Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1882-09-01


The Business Year and Outlook,
An elaborate andcarefully prepared
review Of the trade and commerce Of
the past year is presented in this issue,
to which our readers are referred.
The facts and figures presented are
worthy Of careful study by all who
take an interest in the prosperity Of
Memphis. The general statement
contains facts Of great value to every
thoughtful business man. 1t will
be seen that while our re-
ceipts Of cotton have fallen Of l31 ,027
bales, and the value received was
S5,26,72l less than the former year,
all the markets Of the country have
sustained comparatively the same re.
ductions. The cotton crop of the
country fell short Of its predecessor
by 100000 bales, and the decrease
seems to have been distributed equally
over the entire cotton growing region.
The total value of the cotton crop OF
the year will fall but little, if any,
below S30O,0O0,00O, and Of this Mem
phis received Sls,S2S,3S3, or about
one sixteenth. This, however, is less
than has beenFeceived and distributed
here for any Of the past sixteen years,
The price realized averaged nearly II
cents per pound more than was OBJ,
tained the preceding year, and on the
whole, business has been quite salts
factory. Monetary institutions have
all prospered, and exhibit increased
financial strength after distributing
more than quarter of million Of
dollars to stockholders-this exclusive
of earnings made by cotton seed oil
mills, congresses and otherindustries,
which doubtless foot up another quar-
ter of a million. The various rail-
ways terminating at Memphis
have all improved their roadbeds,
added to their rolling stock
and made steady gains in business
and prosperity. The Chesapeake,
Ohio and Southwestern railroad, re-
Gently completed to Memphis the
Memphis and Kansas City, the rail
road to Holly Springs and beyond;
the branch to be built by the Memphis
and Charleston railroad to Birming-
ham, Ala, and the Memphis, Vicks
burg and New Orleans railroad, to be
built within the next year, will all be
feeders of great magnitude to Mem
phis, making this a railway center
second to none in the South, and
changing the situation wonderfully in
very short time. There is every
reason to believe that Memphis is
entering upon an era of manufacture
ing and varied Industries which will
double the population and wealth Of
the place in few years. 1t isnotable
that We have been very heavy buyers
of bread, feedstuffs and provisions.
The volume brought here during the
year was larger than for any like
period within the past fifteen years.
The item of corn alone, bought or
consumed, exceeded 100000 bushels,
whilst dealings in oats and other ce.
reals we're proportionately large. On
the other hand the small farmers of
this vicinity have raised and shipped
to Northern cities 10000 barrels Of
potatoes, $4,000 barrels of apples, he
sides small berries, grapes, etc, and
realized in return fully 10000. This
has furnished employment to many
hundreds Of persons, and kept money
in circulation at a season when 1t
is generally the most needed.
1t is an encouraging fact
in this connection that freights
to the East and North have been
lower this season than ever before. A
largo traffic has been carried on in
slaves, round timber and saved lum
Der Of every description. These in
ieresla arc steadily on the increase
The shipment Of slaves from this poin
south for Europe has been very large
while numerous cargoes Of lumber
have been shipped north for use al
ploy making, furniture and other facto-
ries. On the gbple, the business of the
year just closed, while PCT ELL that
could be desired, was generally salts
factory, and with increased railway,
elevator and wbaFfage facilities, a large
gain Of traffic and an iaprayement
iD every branch of business and in
dustry may be confidently expected in
the near future. The Season opens
auspiciously. A feeling ofencoprage-
ment prevails among all the substan-
tial classes of the community, and the
conviction is irresistible that Mem.
phis is upon the threshold Of a larger
nrosnerity than ever yet realized.