New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-06-29

New Orleans Commerce in Colonial Times.
EDITOR REPUBLICAN,:
From the first French settlement in Lou
between the Mississippi shores Biloxi. Ship
and .Dauphin islands. etc, and San
Domingo (now Hayti) was the most i'm
portant. Vessels sailing from France fol-
the French colonies in Louisiana always
first landed there tSan Dnmingo) and with
additional freight colonial produce, such
as sugar. coff4e, rice. rum. etc.| made sail
for their ultimate destination, New Orleans
and vicinity. This commerce was continued
throughout the whole term of the French
dominion up to 1863, when Louisiana was
ceded by private treaty to Spain. But
even after that period. the Spanish King
BY special permission. allowed the continu
ance of this lucrative trade between Lou
siana and the then very ti,Iishing colony OF
San Domingo. with the only exception OF
the introduction Of the African slaves
which were not allowed to be drawn from
the French West Indies. but had to be taken
either from some Spanish colony .Cuba
! or Porto Rico) or direct from the African
coast, Congo. Sanagambia, etc. This
trade with the island OF San Do
mingo. had however declined almos,
to zero at the time of the American
advent in Louisiana lSO3) for the obvious
reason that by the revolution. broke out in
1890, and continuing throughout that decade,
the commerce, agriculture and industry had
been entirely destroyed. Our own ex'
perience from 1916 to the present time. in
New Orleans, in mercantile affairs. had
made us acquainted with but little revival
Of that trade from our city and Port-au-
Prince. the only port to which now and
then vessel would be. dispatched, laden
with Western produce. -four. pork,
apples, potatoes. soap. candles. etc. This
trade was almost exclusively in the
hands of the former commercial! firm OF
Zacbarie 4 Co. Passengers. of the colored
Population. who had interests still pending
in that formerly SO prosperous island. tor
both the French and home governments
had made ample allowance for former
losses and indemnities, were often seen
embarking on our levee and leaving for
that part Of the island Of San Domingo:
but generally after an absence OF . few
years all returned. having made Intellectual
essayes to cultivate the land, or reinstate
their former homsteads and industries.
With Havana aud the island OF Cuba.
commerce for New Orleans. after the ad
>hn ;sf, sr
q very grea. expansion. considering the
then diminutive state Of industry in ge H.
era! from the Louisiana colony. A number
Of small yessele. mostly schooners, were
continually plying between New Orleans,
Mobile and Pensacola, and the principal
por. Of the island of Cuba. say Havana.
The exchange Of comm odities consisted in
the colonial produce Of the Spanish island.
such as coffee, sugar. tobacco. cigars. cocoa
and other articles drawn from Mexico and
the Spanish main and reshipped TO Louisi'
ana. because no direct Intercourse existed
between this latter colony and the more
distant establishments Of the Spanish.
American empire. One Of the most in.
portant return articles for the Mississipp;
shores was the pine timber. cypress and
other plank exported by whole schooner
loads for the making Of sugar boxes in
Cuba and the other Spanish islands. The
commerce with Porto Rico was at no time
very active. for the reason. no doubt. that
Havana. under whose special jurisdiction
Louisiana had been placed. supplied all the
government stores and supplies. and there.
fore left no field 20 the merchants of
other islands to come in for share Of the
Mississippi trade. Most Of the commerce
at that time, it must be remembered. was
only allowed by special royal permission.
Real free trade. or ingress and egress Of yes.
sells and goods from one colony 70 another
were unknown things. the only exception
being by the way Of smuggling. which was
carried on clandes:inely between the Mis-.
sissippi valley and the island Of Jamaica,
mostly after .his free navigation had been
conceded to England by the treaty of 1863.
whereby the FIoridas. up to the eastern
shore Of the Mississippi. had come into pos
session Of the British, together with Mobile.
Biloxi. Bay st. Louis. and all the lands OF
the northern shore OF lakes Pontchartrain.
Maurepas. etc. Having thus possession Of
the eastern side OF the Mississippi valley.
the British chipping. sailing up and down
the stream. there was left an opening
for an extensive commerce. OF which
Louisiana profted in no email de.
gree. However. as TO the more
precious trade with the Spanish main.
Honduras. Mexico. etc, there was such a
close watch kept on the part of the Span.
ish authorities in those localities that the
clandestine commerce carried on from New
Orleans under both the French and Span
ish colonial regime never was considered as
otherwise than mere gambling affair. more
money being lost than made by it in the
long run, and almost all houses who
datbled with it finally succumbed or failed,
with few lucky exceptions, such as David
Clark and some others, who had long car
riei on this trade with Vera Cruz. TampIco
and other adjoining Mexican ports.
From this sketch it will be seen that
the real trade and shipping TO be opened
with these countries is still in the womb of
the future. ID.
Dastardly Attempt to Wreck Train.
On Tuesday. June the :2d, as the North
bound mail train on the New Orleans. St.
Louis and Chicago Railroad. was approach.
ing point about three miles north of Ok