The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-09-21
THE CITY BY THE SEA.
as the Seaport OF the Cotton
Belt.

From the Selma Times and Messenger, Sept. l6.]
The revolution in inland commerce wrought
nv the railroad system OF Alabama in the last
three years has set the tide OF cotton ship
ments directly North and East from almost
every interior town and city. The Alabama
and Bcbee Rivers formerly sufticed TO carry 70
the sea the entire crop OF South and Middle ana
Northwestern Alabama. Unfortunately lor he
PLANTER in those sections, these rivers nowed
in the opposite direction from the spinner;
Hence the herculean efforts OF capitalists ana
railroad men to complete the connection oe-
tween the West and the East, the South and
the North. This contamination has been real
lied, and Charleston is within easy reach OF Sell
ms by the Selma, Rome and Dalton, and By the
railroad about completed from Selma to Mont
aomery. and onward.
The consideration OF TWO competing hnes
from Selma to the spinner insures low rates OF
TRANSFORMATION, and works greatly to the inter-
est of the planter as we'll as to the buyer. TO
the planter because it is manifest that the
most direct line to the spinner. at the lowest
freight rates. enables him to realize larger net
profits on his crop By increasing the numoer
of markets at his control, and by reducing the
cost Of reaching said markets. 10 tne ouyer,
for the reason that his field Corporations is en-
laroed, and he can fill his orders In less time
and at less charges.
In view of these general principles and
acknowledged facts, 1t becomes serious ques-
ton with Selma, as q cotton centre, TO what
points merchants and planters should look TO
obtain the material aid necessary to facilitate
the movement of cotton along the only natu-
raj channel, that is to say from the gin house
TO the spinner. Heretofore, as above inti:nat-
ed, cotton has taken the back track and gone
from this section to Mobile aud New Orleans,
TO be sold there and shipped North, East, and
to Europe. Now very little cotton goes to
Mobile from this section, because 1t would
have to come back over the same line or some
other line and pay extra the cost OF transporta-
ton to Mobile or New Orleans from any OF our
contiguous inland points.
The enterprise of Northern capitalists has
offered inducements to buyers at Selma, and
consequently all bills for purchasers here are
made on New York houses. This business
might as well be controlled by Charleston, as
that city has the same advantage Of the Earo-
pean trade that New York has.
But Charleston has greatly the advantage OF
Mobile as cotton market. as Is apparent from
a comparison of the Mobile and Charleston
quotations for the cotton year past TO tho 1rst
OF September, 1870. In the past, the Charles
ton market for the same grades has been from
O quarter to three-fourths Of cent higher than
the Mobile market, averaging half cent
higher through every season. This, however.
Is natural, as Charleston Is several hundred
miles nearer the spinner than Mobile, without
the loss OF time and heavy insurance of voy-
age around the Florida reefs. Now, the ques-
tion presents itself OF the Offence in cost OF
Charleston in connection With the difference
In the price Of cotton at the two seaports.
Take two bales OF cotton Of five hundred
pounds at twenty cents at Selma; they cost
the buyer sl0O each; he sends one to Mobile
and one to Charleston: