Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1875-02-20
LETTER FROM ST. LOUIS.
ST. LOUIS, Mo-.
Feb. IL. 1873.

MESSRS. EDITORS: Your apprecia-
ted paper (the Chronicle) of the 9th
inst brought me the sad intelligence
ofthe death, by suicide, Of j. B. Ira
hern, one of my Tobacco associates
and friends, also your paper of the
18th inst. containing an article over
the signature of I. j. Duncan throw.
ing different light on his much la
mented and untimely death, which /
much prefer accepting. As the tobac
co season approaches, am often re-
minded by fond remembrance of the
many pleasant business transactions
with him, during my three years stay
on your market. Here l am interrupt
ed by the presentation at my desk of
dispatch from Paducah, notifying me
of the death, this morning, Of Chas.
Nj. Mocquat, another of my tobacco
associates of several years standing.
Thus it is, one by one we pass from
this, to try the realities of another
world. Our tobacco market here is
opening much earlier this season than
usual, are very full, Notwithstanding
the very poor quality of that part of
the new crop which has appeared on
this market.
The Missouri crop is not coming up
in quality to the expectation of the
trade here. | examined samples of
thirty-fve crops. grown in Chariot
and Howard counties in this State said
to be samples of the best crops grown
this last season in the above named
counties, none of which, [ consider
fine and majority of them barely me-
dunn. The exhibitions of the new
crop on this market, so far, indicate a
large portion of the present crop very
inferior.
We have now what we term short
crop men. These short crop mems es-
innate of the number of hhds that will
be sold here this season at from to
8 thousand hhds, while the estimate of
the long crop men, is from 10 to u
thousand hhds. 1t is my belief the
short crop men are nearest correct,
from the fact that the planters who
have marketed their crops either here
or in the country, have fallsn short of
their estimate in pounds.
One of our largest manufacturing
dealers had bought from planters, ac-
cording to planters estimate five hun
dred thousand lbs, and has received
two hundred thousand, and in no in
stance has the crop weighed out ac-
cording to planters estimate. The
purchaser now thinks the five
hundred lbs. purchased as per
planters estimate will weigh out
about three hundred thousand
lbs. and he has gone on this
market to supply the deficit in his
country purchase. The Missouri
crop is better matured than the Ken
lucky and Tennessee crops. Yet
large portion of the Missouri crop was
not only cut green but before it had
gotten its growth, which goes very far
towards accounting for the display of
bad judgment on the part Of the plant
ersin estimating the weight of heir crop.
Tobacco cut before it ripens is much
lighter than when it natures properly,
and as we all know that a large portion
of the planting of last season was put
out too late to have time to mature
fully, and the planters stimulated by
high prices and short crop reports from
every tobacco growing region naturally
concluded that tobacco cut green, was
preferable to no tobacco, consequently
upon the first warning of frost used
the knife freely, regardless of the con-
dition of the plant.
GAINESVILLE like other western mar
kets will have to worry through dull
season, and look with hopeful antici-
pations for full harvest of the weed
next season. fear, however, our to-
bacco growers will do like the cotton
growers of the South, try to produceit
all in one season, and after it is mar
keted have to borrow money to pur-
chase family supplies.
w. A. B.