The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-05-30
THE WESTERN GRAIN TRADE.

| lhh w DOl LINN uHhAN 4AsAAD1f
We nubljsh In another column letter
from the Mayor Of David City, Nebraska,
IN orr Administrator OF Commerce, Mr..
Rehan. lnauIring as to the facilities enjoyed
by this port for the shipment Of Western
grain and meats for foreign export via the
Mississippi river. The letter expresses dis
satisfaction with the exorbitant freight rates
from the West by railroads to the cities Of
the Atlantic seaboard, while It expresses the
conviction that the natural outlet for the sur
plus grain and meats Of the Western States
Ia by way Of st. Louis and New Orleans, and
through the markets OF the Mississippi.
Before the shipment Of bulk grain from
this port attained position Of relative i'm
portance In the export business OF this city,
1t was vehemently urged by the shippers Of
wheat and corn In the Atlantic cities that the
sea voyage from New Orleans through the
Gulf of Mexico and across the Atlantic In the
lower ATTITUDES could not be done without the
cargoes sustaining severe injury from the ef-
| fects of a climate SO much warmer than that
experienced along the Northern sea routes.
| 1t was proven by frequent experiments that
this theoretical objection, SO often and 80 en-
phaticaliy advanced by interested Northern
shippers, did not hold good; for the expert
mental shipments showed that grain shipped
from New Orleans to foreign ports uniformly
arrived at its points Of destination In q condi-
ton as sound and perfect as any that had
| been transported across the ocean In the
| higher ATTITUDES. However, Notwithstanding
this known fact, the Northern shippers con-
tinued to urge their fallacious objections. and
succeeded thereby in diverting a large
amount Of grain from this to the Atlantic sea-
board cities.
Before the application OF the ietties to
South Pass, the shoal water at the mouths OF
the Mississippi was considered as an obsta-
Gle to the growth Of the export grain trade at
this point. With tho deepening of the South
Pass channel this obstacle no longer exists,
and now with an available channel to the sea,
admitting of the passage Of vessels drawing
four and five feet more water than those
which few years ago carried the foreign
commerce of this port, freight rates nave
been reduced. According to our Information,
the charges on grain, per bushel, from New
Orleans to Liverpool, has averaged I'D dur
Ing the present season
The fluctuations in the grain trade at this
point during the past few years seem to have
occurred from lack Of organized effort on
the part of the two cities, St. Louis and New
Orleans, which were chiefly interested in Its
growth Had the activity and energy mani
tested In the matter by the grain mer-
chants of New Orleans been responded to
| with like industry and zeal on the part of
| those In st. Louis, the growth OF this bust
ness would have been steady and its rela-
tive extent and Importance far greater than
they are at present.
The business year which ended September
!, 1873, showed large increase over the
grain shipments from this city in the year
which was closed September 1, 1877. For the
year 1879 we republish statement which
appeared In last Sundays issue OF this
paper:
Since September 1. 1878. we have received ct
this, port 1.bl267 bushels Of wheat IN bulk.
against 7s6 .381 bushels for the same time last
year; 396.7l9 bushels OF rye. against 514,7s5
bushels last year: 1858 os9 bushels OF corn Ia
ps o soss ba IN n
the buk grain trade New Orleans has gained
heavily In receipts OF wheat but has lost largely
In corn and rye.
double the amount Of that shipped up to a
corresponding time last year.
The advantages OF utilizing such o magni-
ticent highway Of commerce as the Missis-
sippi river for carrying the grain trade Of the
Western States and Of all the valley are too
plain to be overlooked.
However, Eastern capital moves more
grain through the Erie Canal In a few months
than is carried on the Mississippi river In q
year. The want Of capital applied to the
business has 50 far been the only apparent
cause which prevents the carrying Of all the
surplus grain of the West down the broad
channel of the great river.
The heating" theory has been exploded,
the bars which formerly obstructed COM
MERGE at tho mouths Of the Mississippi have
been removed. we have deep water outlet to
the sea, great railway lines reach the river
from the rich granaries Of the West, and the
facilities here for handling large quantities Of
bulk grain are perfect. Our merchants are
ready to perform their part Of the work and
to properly respond to any efforts or enter
prise on the part OF Western shippers who
choose to forward their grain to New Orleans
for shipment to Europe.