The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-09-01
THE CITY'S TRADE.
SATISFACTORY SHOWING MADE
DURING THE YEAR
Transactions That VIII Exceed In
Value the Sum Of 1885,
100000.
RAPID INCREASE OF THE DRY
GOODS TRADE
dthe Steady Growth OF Business
in Other Lines Of Mer-
cbaHdlse.

The reports Of the Merchants Elk
change show considerable decrease in
the grain business for the year end
ing today as compared with the pre-
yious twelve months. This would be
quite discouraging to u merchants,
but that the causes are apparent and
are the result Of a complication of
circumstances that are not likely to
happen again. One of the principal
causes for the falling off of our trade
was the failure of the corr crop
along the line of the Kansas City
railroad and its branches, together
with a good crop in the South
east, and especially good in the
vicinity of Memphis. The move
ment through Memphis during
the heaviest part of the sea-
son was affected materially by the
pooling Of railroad rates south and
east of the Ohio river, including
Memphis. This especially worked
against Memphis for the reason that
on the Ohio river and in that neigh
borhood they had a fine crop.
Now that a good crop is
assured in that portion Of Missouri
and Kansas traversed by the Kansas
City, Springfield and Memphis rail
road and its branches, with the
prospect for a better demand in this
vicinity and the Southeast, and with
another connection to that territory
by the extension of the Kansas City
railroad, we may confidently look for
a largely increased grain trade.
There is diversity of opinion in re-
gard to what effect the extension of
the Kansas City road to Birmingham
will have on the Memphis trade. 1t
is claimed by some that it will be to
the interest OF the road to make Biz
mingham the distributing point in
stead of Memphis. This is scarcely
possible for the reason that the other
lines to the Southeast cannot afford
to sit idly by and see the Kansas
City road do all the business.
If the extension will effect any
change in the trade prospects
Of our city it will be to its advan-
tage. Ia the first place it opens to
us the coal fields and iron beds of
Alabama and makes successful man
ufacturing in our city an assured
fact, while any attempt on the part
of the Kansas City folks to give
Memphis the go.by will be immedi-
ately checked by counter action on
the part of the Memphis railroads
competing for business for that ter
ritory. One very encouraging item
of our report is that of wheat. The
receipts this year are more than
double that of the year previous,
and will no doubt increase as much
more the coming year. With
large Touring mills in active opera
ton here, and being naturally
the distributing point for
the South and Southeast,
it is reasonable to expect that our
receipts Of wheat will be in a very
short time equal to that of corn.
Memphis possesses advantages that
few cities can boast Of, Our mer-
chants are wide awake, active bust
ness men, with ample capital; new
railroads are constantly being built
opening up new territory, some to
receive our supplies from, others to
distribute into. Besides this, we
hav e splendid facilities for handling
grain. Our three elevators can take
care Of nearly l 900, 900 bushels, and if
necessity requires, more room can be
added in short time and at small ex-
pense. 1t is only a question Of few
years before Memphis will be the
grain market of the Mississippi Val