New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-08-23
The Distress of Corn Men.

UoOopJ H. ryIlo ins from tho st. Louis
Democrat:
The rates Of rail freights now ~ force be-
tween this city and Eastern soa0oaId points
are 80 discriminating "Ealnst the ~. Louis
corn trade WHOM compared with the rates
made from Chicago, that our com trade
eastward has come to sudden stand-still.
Here is the comparison:
BY rail-ChicagO to Boston, % cents per
bushel; East St. Louis to Boston, 33.4 cents
per Observation-Disclosures 1914 cents per bushel.
Chicago to New York, 20 cents per bushel;
East st. Louis to New York, 30A cents
difference l94 cents per bushel Now, OBJ
serve how this works. The Chicago mar
ket is 4 to cents per bushel higher than
the ST. Louis market. No. | corn in bulk
ia worth A. cents in Chicago and b here on
East track, or about that. Receipts will,
therefore, flow to Chicago, because of this
higher range OF prices, and as the rate Of
freight is 10 cents lower than from 81. Louis
of course all the orders for grain formerly
sent here will 90 there.
There is an order IN this market to-day
from Baltimore for 300 cars OF corn, and
the firm who received it are doing their
level best to get a rate at that point at
which the order can be filed. Whether
they will succeed or not remains to be seen.
st. Louis trade seems destined to be made
the victim of railroad rings, and when re-
taliatiOn upon these miserable combinations
is suggested no small amount Of railway
Indignation is manifested The commits
sion merchants of this city ought to form
league for their own protection, Just as the
merchandIser5 of the city have. This
league should be maintained in force all
the time, ready to take swift action when
ever combinations or determinations in
any direction threaten the trade of the
city.
In cases such as now presents itself, the
remedy would be to withdraw all shipments !
by rail, and ship via New Orleans. 1t is |
true the time would be greater, but there |
would be a saving in freight which ought |
to compensate for the difference. in time. |
We are fully aware that, because the lakes |
are open, the railways leading out of CHI
CagO are obliged to compete with q very
low rate of freight to the East. If our
merchants would do more to establish the
success Of our great water route St. Louis
would also soon be in a position to ignore |
the rail whenever her interests demanded
that she should do so. We presume good
sailing vessels might be chartered in New
York by the trip for carrying corn from
New Orleans, at rates which would pay a .
margin to the shipper, even at present
prices. No. corn in New York is worth 81
cents. ii might be put ahoat here at 30
cents. Freight to New York Is cents by
charter would make 1t cost 81 cents il New
York.
We hope the railway ring viii recede
from their present discriminating tariff, and
not make any combination against them
necessary. Not long agO-about two years,
if our memory is accurate-a freight com
DinatiOn Of railways Was formed here, and
prices put up at time when the milers were
requiring abundant transportation for their
lour eastward The millers, in turn, com
,ined, and gave all their shipments to one
" two lines, until the ring broke. If the
commission merchants will form a similar
eague they can resist such determinations
IS they now complain Of with some effect |