, and her cotton
most promising crops ever raised within
the county. What ~ true Of Mecklan
burg, applies with equal force to
Charlotte her commercial centre
In the South All branches of business
are prosperous The city is improving !;
real estate Is IN great demand The only
complaint we have heard from them is
that the supply Is barely equal to the de-
mand there is not sufficient cotton raised
in that vicinity to employ all tba capital
that seeks investment therein, although
by enterprise and good prices it is drawn
from points the trace of which would
naturally go to other places. whose adyan-
tages are equal and even superior to Char
lOtte. ,...... F.. .......
Edgecombe, Wilson and Wayne, al
though depressed by the disastrous failure
OF 1867, are fast recovering from the
shock, and this years promising crop will
place the people of those counties again
firmly on their feet. The prospect is also
good in Arson, and we have the promise
of the completion of the bridge over the
will open to lis in full time for this years
crop that rich agricultural county. .
To these cotton raising counties, and
some few in South Carolina, which do lit
tie or no business with our city at present,
we wish to direct the attention of our
merchants. Their leading business men
and agriculturists will be with us in
November. They will come not only to
exhibit their productions, and see those Of
their neighbors, but will desire to dispose
of their crops of cotton and purchase their
stocks and supplies. Their families will
want everything in the dry goods line,
from spool Of thread to a silk dress.
Hardware, furniture, tinware, harness,
everything, in fact, which finds place
upon the shelves and in the warehouses of
our merchants, will be purchased in ex-
change, in part for their crops. Their
wants will only be limited by their means.
How desirable it will be to every business
man in our city that we should hold out
sufficient inducements for these people to
find market for their cotton in Whining
ton. -'-.-i .,.., *.... ....
Heretofore the rates of freight and in
surance have been bar to this enterprise,
but our railroads and steamships have re-
duced their tariffs of freight and the rates
of insurance have been materially lessened