Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1871-05-03
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Increase over last year.

Had not our wheat and corn crop been par
italy cut off we should have had no doubt; L
very considerable increase OF receipts ever the
present report.
The year as You are aware, WAS unt;vorabe
tnr both wheat and corn, having had most
favorable prospect for 4 yield Of wheat up to
within few weeks of harvest when untavor-
able weather set in. which very materially IN
jurel the crops. Corn seemed to promise well,
but Just at the critical moment the drought
came and that crop was also very materially
injured Oats and rye have turned out very
well. Whilst we We're suffering from superb
bunlancc Of rain 1T one season and drought 1T
another the West WAS enjoying Il most pro
bilious season and an abundant harvest; con
.,,;ueutly We have laborcu with great odds
arail,s, Us in the disposal Of our grain to
other markets. the result Of which would
naturally create stagnaton iii business here.
But We are happy to say, Gentlemen; that whilst
the Year has not been as proptlous tor business
as We could wish, Yet it has been Tar from an
unfavorlblc one: altogether We have much
10 be grateful for. No producer or seller
could find any reasonable cause for complaint
considerable portion Of the time our prices
have been about us high us those Of New
York and the surrounding markets. whilst
there ought to have been fair margin.
Compare the prices OF to day and you VII find
we are about up with New York on wheat and
corn.
1t is to be hoped that our surrounding
country will become more closely settled by
Immigration aud that our receipts may become
sufficiently large to enable us to put ships at
our wharvcs and load them direct for Europe,
which would have been the cas-: this year,
provided dispatch could have been Guaranteed.
FIVE look about us, Gentleman. and see the
improvement going on We may begun to feel
that our long deferred hopes arc now about to be
realized that Alexandria should be Il place
second only in point of population and COM
mercc in this country Look at your noble Po-
tomac, one Of the finest rivers on this continent,
n;lvigabc for the largest class ships tn your
Very doors; your mountains with mineral re-
sources unsurpassed; your fertile fields and val
leys which iftully cultivated, would produce sufi
Client grain in excess Of your own wants to supply
Il large proportion OF the foreign demand. w hat
then is to hinder Alexandria becoming Il place
Of importance? Nothing but the want of COM
bined action on the part of her people to pro-
mote her interest Providence has done much
Tor her, will not You do your part? Then let Us
put our shoulders to the wheel and forward
Alexandria to that position where she natural
~ belongs. There are many resources yet un-
improved. 1t is proposed to make this a COM
mcrcial association, under which we trust these
matters may be duly considered. The lines Of
transportation leading to and from our city have
all been doing Il fair business, and rs new rail
roads are being constructed and the old ones eX-
tended, We may reasonably expect consider
able increase in our business the coming season
if these resources are properly foStered We
congratulate yop on the favorable prospect of i
new Exchange Building, which, no doubt. when
completed, will be an ornament to your city. We
trust you will have suitable rooms for the
transaction of business and in which We shall be
proud to introduce our friends.
Your Treasurer report shows balance on
hand ut the present time of $500, with a
small outstanding debt As you are aware the
assessments for the past year were very light,
hardly sufficient for the expenses ofthe associs-
ton. If the idea had been carried out rs Sug-
gested some time since, to increase the sub
scriptions to fifteen dollars for each subscriber
80 now would have had quite balance in the
IreaSury-but it was thought best to make the
subscription only sufficient for the then present
wants Of the association
Our roll Of membership shows at the present |
time ~ active mcmbers--an increase over last |
year two members. 1t is expected that in the |
change OF the name OF our association from |
that OF the Corn and Produce Exchange to the |
Commercial EXchange-and the completion Of |
our new rooin "hleh Will greatly add to our
comfort and convenience our roll of member
ship will be largely increased.
The ruthless hand of death has been withheld
from us the past year with one execution that
in the death of our much esteemed member
Samuel Hartley, Esq, who departed this lifes
on the I'd of January last. He had been
member of this association from its first incep-
ton, and most active merchant for many years,