New-York tribune., 1874-10-22
CROPS AND TRADE.
ST LOUIs As A COTTON CENTER.

WITH MEMPHIS AND NEw-oRLEANs FOX CoiioN
oONsIGSMENrs-PROsPECr OF CONTINUED IN
CREASE OF THE BUSINESS AT ST. LOUIS.
lrsoM rHH SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE rRIBuSE'i
.Sr. Lorr1s. Sept. 1.-The annual cotton
statistics printed by The ST. Louis Democrat snow tha'
there was here by rail and the year
lust closed OF cotton, while the gross receipts
for 1925 which exceeded those Of any previous year.
amounted only 597O9 bales. or this years receipts
4s23 bales signed Eastern points on through
bills OF iading 79s received for sale In this
market against Si5O9 sent here for the same purpose
during absolute gam Of 49o9 bales or $50 per
cent Expressed dollars the increase in the cotton
trade of St. Louis year has been about three ana
q half millions.
As yet, the shipment OF cotton TO TINS Market mas
probably had very porceptibe effect on the trade OF
tue four great cotton mars OF the South, New-Oreans
Nobe, Memphis and Galveston. though the steady an
nual increase in the here during the past
years be wholly accounted Tor either py
corresponding ia the aggregate cotton crop oi
the country the completion OF railroads putting
St. Louis in direct communication with the cotton-pro-
ducng regions Of South Western Missouri Arkansas ana
Texas The, latter has, of course, had very marked
effect aud IL interesting fact to note that during
the year lust closed than half the cotton WHICH
oame here arrived the st. Louis and Iron NOUN
tain Railroad the connections OF which
have recently completed But II should also pe re-
Dembered that OF the points on the Cairo ana
ton Railroad from which the Iron Mountain Road re-
ceyed large quantities OF cotton bound for st. LOUIS
have also direct railroad connections with GaiVestoh
and Memphis, old established cotton markets. anu are
much nearer latter than they are to ST. Louis BE-
sides the cotton receipts OF this city by boat nave as
rule for the past six years the only ex
cepon being IsT12 when, for reasons that c0uld De
easily explained the river receipts were greater than IN
1874.
careful study OF these figures in the light OF some
facts collected last Spring by the st. Louis Cotton Ex
I,,rt, rssitf m
the Southwest little than year ago. suggest the
query whether 81. Louis may not at no very distant
day become the rival, in the cotton trade, OF New
Orleans Memphis and Galveston. 1t is no easy matter
to turn great trade out OF its accustomed channels
especially when those channels the natural ones AS
all roads used TO lead to Rome so all the rivers OF this
groat Valley flow New-Oreans and make 1t the great
material cotton market of the South. The is true
only in more limited degree, of Memphis; it lies In the
midst OF a ri n cotton growing REGION but being above
the mouths Red aud Arkansas rivers, the natural
destination all the cotton of which they are the high
ways as that which finds its way to the Misss-
sipp River below Memphis ought naturally to be New
Orleans
But neither New Orleans Memphis will find 1t safe
TO depend upon its situation TO insure it the
trade which very life depends. They must offer
the same inducements that other markets do or else
they may yet trade which naturally belongs TO them
turning up stream making its over long lines OF
railroad favorable markets. st. Louis claims TO
lie already better market for cotton than either New
Orleans or Memphis and the figures on which she bases
this assertion worthy Of examination during the
past year the St. Louis Cotton Exchange has requested
merchants who had divided their consgnments between
St Louis and NewOrleans, ST. Louis Memphis, to
send to this city comparison the accounts OF sales
rendered from each market. No part OF either has
been suppressed, so that the comparison is fair, I'M
partial one. The first account was from Arkadephia,
Ark. station on the Cairo and Fulton road' % miles
southwest OF Little Rock. Eighteen bales OF cotton
were shipped TO that point from New-Oreans aud IS
to st. Louis and the sales were very Deariy stimuli
taneous the time of storage in each case being one
month. The gross value of those which went to New
orleans sllO6 O5 and the charges including freight
commissions and everything, were VAS 49, or
134s per of the value OF the cotton The 10 bales
that came to st. Louis sold for 65 and the freight
commissions and all other charges were slo3 49, OF Sol
per cent OF the value of cotton That is 1t cost this
shipper S 63 less 10 sell hundred dollars worth OF
cotton IN ST. Louis than In NewOrleans Two equal
consignments from Washington, Ark. show even
greater difference than this IN the cost OF selling the
charges on that to New-Oreans being l5457 per
cent while those that which came to st. Louis were
only per of its value The charges at Memphis
are less than those at orleans, but range from
of per cent to three per cent OF the
value of the cotton sold above those OF st. Louis
What is the explanation Of this Do the cotton factors
and commission merchants Of New-Orleans make more
cost of conducting business in NewOreans Is greater
than 4 ia in St. LOUIS Taxes in city last year
moro than FIVE per cent assessment, 10 many in
stances twice the cash value Of the property Then all
merchants have TO pay heavy license taxes; steamboat
owners TO pay high port fees t5t Louis Is free
port. and labor on the levee costs more
st. LOUIS is also a better market TO buy in than New
Orleans The same causes which increase the cost Of
selling cotton at the place increases the price Of
all kinds OF provisions Corn, -four, bacon would natur
ally be cheaper in S. Louis aud It is fact that al kinds
Orleans cost more bought there purchased in
this city. The manager OF one OF the steamboat lines
year that 1t Thing for Them TO bring from
New Orleans TO this city sugars coi1ee, &C. 200 miles,
some OF the same sugar coffee provision their boats
for the at cheaper rate than they could
chant AS a considerable portion of the cotton which
the great markets OF the south Is shipped oy
country merchants. who desire 10 invest part OF al OF
the proceeds goods the consgnor when choosing ms
market will take into consideration the
Facilities which each CITY for cheap purchases
veil AS the advan ages II has for selling his COTTON
The bar which oDstructs navigation at the mouth OF
The Mississippi and similar impedmens at the entrance
Ia Mobile and Giiveson harDOrs. have, at present. a
~ Selay from these causes makes freight
rates than they should be- Tlo 81 LOUIS COTTON
for he same scs Of cotton received at ST. Louis
Memphis New Orleans. ana Galveston during tne past
wear shows in favor OF this market of from
One-half 10 tIreeoIrths OF cent pound ana explain
this fact by saying through reghts from 81 Lous
10 or Liverpool just much cheaper than
from the other great cotton markets. have had no
opportunity VERIFY these figures but a. the assertion
IS one the falsy which can be very easily
demonstrated, have no doubt that II is correct. ~
ecaio1 Of Uuon freight and passenger depo
1ncker and cneapa and aording 10 ~ Louis
,bsr western city tnc erection Of compresses the first
OF which was Cted less than three years ago ane
warehonses as wen as the marvellous fertility Of tht
Southwestern prares aud the rapidty OF their se1te
will other things Deng equal, cause RAPID increase II