The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-09-06

prospects of a heavy corn crop are good. and
the estimated yield, it is said, VIII be about
! JO,OOc,0 900 bushels.
HARDWARE.
Each year shows an improvement in this
| branch Of trade OF course the success of farm
ers in the matter of crops has much TO do
with their purchasing power, ana the more sue
cessfll they are the better the implements they
buy. There was a heavy demand for SUCH
goods, even though prices We're httle hlgher.
There was also liberal advance in building
materials in this line, and dealers report beL-
| ter trade in progress during the past
twelve months than ever before Ine me!
chants as good. and but few
losses were incurred. The shipments OF pig iron
through this port attracting considerable at
tenion. There was heavy increase, and, with
the increase in the coastwise tonnage OF the
Ocean Steamship Company, heavy shipments
can be made throughout the year. Tue central
railroad brought 10 this port 81, JOG pounds
of pig AMI bar iron l,331,755 pounds OF railroad
iron and 4.157, 757 pounds Of hardware. The
shipments of pig iron hence TO New YORK were
30, 1872 tons to Philadelphia 7,OI3 tons, to Boston
$500 tons, to Baltimore 1877 tons, showing a
total increase of over 10000 tons over last year.
WHOLESALE DRY GOODS AND NOTIONS.
The last year was, as a whole a satisfactory
one to the dry goods and notion trade. much
larger volume of business was done than in the
previous year Values We're moro steady while
a slight advance in most staple goods occurred.
Yet the advance was gradual i'll its character
that it was scarcely felt by the trade and as no
perceptible decline followed, no loss of any
kind Gun be calculated. The volume of busi-
ness was increased, perhaps, 10 per cent. Old
trade was retained, and new territory canYaSsed
with gratifying success. While moderate
winter restricted the anticipated sales of wool
fabrics, yet the early demand for spring
fabrics increased the spring trade. The
opening Of the fail trade of 1883 was
very encouraging and the prospect OF
a much larger trade than last year was conse-
quently looked for, particularly from Florida.
AS usual the trade there IS early, the buyers
placing the most of their orders or coming to
market during August and September, and the
prospect OF large crops Of cotton and oranges
made our jObbers feel that during August and
September they would have all the business
they could do but these calculations have been
suddenly destroyed by the breaking out of the
yellow fever at several points there, and the
strict quarantine which has followed has
stopped almost all business from that state.
Therefore, for some time to come, this impor-
tant point of trade for Savannah jObbers Is, as
il were, closed, ard will restrict very materially
the trade for two or three months TO come.
But If Florida cannot be entered, new fields OF
trade will be sought and an effort made to open
new markets. The financial character of our
lobbers the large capital they have invested,
tine immense and complete stocks they carry the
liberal terms and close prices offered their
patrons, places them on "a footing with the Job
uers Of the north, aud Viii eventually make .ol-
vanuah the dry goods and notion mar o. of the
south While some OF our railroads cndeaVOr
to assist the trade with fair rates for passage and
extra baggage, others endeavor to make tie
expenses Of a salesman on the road as heavy as
possible charging eXorbitaut rates FOR excess
baggage even from station to station. Instead
of furnishing tbeU with excess baggage tickets
say 800 pounds 1000 miles for S%5-they
charge from - cents to 80 cents hundred from
station to station To compete successfully
with northern houses, a large liue OF goods has
to be carried and taree to five trunks are
Necessary, and the roads should make
their rates low, They get full freight
on the goods that are sold Another
Inconvenience to the dry goods trade
is the classification made by tn, railroad com
mission. This classification is too complex. 1t
Is in fact great burden savannah stands as
the gateway to large and productive country,
from the Atlantic 10 the Mississippi river, and
should be market for imported
fabrics from Great Britain and
the continent, and some effort should be made
to import largely of these fabrics and wares,
that axe so largely sold in the south. The inn
sold here, and the time must soon come when
our merchants will seek the foreign markets,
and import themselves such fabrics as come
from those markets. Being the largest cotton
port OH the Atlantic, Savannah should be a
large manufacturing town. Charleston has
successfully built and runs & cotton factory for
domestic sheeting. Why cannot one or more
factories, even larger than the one referred TO,
be builC and operated here. There is a large
field here for manufactures of all grades Of
cloth, and the market of tue world is open for
Their product. We trust another year VIII see
these important enterprises successfully in
auglrated.
REAL ESTATE.
The demand for real estate during the
last year was very general. Usually
there is a season of special activity lin the
spring., but for the past year the transactions
extended through the whole year. The peculiar
features of these were the readiness with which
offerings were taken, especially when in the
direction in which the city is extending. What
seemed to be full prices. were paid for land
quite distance out, aud the wisdom of the
purchaser, i'll most cases, was verified by resales
at profit. Some have plated and sub-divided
their purchases and resold at a profit Others
are holding baslng their action upon the now
generally accepted belief that Chatham county
land, at prevailing prices, is the best investment
than cen be made. SO generally does this senti-
ment perYade the community that capitalists
are investing in real estate who are noted for
their conservatism and caution. IL is conceded
upon all sides that Savannahs growth and in
crease in material property was never so well
assured as at the present time.
business of all kinds was prosperous during
the year when conducted upon correct
principles. The railroads centering
here are doing largely increased bust.
ness, our merchants are doing well,
and our people generally are in better financial
condition than at any time since the war. The
city corpora ton is In sound financial condition,
improvements, which add largely to the value
of real property, and encourages private parties
10 improve and beautify their holdings. With
this condition of affairs in the midst of us, and
the investment Of large amounts In new street
car lines, new hotels, postoffice, court house
handsome and extensive private dwellings, i'm
mense warehouses, stores, guano works. etc
and the extension of present railroad lines and
the opening of new ones, IL is but natural that
population should be attracted and the benefits
of increased population be realized.
The wonderful healthfulneSS of our city
strengthens public confidence in our advantages
as place or abode, and all things seem to con
spire to the Veritlcation of the prophecy, that
Savannah is destined to be the most important
of the southern seaports
The transactions in real estate were very
much greater in the amount invested and in the
number OF transactions than the year previous
Tho number of brokers have increased, aud all
report Increased transactions. AS there is nc
real estate exchange, il is almost impossible 10
get figures, as brokers are 10th to reveal the
tent of their business. but the evidence of the
increased business done over last year is cumu.
lalive and reliable
While the transactions covered the different
classes of property. and were confined to no
particular section of the city, yet 1t is noted
that the demand for vacant property has been
wonderfully sustained Tho old saw that fools
build houses for wise men to live in has nc
longer application to this locality. Every man
who wants a home seems to pre-
fer to build IL, and not to buy il as built
by some Que else. IL is this prevailing sentiment
that has created and maintained the demand
for building lots Two very desirable effects
have resulted: Very handsome streets have
been built up with beautiful modern residences
and the demand for houses for renting has been
of the new property rhe influx of population,
IN f4N Vgif ma hftt ina