New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-10-03
Vicksburg Cotton Trade Rail and Steam.
boat COmpetition.

| We copy the subjoined article from the
Nicksburg Times:
1t has now been something more than a
| year since we warned our merchants and
business men that something must be done
| to cheaper freights on cotton by river to
| New Orleans. We have stated and re-
| peated that it was imDracticable for our
| large New Orleans packets, with their costly
| splendor, to longer compete for the cotton
shipments of this city. We have often re-
| peated the assertion that fifty cents per
| bale freight was as much as our merchants
could afford to New Orleans, and it has
| been demonstrated that these magnificent
steamers, with their enormous OUTLAWS in
the way Of running expenses, could not
| afford to carry cStton at that price,
hence we insisted that some cheaper means
must be devised. These high freight rates
have gradually forced the cotton and trade
that formerly came to Vicksburg to other
markets. The Meridian railroad has done
all that it was possible for it to do to force
cotton to this city. They have charged the
same freight to jackson from any point be-
yond that city that they have to bring it
through to Vicksburg. Notwithstanding
this the New Orleans and jackson road
los just completed arrangements with ship
pers along the line Of the Meridian road to
furnish them cars and take their cotton to
New Orleans in eighteen hours, and at
much LESS rate than it can be via this city,
and, as the reader will see, in much less
time. Nor is this all. The New Orleans
and Jackson road has made propositions to
the shippers of cotton at every point be-
tween here and jackson to take their cot
ton at less rates than it can be shipped this
way for. This is what our merchants get
for their inactivity and stupidity
Now let US see what these packets that
have persisted in sucking the last drop of
blood out of our commercial prosperity are
likely to gain in the end. We predict that
in less than one week from this time the
side tracks of our depot will be filed with
the cars of the New Orleans and jackson
road, ready to take all the cotton that
comes to this city to New Orleans at less
rates and in less time than it is now being
shipped by boat Inasmuch as the high
tariff on the river has forced all the cotton
from the interior the other route, we are in
clined to view the last proposition, to take
cotton from here by rail, with favor. 1t, at
least, gives US more competition in the way
of freights, and will at once reduce
them, besides giving our cotton
more speedy transit. 1t matters
not by what route nor in what
manner our cotton leaves here after we
have had the handing of it. The main OBJ
.iect is to get cotton to come here, that the
money drawn against shipments may be
spent in our city; its exit TO other markets
is a matter of no consequence. The reduC-
ton IN tariff which We are prOmished by
rail will tend to drawn to Vicksburg cotton
from other points, and, as it seems to us, it
augurs nothing but good The New Or
leans packets, which have grown rich, and,
we may say, in a great measure independent
by our shipments, bring us very little, if
any, trade in return Their orders for
goods are all taken to New Orleans. Our
local packets only are Of real value to the
trade of Vicksburg; and since we have lost
the cotton that formerly came here by rail,
would it not be we'll to make the attempt,
by means OF local packets, to get the cot
ton and trade between Natchez and here
Our merchants need not answer that local
packets running in the trade below here have
never succeeded, This may be true, but
it is the fault of the merchants them
selves They can make them succeed if
they will-if they have failed, it is because
there has been no concert of action among
the merchants, because they did not study
their own interest and patronize them. 1t
is a matter of pride with our merchants and
we must confess to share in it, to see
these huge leviathans landing at our wbarfs
and be able to call them 'Our packets but
it has come to be a matter of bread and
butter with us, and we shall be compelled
to forego velvet carpets and costly mirrors.
The steamer put i'll the GreenviIle trade by
Messrs. Swivel & Noel, brought thousands
of dollars of trade to this city every week,
that either the st. Louis packets took
to St. Louis, or the Katie and Pargoud
took to New 0rleana, If the Chamber
of Commerce were to take some positive,
decisive action in this matter $4,000 OF
trade could be brought to Fieksburg every
week that now goes to Memphis and st.
Louis. There is no doubt that most of the
cotton and freight between here and Rod
ney could be brought to this city by local
packets, as also could that between here |
and GreenviIle. We are positive that all
this cotton can be brought to this city and
shipped by rail for less rate than it now
goes to New Orleans by boat. We can not
tread the well beaten paths of thirty years
ago; we must look matters squarely IN the
face as they now exist. Nicksburg could |
easily be made a cotton market. A large |
amount of the cotton might be compressed |
here. With few thousand bales at the |
Eastern buyers would swarm IN
our market
10 accomplish this it might be necessary |
for the business men to establish bank OF |
their own-a joint stock company, to enable |
them to hold cotton. Probably in one year |
from this time the Ship Island road will be |
to Big Black, and we are quite |
hopeful that the Memphis and Vicksburg |
road will, in the same space of time, be |
from its Mississippi river terminus |
to TIE Yazoo river, and the present indica-
tions are that the road will be built to Can
ton. If we can make this cotton market, |
orGaevise cheap means of transportation:
much of the cotton along the routes OF |
these roads will come here. Let our bust |
ness men study over these matters in time. |
The New York Tribune of Saturday is
still hopeful of the result of the approach
ing elections. It says:
AS the last week Of the canvass for the
October elections approaches, the conf
dence of our friends rises higher and higher
&c pennsrIrania We sneak elsewhere.