The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1891-03-12
COMMERCIAL INTERESTS.
A Jobbing Business That Foots
up $32, 900 900.
$34, 58O,987 Represents the
Value OF Richmond's
Manufactures.


Richmond is a progressive CITY. not
only in general sense, but her trade,
commerce and manufactures are improv-
ing and increasing from year to year
Richmond holds the key to a vast region
OF country to the south and southwest,
which she can and does supply with most
lines of goods as satisfactorily and at
prices as low as her formidable COMPETE
tors to the north of her. 1t is true there
are some people who think that because
city is very large the goods it sends out
must be much better and cheaper; and
there are some dealers yet who think it
necessary to offer New York or Phiadel-
phia, Boston or Baltimore goods in order
to retain their customers. The fact is
Richmond jobbers possess all the facili-
ties for obtaining identical stocks as do
houses in the larger cities; their expenses
are, necessarily, less, and they are nearer
the consumers; their shipping facilities
are complete, not only for delivering
goods, but especially advantageous to
them in the matter of receiving supplies,
a large portion of which comes in by
water. Besides, many foreign goods are
imported direct, and, as a consequence,
1t is easy to understand that, in most al
tlCleS, Richmond can and does sell as
cheap land IN many cases cheaper as
her northern rivals.
The prejudice formerly existing against
Richmond by reason of its smaller size
is rapidly dying out, and Southern mer-
chants are beginning to appreciate the
benefit to them OF having d near by de-
pot of supplies upon which they can de-
pend and on which they can draw at
short notice and in any amount, great or
small. This is one reason of the con-
slant increase in Richmond's jobbing
trade during recent years. Another is
the energy and enterprise exhibited by
most Of the leading houses in their de-
termination not to be driven out of their
own legitimate territory, or not even to
hold a second place therein. To COM
pass these ends Richmond merchants go
to the limit in the matter Of aCcommOda-
ton, and often materially undersell COM
petlng points. AS a rule, customers
once made are retained and if they wan
der off after other gods it is usually but
temporarily, and they soon return and
stay. This was noticeable in 1850 in the
trade in a section of North Carolina,
where Richmond merchants have always
had large trade That year the trade
fell off considerably, but last year it was
practically all regained.
SOUTHERN TRADE.
Merchants do not depend upon the
nearby trade as much as formerly. AL
though they are holding their own in
these sections, they are making very
81 tlo
Georgia. Tennessee, and in some lines
even as far as Florida and Texas.
The business in South Carolina and
Georgia increased in particular during
the past year, and its future prospects
there are very encouraging. That whole
region is carefully and Systematically
travelled by corps of thoroughly eff
Cient statesmen, and to their indefatiga-
bility is due much of the increased
advantage that Richmond now possesses
there Richmond is pre- eminently a
conservative city, made up of Conserva-
tive business men, which does not, how
ever, keep them from exercising their
enterprise whenever the opportunity
offers itself AS Richmond grows her
trade will grow; as her, trade increases
her facilities will increase, and she will
come to be recognized as controlling for
herself the bulk of the trade in the whole
Southeastern portion of the country.
GROWTH OF TRADE.
The sales of merchandise during 1896
amounted to $32,o42,ooo as compared
with $40, 40 900 in 1850, and $27 ,4o5, ooc
in 1888. The increase of sales last year
in the various lines ranged from to &C
per cent, while the failures were much
fewer, and the city continues to hold one
of the best credit records in the country
The capital invested in the jobbing trade
amounts to $7.535,ooo. an increase OF
$4,000 over that for 1889.
The following table will give at Z
glance the extent of the business done
in the various wholesale lines: