, 1876-01-01

In 1877 tic average freight on corn 10 Dlffalo
was 3.2c nearly nakiug tho 1ate on wheat about
3.5o. .,
Tho lowest ratio to buffalo the past season by
water, was 1S4ic on corn. which wss equivalent
to nut more than ljsc Oh whnAt tho h'Yhe9t Oh
whoat by sail NUS &c paid noar tho close Of tAe
soaHoD,
Thesa low ratc8 woro directly duo to the iacS
OF compotitlon for frciglt.tootn. there not bolng
enougl, doing to Keep oil tlo vessels employed.
eron at tho curreut fatos, wtltc! Teio 10 loR
that thoy hcascoly patd running e1penHe5. Iheto
Nas lcBH grain to 70 forSarI, owing to the lib.
ernt rnii movement of tho preceding winter, aNd
loss wan waated East for tito Eat1e reAeon: Az
consequence OF those low ratcs. tito prlceB Of
nearly oil kinds Of produce were well Sustained
all through tho suasou.
Tho lowest through rato OF tho year TO Non
York waB 13c per bu pn wheat from Btote hero 10
frcn bn honrd thore. At TIC cioae OF Octobof
tho ratio was l0GD2oc. Tho towcBt ocean freight
WAS Cd; tho lighcas. lQtG9l1d.
was Legitimate consequence Of spirited cor,-
petition on the part Of tho Baltimore + Ohio
Maiiroad, which invited businusa By low fntes,
md obliged the colnpanicB controlling otller
lines 10 cut down i'll Bell-dofenao. Their ratios
necessarily ruled low through, tic summer un-
der tho competition Of lnlo craft. Towards tho
closo OF tho no1son Of navigation tho railroad
COMPANIES combined to put rp rateg. and na1led
Cue per 1u0 HIS aa tho figures on Ktnin from
Chicago to Now York. They, noweyor. con-
tented themselves with l5c, Or 27c l,ar busAcl
on wheat othor fourth class being nlvauecd to
5oc Just before tue holidays. Tho natural effect
Of ti,s NOS decline iii Tia price o. grain in this
markot; but tho condcquuca4 10 Chicago wrre
intensified By Tho rnjlst DETERMINATIONS ln |asor
OF interior pojuts, whicl, waro ablo to scnl their
produce through this city mud around II at arge
reduction from. tho tntes charged to ahlppots
from this point. Tho PRACTICE u unaorbliug
on produce Kes,t from eouatry statous made tic
ulnt$er mucl Turne for our LoalorH III KrAiH. Tue
oyli bceamo no t}arrant il thu latter iart OF Dc.
cempcr that tho Directors OF tho DanrI uf Trale
wero appoalod to TO appoint committee OF in
sestIgaslon. @ Ynors ia reason to l,opo TINT tho
exposure wil !,o the naes.,s Ut wcrksug radical
reform in thla direction. THO ,noyeMcut 10 in-
yest,gato has already caused the Clique ~ order
that no moro Hnali bo charged frotn Chicago
Tho intcnso compo1i1tUn Of uthor points for
tho produce trade ot Chicago lcts.ess il abso-
1utely necessary that dealers here should unite
III Iii effort TO osect reduction III The charges
probably bo reduced NTH profit to tho warehouse
man, md Tho charges fof thinning grain Into
cass mud switchsus cara to tue ELEVATORS should
bo abolished altogether. as thero 10 no good
mnlp u difference Of neal'y 10 per, bu III fasoz
OF Chicago aB n Bhipplue- -poiht for produce.
Ann this Ia mnttnr Ut ,staI intrrrBt TO tho
whole u our ,ucrcant!!o con,uunity, fur wltero
ths gsain goes tho othor trade vi! follow.
Money will accunu!aso wherever the prod
uco is tuhen to ba marketed npa the
cash received by the producer will ba
puld out Tor dry Eool3 aud ErDcericB,
clo.hing, drugs, and lukurica, aa uearly ~
poaalbto to tbs laco whore he finds nnrkct fot
WllRs ho has to soil. II, therefore. our present
! positiou ~ distributor OF Eoods to tho North.
wuBt bo u,a,ntaimc1, wo mnst retain that Of l1-
! ceIsor anu buyor for what tho people Of TINT
| wEdo area has tU diBpoao of The twb conditions
Are coexlstenI, aa Tho two poaa of tho galyanic
| battory.
| Tho volume Of proaaco pouring through our
city In 1uol NOUS. Tho total weight Ut tue
broadstufa. lire stock. rroylH.ou8 lumber, coai,
aeetis, eto. rnuotyeh in Gh.eago during tho year
vas not far from 7,u00O0u tons, or 101, 900 car,
loada il ali lad eolue In by rail. Thia IL ~ o.
! erago stream Ut l3L tuus por mlnuto ii
| khsOus, tue YeaE, Including nigh!s, Sundays,
aud othsr holidays. No nma1l portion OF thit
waB consumed III the city; but BY far tho larges'
| part Wan sent out again III q yast commercial
stream, directed t0*ard all roints OF tho compass
Far tic handling Of The EraIl III Chicago. Wt
now Aavo sixteen Irregular elevators {not iu'
| cludiug tho UauYillo and Necfcy' - which hare
IN aggregate storage capacity Ut l4,UJD, uUI
| bushels. No now ons has boom built during tho
| past year. thosa already In exstenco boiuH
suficlont for tie present trado. Tnoro are a1sG
! Immense public stosehouHes for AoHs, pro
| vast aggregate OF storage room Of tho caasI
AHo"" Aa Fisaso' ]eooas ~ rk.'s VI t'ataa ~ I
~ o,' ri,n ,'.at ,I'a oss ~,
| irarh. ntp.
Tie conduct Of tho warcAuusng business III