The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-09-17
lCircular.1

SHAMBER OF COMMERCE.,
New Orleans, September 16, 1875. {
Dear Sir-At intervals during the past -four
years the attention of this Chamber has been
called by the various boards of trade through.
out the Western States to the discrepancy in
| the tare allowed in this market on Louisiana
sugar in hogsheads and that allowed in most
| other markets in the United States, and many
complaints have been made by numbers OF
leading grocers and merchants of the Western
| cities who are most largely engaged in deal
ing in Louisiana sugar, some of whom have
| represented that they had abandoned all trade
in it because of the great loss in tare, and
others declare they will be compelled to do 80.
The grocers and dealers of this city add
their voices unanimously to this complaint.
Impressed as it has been from all these repre-
| sensations that it is detrimental to the inter-
ests of the sugar planters of Louisiana to ad-
here to the old established custom of ten per
cent when twelve per cent prevails elsewhere,
as regard raw sugars in hogsheads, and actual
tare on all refined sugars, committees have
been appointed each year to investigate and
report upon the ACCESSIBILITY of changing the
custom.
The committee appointed in June last did
not act. With that single exception all other
committees recommended actual tare or twelve
per cent tare
Various influences and causes have pre-
vented the change Factors have each been
reluctant to take the initiative in measure
which might be inimcal to their constituents,
and owing to want of concerted action. diff
ference of opinion, etc., the old custom has
been adhered to, and may be during the en-
suing season, unless this appeal to you shall
prevail and effect the change so essential to
your own interest.
Having implicit confidence that the sugar
planters of this State are fully as honorable
and honest as any equal number of men en-
Gagged in other branches of business here or
elsewhere, we feel confident in appealing to
you for the decision of this matter so i'm
portant to your own future welfare and the
advancement of the sugar interest OF Louisiana.
We submit for your consideration the toll
lowing facts
The entire consumption of sugar in the
United States for the year 1874 amounted to
710,36 tons, of which 661, 500 tons were
foreign, and Az 500 tons domestic, which, re-
duced to hogsheads averaging the weight of
Louisiana yellow clarified sugar, say 1151
pounds net, would be l, 1884, 1853 hogsheads.
According to Bouchereau's Louisiana sugar
report of 1873 "a, there was made in this State
49, 191 hogsheads of vacuum sugar, and 76, 307
hogsheads of open pan kettle sugar, etc,
total of all kinds of 80. 499 hogsheads. The
same authority gives the crop of this year
0S74-75), at 116, S67 hogsheads of all kinds.
Thus it will be perceived how very small a
proportion of sugar consumed in the United
States is produced by Louisiana.
Within fraction of one-ff.eenth- just in the
same, nay. even greater proportion against
her, is the custom as to difference in tare, be-
cause most Of the Louisiana sugar bought in
this market is sent to other markets, and
twelve per cent tare allowed on it. The CEN
trifugal and vacuum sugars of Demerara
range from 1000 to 2200 pounds per hogshead
in weight, upon which, at twelve per cent tare
(Which is allowed to them), the grocers who
unpack them gain-is it at all strange that the
preference is given to it by Western buyers,
who are the largest consumers of our sugar?
Would not you take the same view of it as
they do? Is it wise for the Louisiana sugss
planters to shut their eyes to these facts?
When Louisiana furnished the United
States with the major part of her sugar, as
she did at one time, she might have Afforded
to dictate the rate of tare with IMMUNITY; now
she can not do it without suffering loss We
assure you that this Chamber has letters in
its archives, received from many persons,
protesting against the ten per cent tare, and
declaring their confident belief that the es-
adjustment of actual tare, or twelve per cent
in this market would enhance the value of
our sugars from one.fourth to one-half cent
per pound, and create a much more active
and larger demand for them, and we are fully
convinced that such will be the result.
We know the sugar planters of Louisiana
do not wish to be paid for wood instead of
sugar. We know that during the fall and
winter months, when the hogsheads are full
of new sugar, ten per cent will cover the
tare in large majority of cases, and that
some planters are SO scrupulously honest
that they lose even at ten per cent tare.
That is not just to them. Therefore, we