The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1870-09-07
ANNUAL STATEMENT.

volume oil business eXniDltS material increase; II
health of the place has been remarkably good we hay
been free from the monetary embarrassments of th
= Northern and Western cities; there have been yer
l few failures among merchants and anon
private banks the only character of moneyed inst
buttons we have; commercial classes have derive
fair remuneration from their various pursuits an
though probably merchant has done what NIGH
be called brilliant business, yet they with but few
ceptions, have done safe one Our merchants com
mence the new year with the determination to offe
such inducements to their customers in the interior
whether wholesale retail buyers will prompt then
to fill their bills here. And there is no WIZ
they should not be able to do They purchase from
the parties do the merchants of New Orleans
and the expense of doing business there more thai
counterbalances the expense of carriage.
The direct trade with st. Louis is assuming impor
tant proportions; the Carter line of steamers espe
cally, having landed at wharf, during the pas
year, immense quantities of Western provisions ano
products of their rapidly increasing manufactures Tt
mention one item, the number of 'painted wagons ,
sold in this market during the year approxmates 1850
While from feeling of State pride would prefer
make the Crescent city the recipient of commercial
favors yet as we have often said before, trade knows
no sentiment, and reduces matters of finance to a
square question of dollars and cents That this direct
intercourse between the Red river valley and Western
cities has saved hundreds of thousands of dollars
people in the item of insurance is ncontrovert
ible So Messrs Kline & Phelps secured the
agency of strong companies located in the Vest they
reduced the rates of insurance, thus forcing the
panies of New Orleans to modify their exorbitant
terms. And probably to this competition is due the
abandonment of the resolution time agreed up
by New Orleans companies to discriminate against
sternwheel boats in Red river The most experienced
steamboatmen are, we believe unit as to the very
great injury that would have been wrought to the
merce of Red river had this class of steamers been
driven from waters. They not only be at
less expense than sdewheel steamers but in low
they possess advantages selfevident that expla
nation ofthem is unnecessary During last winter
merchants and the people of the interior were materi
ally incommoded by the mpossibility of the railroad to
promptly do all the business offered, owing to def
cheney in rolling stock and insufficient number of
locomotives We gratifed to state under author
ty of Mr. Dickson, the enlightened and energetic Su-
perintendent of the road, that this difficulty will be OBJ
waited the com ing season. Two and magnificent
locomotives have been placed upon the road which to-
gether with the old Ones will be competent to any
binary amount of business, while the company shops
at Hallvlle are turning out freight which would
do credit to the oldest established roads in the East
Upon general review of the situation" then we are
justified in the belief that the coming season will be
prosperous one to merchants. If they should not
do very heavy business there is reason why they
should not do perfectly safe 1t is sefevdent
proposition that the necessaries of life must be had
and should cotton fail revive only fancy
goods, whether groceries other will be materially
affected
Immediately after the war il supposed that the
cash system could not be applied in the cotton States.
We believe that experience has taught that this idea
is talacous. Except in it is not only prac
ticabe to conduct business cash basis but it is
BEST conceive for both buyer and seller 1t checks
the former in reckless expenditure, and enables the
latter to tell with mathematical certainty the state of
his business and what he may depend upon--a thing
impossible if his goods be credited out all the
country to bad, doubtful and good customers
The excellent crop of last year and the remuneratve
prices received for the great bulk of have placed
planters in comparatively easy circumstances de-
spite the countless vexations incident to the present
system of labor. There have been spasmodic efforts
here and there throughout the South to introduce Chi
and white labor but, far, they have resulted
either in total failure only very limited success. 1t
that this must be question of time, and it may
grafton reaches borders Much of course depends
upon the treatment of those few who have already been
introduced While this is the state of the with
regard to Chinese the persistent Misrepresentation Of
the South and Southern people, INDUCED in by the
press of the North, checks white immigration. So orr
planters must make up their minds to do the best they
can with the freedmen, and trust to supply, in part the
deficiency of labor in the cotton States with this class
from the socalled border States. The prospects Of
fair crop are, so far, faterng, while must hope,
that upon the restoration of peace in Europe prices
will at least approximate those paid for the crops of
last year. European and Northern manufacturers
should by this time have learned that it is utterly i'm
possible for the South grow with free labor
with the most propitous seasons, such crops
sent to market during the times of slavery It folly
to suppose that men, white or black, will labor in
dustrlously when free when under compulsion !; |
added to which the additional facts, which in
that thousands of freedmen have aban~
doned the farms for the cities and desultory labor and
that but very small proportion of the go to |
The field at ALL while the lads in the absence of proper
restraints, inure crop, by the careless handling of
zoe and pillow, so materially to render them almost
| drawback instead of advantage in field labor.
The rapid settlement of those counties of Texas
tributary to Shreveport must of necessity, add very
to the growth and prosperity of the place.
or this is broad domain which, if populated as densely
IS the character of the soil would justify capable of
ustaining city of hundred thousand inhabitants,
nd if untoward event should occur by which its
rade might through artificial means, be diverted into
ONE other channel, it will continue to naturally flow
her. 1t is then, not idle dream believe that at
10 very distant period Shreveport will rival Memphis
q commercial Importance. And the approach of that
ay be fastened by the energy and enterprise of
ur own citizens in various ways, but more especially
y the encouragement of manufactures This will of
CURSE require time, for at present there are but few
capitalists here and our merchants cannot spare their
means from their immediate business. We will give
ref review of of the prominent features of the
lace
MANUFACToRIEs.-The cotton seed oil factory from
7hch anticipate lucrative results will be in opera
ion in time for the coming crop. There are already
wo iron foundries in the place. one OF WHICH at least
oes prosperous business The manufactures of sad
les and harness employ 25 hands, and the enter
rising gentlemen at their head have clearly demozs-
trated that such articles be manufactured here
heaper than they be imported, and the latter re-
lark also applies to the mandatory of crackers
hich annually consumes 5000 barrels of -four. We
lso have two carriage and wagon shops which turn
ut much better, and, in the long run, cheaper work
IAN that brought from abroad. The gas works are in