The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1871-02-03
CHICAGO TRADE AND COMMERCE.
Thirteenth Annual Report Of the Board Of
Trnde-The Trade i'm Flour, Grain, PrOvi-
sions, Lumber and ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Facts and statistics.
From the Chicago journal.

sions, Lumber and Hig hwines-Interesting
Facts and statistics.
From the Chicago Journal
The thirteenth annual report of the
trade and commerce of Chicago, COM
piled by Charles Randolph, ESQ.,. the
able and efficient Secretary Of the Board
of Trade, is replete with interesting
facts and important statistics, which will
be read with pride by every person in
terested in the commercial prosperity of
this great Western metropolis. Mr..
Randolph is entitled to great credit, not
only for the completeness and accuracy
OF this report, but for the promptness
with which he has prepared it. Many
OF the facts which it contains have, at
various times, appeared in the journal,
but others have not heretofore been
made public through the columns of the
daily press, and those we make room for
in the local and commercial depart
ments of this paper to-day.
The report opens with
GENERAL REVIEW,
which states that the past year, like the
one preceding it, has not been above a
moderately profitable one in most
branches of business, but probably Chi
cago has as little to complain of in this
regard as any of the large cities in the
country. In most kinds of merchandise
and property, a considerable shrinkage
of value has been realized, largely Incl
dent to the gradual decline in gold; or,
more properly, the improvement in the
real value of our currency but it is
gratifying to observe that the wide
spread disaster that was by many pre-
dicted as almost certain to follow our
near approach to specie standard has
not been realized, and, as we have about
half closed the gap that existed year
since between currency and coin, it may
at the close of the present or at farthest
the next year find the country safely
arrived at substantially specie basis Of
doing business.
In the produce business the volume
of trade has not differed essentially
from that of the previous year, notwith
standing the fact that the wheat crop of
1869 in the Northwest was light one,
rs shown by the aggregate deliveries,
and the corn crop of that year was the
smallest since 1868. In lumber, also,
the trade has been little different from
1869. Manufacturing is steadily increas-
ing, and seems to be attended with salts
factory results. The United States CEN
sus returns for the past year show a
capital employed in manufactures in
the city of about SOS, 100000, with value
of product amounting to over S60,000,.
0OO and persons employed over 10000 /;
but as the returns, in some respects, are
so glaringly erroneous and below the
true facts, the whole must be accepted
as at best an approximation to the
reality. Several new enterprises have
been started within the year. but per-
haps none that promise more substantial
results for the general benefit of the
city than the recent establishment of
works for the reduction and smelling of
the product of our mining territories.
No essential change has occurred in
the amount or character of our banking
facilities. Under the provisions of the
law passed at the last session of Con.
gress, authorizing to some extent re-
distribution of banking facilities under
the national banking act, one new Ma
tional Bank has been organized in this
city, and is in successful operation, and
1t is understood another is about ready
to commence business. Money has been
reasonably easy during most of the year
at 10 per cent. interest for ordinary
business transactions perhaps it is more
stringent at this time than any time
during the year, but this is believed to
be but temporary and is largely owing
to the heavy amounts required to carry
on the packing business, now at its
height, and very active.
The census returns of population in
the city, while falling somewhat short of
the estimate OF some, are highly fatter-
ing, showing population of 299,227
against ll0,973 in 1860, an increase of
l69 per cent. in ten years, and this, too,
without the absorption during the time
OF any suburban villages or cities, as has
been the case in regard to some other
large cities. The State of Illinois has
increased from population of LII ,95l
in 1860 to 2,527, $40 in 1870, an increase
of as per cent.
FLOUR.
The flour trade has been depressed
and lifeless for almost the entire year.
Millers have made less flour and prob.
ably at less profit than in 1869, and
that was by no means lucrative years
business. 1t is a noticeable fact that
the production OF Hour in this CITY
shows a decline during both the past
two years, and the falling off in receipts
from the interior is also quite marked
This cannot be attributable to the lack
Of wheat from which to manufacture it.
as our receipts of wheat have steadily
increased, but the relative prices for
flour and wheat have been in favor of
the latter. This is almost always the
case when there is any considerable de-
mand for the export of breadstuffs.
shippers to Europe seeming to prefer
the grain.
Considerable more flour has been pur
chased in this market for direct shin
ment to Europe during the past year
than in 1869. The establishment of
grades of flour, referred to in my last
report, has not as yet come into general
appreciation, and nearly all flour is still
sold oy sample. Early in the year, sam
Mos of orr opIorIc ,uara oa,t a.