The Progress., 1892-12-17
Price.
Articles.

I
estimates on many lines of merchan-
disc which are not included in these
official market quotations.
Capt. James Utz estimates a gen
eral and average reduction of 25 per
cent in hardware, wagons and agri-
cultural implements, since 1879.
VIM. Enders says cheap furniture
has been reduced 80 per cent and
best lines about % per cent
Aaron Kahn reports 25 per cent re-
ductlon IN stoves and cooking uten-
sils, but that chinaware, toys and high
grade cutlery, are more expensive on
account of the tariff.
The house of S. q. Dreyfuss & Co,
furnishes the following data: In
1879 plaids were l0I cents, and in
1889 81 cents per yard; domestic and
cotton goods, 80 per cent decrease in
cost; jeans and other WOODEN goods,
35 per cent decreased cost; prints, 40
per cent decreased cost; brogan and
heavy shoe-wear, so per cent decrease
in cost.
We must remember that in 1879
we had only the river for freights,
while in 1889 we had 5 railroad routes
out of this city and ofthese II ] miles
of the New Orleans and 20 miles of
the Houston Narrow Gauge are in
Caddo parish. This is a great item
which should be taken into our in
vestigations.
Again, in 1879 we had only two
banks whose over-drafts ocre 10 per
cent, while in 1889 we had five which
has cheapened money to 10 per cent
per oYer-draft, making at least so per
cent per annum to our merchants
who carried our farmers.
In clothing, no figures were Sc
cured, Lu5 everybody knows there has
been an overwhelming decrease in
that line.
la drugs, no figures Were secured,
but this item is not generally used In
such quantities as to cut any great
figure III our parish finances.
The public expense for administra-
tion of justice and protection to life
and property has even decreased. In
1879 the census reports parish tax
of S2S, ,000, while in 1889 about $25, 900
was taken from the people and a por-
ton of this was for bridges and some
interest on small amount of bonds.
Our parish and city debt in 1879 was
S554, GA, while in 1889 it exceeded
but slightly 100000. In 1879 our
parish warrants were sold for % and
80 cents on the dollar with no money
in the treasury, while lately the par
ish paper is good at par and in 1889
there was a good surplus and par
ticularly so in 1891. For this we owe
much to the good financial admins
tration of a very able and business
like police jury-a majority of whom
have been successful with their own
business interests. Then crime has
decreased and our ontlay in that di-
rection is greatly lessened.
REHABILITATION.
To understand these figures more
clearly they should be GROUPED as
details into an aggregate to reach an
amount known to have been saved,
thus:
IS eco bushels of potatoes at SOC. ......s 81 500
Overpl.s in value Cf cotton. ............. 1870
Cotton Seed increase in value ......... 1900
Saved in corn purchased in 1879. ....... 1874. .329
- in mules estimated as Caddo's part 5000
in bagging and ties................ 5000
Total known TO have been saved. -. .s2y3 i99
This does not include the amount
saved by cheaper merchandise, which
certainly must have been as much as
$207, 900, or a total saving of $500, 900
per annum. Considering the whole
subject--combining every feature of
these detai1s-I am forced to con-
clude that our domestic wealth-not
all individual cases-must he greatly
improved in the past ten years, or
our people have wasted their suo-
stances in riotous living and debaucl-
cry, or invested in wildcat schemes
promising mythical but elusive divi-
dends. We must not reckon our con-
dition by any one or two years, for
they are like the individual cases of
our people, constituting no test of
the whole, for the low prices of big
crop in 1891 and the short crop re
sulting in 1890 and 1892 from over
flows would be misleading and should
not be accepted as an index. Speak
ing of these years reminds me that
the planters of Tensas, Madison and
East Carroll parishes, have assured
me that they had made their crops
this year for 40 per cent less than
ever before. May we not hope that
our own disasters may teach our peo-
pie wholesome lessons in economy
and home predictions Of home sup
pile
am always glad 10 serve our
Caddo people, and if by this report l
have been able to cheer them and
cause them to feel lighter in heart, !
am more than repaid for the great
labor and care in its preparation
l am, your friend,
III. III. HARGRovR.