The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1873-04-02
COMPLIMENTS FOR CHARLEsTOM
Our Commerce Viewed through New
York Spectaclcs.
From the New York Daily Bulletln.l

Our Commerce Viewed through New
York spectacles: {.
From the New York Daily Bulletin.l
The Charleston Chamber of Commerce has
published Its laet annual report of the trade
and commerce Of that city. 1t shows record
Of continued Improvement, which Is most
satisfactory under the circumstances. The
city must certainly be endued with an Intense
vitality to emerge from the terrible losses Of
oae of the most severe and protracted sieges
on record, and The scarcely less severe ordeal
of the most viclonsly stupid legislation 10
which 1t has since been exposed. The war
cxtiDguished the entire capital invested In
banks and Insurance companies to the amount
of fifteen millions of dollars, 80 that the work
OF recovery was attended by all but lnsuper-
able obstacles. The scarcity Of capital was 80
great that interest for q long time ranged at
elghseen per cent, aud did not at any time
fall below twelve per cent. Then there was
the total disruption Of all social ties; the revo-
luton 10 labor, and the elevation Of the for.
mer slaves into the position Of Legislators, the
whole being attended by food OF corruption
and extravagance and burden Of taxation
which were calculated 10 involve the city and
Slate In hopeless ruin and bankruptcy.
The statistics of the Chamber OF Commerce
rem Jrt show that, In spite of these obstacles,
Charleston has made slow but steady progress
during every year since the war. Toe cotton
receipts have Increased from lll,7l4 bales, or
five per cent. of the crop, In 1885 68. to 2S2 oSs
bales, or ten per cent. Of the crop, IN AS7l-72.
The receipGs OF local cotton have Increased
10000 bales. The receipts OF rice have In.
creased from 40l9 tlerces In 1865 to 42,677
tierces In 1871 72. In the lumber trade, the
exports were l8, AGO. 339 feet 10 l87l.72, against
S,SS9,l7l feet In 1866. The naval store
trade SHOWS corresponding Increase. In
1866, the exports were only 81, l36 barrels;
last wear they were 147 ,9l0 barrels.
Nearly every other department OF business
and industry shows evidences OF increasing
activity and prosperity. THO Increase In the
wholesale grocery and jobbing trade IN 1877
Ia estimated at Is per cent. above the amount
10 1871. A large amount OF capital was In.
vested in new buildings, and the Work ol
clearing the bar and removing the obstruc'
tions 10 the harbor is pursued with creditable
activity by the Federal engineers In charge
The shipbulldIng trade has also ehown signs
of Improvement, several new vessels for the
coasting trade having been lately launched,
while others are In course OF construction.
Truck farming. q new busisess since the war,
now affords employment to considerable
number of persons. Last year 2l7 guy PACK
But the phosphate trads is the largest and
most profitable trade In South Carolina. the
frat shipment from Charleston OF crude phoa.
phate took place In 1867, and last year 242, ,4l6
tons were exported. There are now. 10
Charleston aud vicinity six factories, with an
aggregate capital of s4. 900, 90 engaged In the
manufacture OF commercial fertilizers. The
demand now exceeds the supply. The ma.
chine shops and sash and blind factories OF
Charleston are also doing thriving business.
In ine, Charleston shows recuperatiVe en-
erey. rnder a combination of the most d..
pressing circumstances. which affords the sur
est guarantee of her future growth and pros
peritv.