Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-06-25
KING COTTON.
Hfs Royal movements Through
the southern Country.


| cpcclai 70 the Oouflcr-JOurna
ATLANTA, June PA few weeks
ago Galveston passed Savannah and
took rank next to New Orleans, and
usurped Savannah's place as the sec
ond cotton port In the country. Ma
turally, the Savannah Cotton Exchange
began TO inquire into the causes of the
decline, to see IL any remedy lay with
lin reach. The mian reason attributed
BY the Savannah Exohange to account
fer loss Of cotton this season was di.
version of the gtaple from its old ports
by the operations OF the railroad POOL
ing system. A gentleman we'll in.
formed in the movements Of cotton
says the pooling system operates rather
to the advantage of interior towns as
against ports. There are three reasons
for the decline Of Savannah's cotton
receipts: First, low quotations, that
properly understood would not have
much influence, but when Charleston
is Offering ten aud q quarter cents for
ordinary, aud Savannah only ten, it
naturally goes to Charleston. A bets
ter grade OF cotton goes to Charleston,
aud what would be ordinary there
might be good ordinary or middlinR
in Savannah. The reason has more
effect than many would suppose; the
second cause is due to low lreights
given to Norfolk cotton, carried from
this country to Norfolk for fifty-six
cents a hundred. while forty.fve cents
is charged to Savannah; Norfolk is
900 miles over mountains, and Savan-
nah only 300 miles on an easy run.
Not counting the difference in dis
lance, there is another Disadvantage
for Norfolk thus overcome, for the
same motive power that would carry |
twelve cars 300 miles toward Norfolk |
would carry twenty cars 300 miles to |
Norfolk has many natural |
advantages, besides this artificial one. |
She is enabled to command territory
from Memphis to New Orleans by |
means of railroad systems that radiate
nom there. The Coast Line. the
Richmond and Danville, the East
Tennessee, Virginia and Georgia and |
the Chesapeake and Ohio give her
easy access to that vast territory and
matchless facilities for reaching it.
As port her advantages are striking
She is in a direct line to Liverpool.
She is north of Hatteras and gets
cheaper insurance. On that account
she has lower rates; SO low that they
more than counterfeit the eleven cents
additional inland freight, from this
The third reason for Sa-
Vannah's decline, is found in the supe
-ior enterprise of the Charleston mer.
,hants. They seem to handle the
,otton better, and their reputation for
loing so, has diverted some of Savan-
lah's former receipts. The enormous
,rops of Texas, accounts in some
Measure for Gslveston's great inter-
,st. She is holding her own and gain
ng among Southern ports, because
he has vast territory that can not
De taken from her. 1t supplies excel.
ent cotton. too, better than that
which goes to New Orleans. This
ide OF Galveston the cotton move
nents indicate a shifting toward the
North Atlantic. New Orleans
ost first, then Mobile lost heavily;
savannah Is complaining now, and
charleston. though keeping relatively
head of these towns by her enter
,rise, is losing by competition with
Norfolk. This seems to be the drift
VI cotton, and it may be that railroad
are promoting it. There
IRE three natural ports for Atlanta.
charleston, Norfolk and Savannah.
charleston has managed to gain con
rol Of the bulk Of it, and seems de-
erminea by the activity and enter
)rise OF her merchants to hold it.
Che Atlantic coast has three natural
,orts, which drain the country. First.
New York, which is an estuary for
he Northwestern, Middle and New
England States; second, Norfolk,
which il an estuary for the cotton
,elts, and destined to take away the
prestige of New Orleans; and third,
Galveston, which has an empire of its
,wn. Before these three ocean rivals
III other ports must give away.