Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1872-05-23
The Commerce Of GEORGETOWN.

Ahc NoHhneTce OIL &c Or efOW0.
Our sister city of 0rgetown, in a quiet, I'M
CstHnta' Gus way, do = heavy bUsineSs yearly
in several veIy imp ortsnt branches of Industry.
The t-npr~~siOn which obta'-s = some extent
that lrget1wn is a slS ,py old t'wn, fit op,y
Tor the private T: sciences OF such OF our bust
EeSs men % love qr'et semi ountry home on
the heights, will be removed when we We s,me
statistic, collected from reliable sources. in
regard - the three mos irnpol ts1t business
interests of that city-we refer t. lumber, fiour
and coal During ne yer 1871 over 10 $50 900
feet of white and yellow pine lumber, bCs DIES
3,s- d 20 shinglcs, Snd a large number OF laths,
PicketS and p ia, were br Jr ght to G. ,rget1wn
mainly by sehooners ON Man yI-1d, vi,s ia,
MOI n Carolina, South CaIJl1a, e. 1rgia and
FlOIicl- A sma" poi ZION wa obtained in Nav
York and Pennsyiys"'a and some hard woods
were brought from Illinois and Indiana by rail.
The value OF the lumber trade for the year men
toned was sSS1 -, and this year a large in
crease in bpsiness Is ant cipated. Perhaps one
eth Of the lumber imported is shipped to the
contiguous country, the remaining four ffths
being disposed of within the limits of the Dig
trict. To carry on this business the emplov-
ment of large number OF coasing vessels is
necessary, anu seldom dos a day pass that there
cannot be found several schooners discharging
their cargo at the lumber wharyes.
During last year the miles c. Georystovn
shipped about r5,CC . bs-rels OF four of ALL
grades, the major part goirg to New York bv
steamer. The value of tho fIur produc; on
for the same PC io was s2,CO,cs1, and the
amount OF whelt involved in the manufacture
of flour about ISs 600 bushels The -four busi-
ness was lighter than rsusI last yea. owing IN
the poor crop OF wheat and low water in the
canal, which prevented the mills from running
for a number Of weeks during the summer.
The trade was heaviest during the three years
which followed the war, when it amounted to
at least 8, GOO, 900 annually. This year an in
crease,in business over last is looked for, al
though the character of the grain crop cannot
yet be accurately indicated. In this connection
ii may be stated that choice grades OF wheat are
eagerly sought for by the millers at all times,
and that higher prices have been paid for wheat
in Georgetown this ,ason than Iu any other
city in the Cr'ted States.
But the most important interest in a financial
point OF view is doubtless the coal trade with
Cumberland, va the Chesapeake AMI Ohio
canal Commencing in 1850 with but 40i2 tons
OF coal brought ID Georgetown by the canal. the
trade hss St ABLY increased from year {, year
In 1s'0, the receipts were C .,t5I aud last ye1r
sJa,S39 tors. The total amount shipped II
Georgetown (incIuJing the year 1s7D since the
commencement of the trade in 1850, was 6 223 S9T
tons, the value of which may b, s.fely esti-
mated at $50 COS, coo. The shipments i.om Cum
berland 10 &c Orgetown last year, ALTHOUGH con-
sderaby lager than those of the year previous
would have been Considerably increased had il
rot been for tie low water in the canal aud the
lack OF facilities for Shipping the coz ..om
Georgetown to nOrthe- N end eastern no > A.
Vt was the value of the coal shipped to our sister
city last yea was So 49, or nearly "a 900 O)o
Although the trade began this year undo
unfayO-abe auspices-the canal not being re-
paired and opened until some six weeks later
thah usual-there Is fair prospect of an
increased business during the present wear.
Notwithstanding the late date at which the
canal opened this spring, the receipts now are
July equal to those up to this time last year.
and 1t is confidently expected that the ship
nents from CumberIand to G sorgetoxl IRIS
year will reach, if they % not exceed C . 900
IONS The carrying capacity of the canal has
Teen increased by the addition of at reast one
hundred and hfiy new boats, and more are
icing built at the Cumberland yards Besides.
the canal Is now in perfect order whereas IL
year 1t was continually gett ng out of o-de-
through breaks in thebauks the displacemplt
OF draws and locks.
And when we give the IT, amount c. noney
involved in these transs -tiors we refe- only To
the value of the articles Qunbe-, flou-, and
eoal,) themselves. and 7 Dt to the large amount
actually expended in carr ling on thc y, AIDES
TODD the lat II large fleet of vessels, a consid
cradle clerical force, and a small army OF IN,
chanicS, bo1tmen, tea mste-J, and lal ,re-s are
required, their pay ment necar itaing a heavy
expenditure yC -lv.
We mention these facts 70 prove ~. ou- sis
ter city Is not made up o. Rip Van Wrinkles. but
controls Some o. the nc. impor ant branches
OF indus-ry in tie Dis.rictc" Columbia.