The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-11-15
what Will Bring IL Back to the Cresc,
City.

what VIII Bring 1t Back to the Crescent
City.
To those who have not been immediately con-
nected with commercial pursuits a. well as to 3
larger class engaged in other pursuits, the great
diminution In our tobacco trade since 1860 has
been source of considerable comment. How it
was that New Orleans, once the principal mart
for this commodity, lost her prestige, has been
question that many have asked and few satis-
factory answers to it given. At one time the
whole product OF Kentucky, Tennessee and Mis-
souri, came to our city, and it was to this point
that buyers from
ALL PARTS OF THE WORLD
resorted to make their purchases for foreign gov
ornments. Since the war, however, all this has
been changed, and gradually New York has so en-
croached upon our trade that but q modicum Of
what IL was is left. A reporter Of the DEMOCRAT
yesterday interviewed several prominent dealers
in leaf tobacco, for the purpose Of cleaning from
them, il possible, the cause of this great dminu.
ton in our tobacco business. The first person
visited was
MIR. w. ST. BLAKEMoRE,
Che well known tobacco merchant here,
Rep.-Mr. Blakemore, there is considerable in
ferest felt in the remarkable decline Of our to-
bacco trade, and it is for the purpose of learning
something of its causes that called.
Mr.. B.-I am very glad to see you, sir, and will
willingly give you whatever information l can on
Rep.-To what do you attribute this great fall
ing oil In the trade here is 1t owing to freghts?
Mr.. B.-No sir; do not think 1t is III tell
you in as few words as can what think the rea-
son OF it is To commence. it is perhaps neces-
sary to let you know how tobacco is put upon the
market from the time it leaves the farm or plan
tation upVo the time Of shipment: In Kentucky,
and take that as . fair sample state, there are
tobacco after curing, and these towns are called
ssbreaks." The principal breaks are Paducah
Evansville, Clarksville. Hopkinsville and q few
other places To these towns the planters resort
with their crop and it is there warehoused.
On certain days regularly announced there is
m auction sale in whatIis called the salesroom
from samples, and what is known az the buyers,
or rather the middle man between the factor and
the merchant makes his purchases, drawing on
the factor to settle the bills.
OF late years the ''regie" buyers land what
mean by the ''regie" buyers is those agents OF
the foreign governments who come over here to
purchase for the supplies OF the country they
have contracts with have been in the habit OF
making their purchase of the first installment OF
their contract either in New Orleans or in New
York. After this they would wait until the mar
ket was low, and then perhaps go up to the
OF course, took the trade
OUT OF THE HANDS OF THE MERCHANT.
and the consequence has been that for q number
OF years past it has been loss after loss to our
factors.
Rep.-As things now are, is there much differ
ence In freights between, say Ken ucky and New
Orleans, and Kentucky and New York?
Mr. B.-T think it is rather in our favor. We
can mt tobacco from the West down here much
cheaper than they can IN New York.
Rep.-Then to what do you attribute the fall
ing off of our trade?
In. B.-To heavy competition and this new
way of doing business.
1T CANNOT LAST,
air: 7 am satisfied of that. It will not be long
before the planter and the merchant will be IN
close connection and these buyers dispensed
with, and we will resume the old style OF doing
business. ,
10 digress a little, it would be amusing to you
to see the way these 'regie" buyers serve u.s. In
order to meet the first installment OF their con-
down here and make purchases enough to cover
this instalIment. Then they hold OIL and Will not
buy except at low rates, and go on TO New YORK.
When they think they have visited long enough
some return only to
II OFFER LOWER PRICES.
dhfs has hurt us severely. You have no idea how
6nIeteriOusly this operates against US. Ihey
choose their times Of purchasing. and underbld
Rsr. Do you think the trade win eventually re-
~ II, BE-. outainly / %, There can be 70