Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1874-05-09

mains 1886, 100000 to be divided
among the States of the German Em.
pire. Of this amount the North
German Confederation will get 1881
900, GOO, Batavia s64, 800, 600, and the
other States from six to twenty mil
lions of dollars each.
THE TRADE OF CHICAGO which en-
braces more or less directly the trade
of lake Erie,is commented upon by
the Chicago Tribune of the 3Oth ult.
in a way that cannot but enlist the
attention Of vessel owners along the
shore from one end to the other
The article explains how the carry
ing trade by water is affected, and
vessel stock becomes so precarious
and proftless of late. In the days
that are gone by it was the
course of the grain trade of Chicago
to close with the close of navigation.
The receipts by rail during the win
ter went into warehouse and remain
ed there until spring. In the first
few weeks of spring, there was a
demand for vessels, fr.ights were
liberal, and fleets of vessels took
their departure. The railroads
leading to Chicago resumed their
business and began hauling grain to
the city, and this was kept up stead
lily until navigation closed. But four
or FIVE years ago the grain business
experienced a slight modification.
The first season there were few oc-
casional shipments during the win
ter by rail; the next season the prac-
tice was increased, including -four
and meats; and SO until last winter,
when the shipment of Western pro-
ducts was continuous. The extent
of this business is easily shown
During the year ending Aug. !, 18-
7S, there was received in Chicago
IT,528,585 bushels of wheat; since
then, and up to this time, we have
received 29,463, 1863 bushels. From
Aug. to Dec. l, 1873, we received
Is,928,4I5 bushels, or 100000
bushels more than in the preceding
Twelve months. Notwithstanding
these extraordinary receipts, there
is now but little more wheat in ware
mouse in the city than there was a
year ago. This shows tn at all the
railroads leading TO Chicago have
been hauling wheat III immense
quantities during the entire winter,
and that during that same period
we have bern shipping it to the East
by the same means of transportation.
Instead of the season" of shipment
beginning with the opening of navi-
cation, it has not been suspended at
all, but has continued uninterrupted.
In addition to this, the shipments of
wheat from points west of Chicago,
by through lines and not passing
through store in that city, have been
also unusually Large.
The crops have been kept moving
and more money has passed into the
hands of the country producers
than ever did before in the same six
months. The farmers have not only
shipped more grain and stock, but
have received much larger prices,
than the average of several preced-
ing years. The result is that there is
more money in the interior at this
time for crops sold during the win
ter than was ever before known in
the history of the grain trade. All
this business, covering many mil
lions of dollars, has been done with
out any special noise or hustle, but
as matter of course. The immense
shipments by rail during the winter
have diminished the demand for
lake freights. The winter sales of
our wholesale establishments have
not in the least diminished, the sales
showing an increased amount of
goods sold. The interior having
more money than usual at this
season, the general trade has been
aided by this circumstance. The on
ly striking difference in the trade is
that the general receipts and ship
ments of wheat, which hitherto have
been more or less crowded into the
e'rly weeks of spring, have been am
tielpated by the continuous receipts
and shipments by rail during the
winter.