The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-07-17
THE GRAIN TRADE.

.,,a,d,np tn the most authentic aeeounta B
ond rel,ahle information furnished from ever
MART Of the Mississippi valley the grain crops Il
~ that mart of the country will be this yea 4
nearly. If not quite. equal In amount to ths
best crops that have ever been raised.
The recent severe storms and whirlwinds
that have swept through the States In The +
Northern part OF the valley have, OF courss {
materially injured these crops, as also hase
the remarkable drouths and the local storms
that have existed or occurred In the Southern
States. But these causes do not seem I'd 4
have had the effect OF very seriously reduG 4
ing the totals OF the crops In any OF tue I
states watered by the Mississippi river and
its tributaries.
Information furnished by telegraph during
the past two months has been to the effect
that the grain crops In Europe have fallen
very far below their annual average produG
tion, though, strange to say, the same au
thority reports large accumulation Of grain L
in the ports of Southern Russia.
Full production Of wheat and other grain ID y
the United States and short production Of TIM 4
same staples In Europe seem TO have alWayss
governed and measured the extent OF the ex. 4
port grain trade OF the United States.
Az far as theories go to indicate anything
In the matter, it seems that our country viii
ship more grain this year than 1T has evaN
sent to foreign countries in any year Of The
countrys history. The granaries OF the Miss
sissippi valley are expected to furnish the
bulk of this exported product. New Orleans /
should export large proportion Of II
Among the chief export cities OF this country,
this city to-day, through the efforts Of CAPT
Eads, has one Of the most available channels
for deep draught tonnage, and should Offer
the greatest facilities for low freight rates
Our port is accessible by sea to vessels draw
ing twenty-six feet water. The motive power
OF the currents of twenty thousand miles q
navigable waters connecting her with mill
ions Of acres OF fertile fields and hundreds of
inland towns and cities, Is ready to float to her
wharves laden boats and barges. or to afford
the broad track to the most magnifcmt
system OF steam navigation witnessed in the
world.
The heavy grain crops Of the West are nov
pouring into st. Louis. Cairo and other gra11
markets on the Ohio and Mississippi river, Il
According to q communication from q &c
Louis correspondent, which appeared in esr
river column yesterday, this is being rapidly
forwarded at low freight rates by the raj
roads to Baltimore, Boston and other cities d
the Atlantic seaboard. There is PLENTY o
tonna ." Of st. Louis to move a large portion
Of 1t t. this port. The question to be solved
is why is not this tonnage utilized or h0N
can 1t be that Thousand miles of overland
transportation Is cheaper for producers than
twelve hundred miles of water carriage2 M
can see no reason for this apparent violation
OF all known commercial and Transportation
theories except that the railroads are carry.
ing wheat and corn for less money than II
costs them to move 1t. The competition of
the great water route must ultimately pre-
vail, and the surplus grain OF the Mississippi
valley be shipped by way of New Orleans.