The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-12-23
seventy cents. is one OF the most probable
evpnta In tha i'm mod n In f,,tura

W. w nOJ, WIFI bOnio Vi ouT CDuWihpO-
raries, look upon such an arrangement as
blow struck at the export trade Of New York.
The rivalry Of Southern ports will lead to an
increased export trade, and acknowledgements
OF the traffic must produce q competition
which will give the lowest paying rates be-
tween Western centres and Atlantic sea-
board cities; result greatly to be desired
for the best interests OF our foreign and
domestic commerce. The Southern route,
like the Erie canal, will act as a regulator,
protecting the public against very high
tariffs on the part Of the main trunk lines
between the East and the West.
Mere speculatons az to the feasibility OF
utilizing the great natural advantages OF
New Orleans as a port Of export will not go
very far: these advantages are generally
admitted; but until Barring Brothers
took the matter In hand, none OF its
business men had shown how grain or other
freight taken there could reach foreign mar
kets at lower rates than via Atlantic ports
Something more than mere natural advan-
tages are needed to effect the transfer OF our
foreign export trade from New York, Phila-
delphia, Boston, and Baltimore to New Or
leans. The trunk lines can never afford 10
lose the traffic OF the West.
During the extraordinary efforts made in
the carly part of 1876 by the railroads termi-
mating In New York, to regain the grain
traffic which had been 30 largely turned to
more southerly ports, frcights were put at
such figure that wheat was brought here
from Chicago by all-rail at ninc cents
bushcl, or three dollars a ton-a rate that
had hitherto been considered wholly i'm
practicable In word, any rates made by
a competing southern line for the traffic Of
the West would of necessity be promptly
met 10y our main trunk lines. While Now
Orleans may lcgitmatcly aspire to regain
her former prosperity she can never capture
the great bulk Of the Western grain trade
nor will the productions OF the Mississippi
Valley naturally find an outlet at the mouth
of the Mississippi
The managers OF the great railway lines
leading from the West into this city are
keenly alive to the importance Of keeping
their roads in the most effective condition.
so that they may compete in a fair field
with all rivals let them likewise remember
that the facilities of freight transportation
which they represent and control should
become subsidiary, in the most complete
and cordial sense, to the local interests Of
New York, with which they are inscparably
identified. The distribution of goods in this
country is changing, and the manner OF
doing business in other respects has been
revolutonizcd. Our merchants on South
street, where formerly splendid American
packets were fitted out, look out from their
quiet Offices, and observe that, instead OF
manufactured stuff going TO the mouths of
rivers as points of shipment and distribu-
tion, railroads now transport the great bulk
OF merchandise "acrOss lots " in n direct
line. Produce no longer stops at the head
of navigation till spring. awaiting frcshct.
Amid all these changes the trade and traffic
Of New York have nstantlygrown thcyarc
to-day greater than ever before The guam
tity Of goods distributed, South and West.
by our merchants during the year 1877, eX-
cccds that Of any previous year in the his
tory Of the city. though the actual money
value is probably less than in some years
during flush times. 1t is confidently be-
| loved by those most capable Of judging, that
the erection Of elevators at the various
termini of the railways tone is already in
successful operation will permanently cen
tralize the grain trade of the Western States
in this city, already the largest depot in the
world for the storage woll as for the
sale Of grain.
New Orleans papers daily urge the mer-
chants Of that city to adopt various plans
10 attract Il greater volume Of export busi-
ness through that market. 81. Louis was at
first looked to as a valuable feeder. but
thus far she has not come up to the mark.
At present Cairo is relied on 10 furnish the
great bulk Of the grain TO be exported
through New Orleans; very considerable
quantities have already been shipped by
towbOats and bargcs from Cairo direct and
! consigned to Il prominent New Orleans firm.
New Orleans shippers say that this il the
beginning of an immense trade. Cairo will
in time, they say, bear the same relation to
New Orleans that Buffalo-or, for that mat
ter. Chcago-does to New York.
While the merchants OF this city will con-
tnue to put forward every effort which
sagacity and energy can suggest to retain
the commercial supremacy SO long ours, by
furnishing the most economical seaport for
the exchange of foreign and domestic pro-
ducts, we do not believe they look with an
unkndly eye on the efforts of New Orleans
toattract a portion Of the great and growing
trade Of the West