Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-10-19
TRADE In FERTILIZERS.
CAUSES OF THE FALLING OFF
IN RECEIPTS HERE.

The Laws in Regard to Branding end
Analysis Keep out Northern Products
The City to Tax the Stock on Hand
When 1t is Heaviest-The Dealers Dis
satisfied-ChsrlestOn and Savannah
Manufacturers Watching Each Other
Closely,
Guano men say that the receipts OF fer
tilIzers thus far this season are much less
than for the corresponding date IN past
years. While it Is still early in the season
for that trade, the smallness of the receipts
has attracted the attention Of those in
the business and others too. 1t is said
that there has been but one vessel load
brought in so far. The most of the stock,
which is distributed from Savannah, ar
rives during November and December,
and about the first of each year the stock
rs larger than at any other time.
1nJanuary and February the fertilizers
are shipped to the interior, and in March
the heaviest shipping is done. An effort is
made to reduce the stock on hand as low
as possible by April /, for at that date the
city leVies tax on what is in the ware
houses. The dealers are somewhat dis
gruntled over the report that the ordinance
may be changed SO that the tax will be
tnpOeou Ou Tue SlOCh On manu- al Jau. l..
Instead OF what is on hand April l. Such
a change in the ordinance would not be
Objectionable TO the home manufacturers,
who have to compete with the outsiders.
BIG TRADE.
1t is estimated that Savannah handled
last year $1,000 tons. The middlemen
and local firms operating factories out
side of the city and State say that if the
tax ordinance is changed so that it will
be laid upon the stock on hand Jan. ],
SaVannah's trade in the article will fall
off considerably. A representative of
one of these firms, which manufacture
their goods elsewhere, stated that the fer
tilIzers would be sent through Savannah
on through bills OF lading, or come into
the State at some other point which
would be MADE distributing point.
Seven cents ton is talked of as the prob
able amount that Will be inserted in The
ordinance. A member of Council in
speaking of the matter stated that he did
not think that figure will drive any trade
away from Savannah TO Port Royal,
Charleston or Brunswick.
The Charleston combination Of manu-
facturers which split up some time ago
has not been reunited. Agents here are
watching the Charleston manufacturers,
and, as a gentleman expressed it yester-
day, are waiting Tor them to show their
hand. Charleston. it IL believed, is doing
the same thing in regard to the Georgia
trade. The manufacturers of Charleston
want to see what other manufacturers
who sell IN Georgia are going TO DO.
WHAT NORTHERN DEALERS SAY.
A Northern manufacturer said to arep-
fesentatiYe of the NEWS recently that
many of the manufacturers OF the North
will not sell in some States of the South.
Georgia ana North Carolina particularly.
This is partly on account of the strict
laws IN regard o branding and analysis.
Baltimore and New York snip more goods
South than any other Northern cities.
The New York grades, as a rule, do not
bold as good reputation as do the
Baltimore, South Carolina, or home made
articles. The analysis, however, is re-
Qulred TO be stamped upon the bags, and
p great deal of litigation has occurred IN
the state courts between the mauufac-
turere and the farmers, who took adYan-
tage OF technlcalites in the law. The
omission OF a letter or a figure has de-
cided cases IN favor Of the planters, and
many OF the manufacturers are afraid of
the southern trade. That, however, has
NOT been without some benefit to the
home manufacturers, who, being upon
the ground, had better opportunity to
watch their interests ana contest
suits. AS TO the trade for the ensuing
year, a dealer remarked that the pros
pect is not as bright as it night be. Fac
credits are long now and the consum ers
want still more time.