The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1869-02-18
THE TRADE OF NEW ORLE ANS.

the Editor Of the Crescent
Sir-Ths good folks of New Orleans may well
congratulate themselves that the grain elevator is
finished, and has commenced working. 1t is q
step, 80 far in the right direction. Elevators and
barges are links in the great chain that would
draw through this city the huge export grain trade
of the West, which now passes to New York by
way of Chicago.
To complete that chain, however, there is one
obstacle yet to be removed, and that is the bar at
the mouth Of the Mississippi So long as there are
less than twenty feet over the bar, ocean steam
ers, of sufficient capacity to carry freight quick
enough and cheap enough to put us in fair compe-
fition with New York, cannot come to our port
The steamers that can now do the carrying from
New Orleans to England are so small that they re-
quire sixteen pence bushel for grain, and one
penny pound for cotton, freight, to make them
pay, while their average passage is tweaty.four
days.
From New York the freight is Z pence bushel
for grain and of penny per pound for cotton,
and the average passage eleven days-a difference
that peutralzes the water carriage down the
Mississippi and gives the present advantage to
New York.
Steamers, such as are now doing the carrying
trade betwixt Liverpool and the Mediterranean,
could carry 10000 bushels of grain and 5000 bales
of cotton, and do the passage hence TO Liverpool
in an average OF sixteen days. Freight at pence
Q bushel for grain and penny pound for cotton
to Liverpool would pay such vessels, and have
the assurance Of their owners that these ships
would be sent here If they could get over the bar
drawing twenty feet.
Comparing these rates with the rates charged
by the email steamers that can come here NOW, II
is equal to adding 20 cents bushel to tho price OF
all The grain Of the West. and IL cent pound TO
all the cotton exported from New Orleans, rs
what is saved in the cost OF transport is equal to
30 much added TO the value of the article. Let
any one calculate the prodgious sum that would
thus be saved TO the country. and be will be
amazed that such petty obstacle as the scooping
out of about three feet OF mud over channel of
only few hundred yards should be allowed to
stand in the way of It's realization.
With thete large steamers coming to our port
half the grain trade Of Chicago would inevitably
find its way 10 New Orleans, besides giving
impulse to the import trade. Can the nero hsnts,
the retail traders and the property holders Of our
city, form any estimate OF the increase to their
profits this additional business would bring
Surely they cannot have given it Q thought. or
they never would have allowed the matter TO rest
as they have done. Why, the saving Of IL cents
per pound on the cotton passing through here
alone would be equal TO one and quarter million
of dollars The greater part of this vast amount
would be spent amongst our merchants and trad
ers, besides what would flow from the many mil
lions worth Of other produce that would pass
through their hands.
can say Of my own knowledge that English
merchants leok upon buying grain here as little
short Of reckless gambling, as they can neither
calculate on the time nor on the condition in
which it may arrive in England, aod hence they
prefer sending their orders to New York.
If the machine at present at work upon the bar
fails to accomplish its object Immediately, more
time should not be lost, bat the property holders
and merchants should appoint committee of en-
eIgetic and influential gentlemen to see what
other means may be devised to remove the oD-
stacle. In these days Of science and mechanical
appliances there ought to be no difficulty in find
ing remedy.
The press Of New Orleans has, very laudably
sgi'ated this subject frequently and hope ii will
continue to do 80 until the people are aroused to
its vast importance.